Syria has long led moves to ostracise the peace-makers, boycotting last year's Arab-Israeli get-together in Qatar.

ECONOMIST: Syria

American officials depict the international campaign to ostracise Iran as successful coalition-building.

ECONOMIST: Iran's struggle

EU's 14 angry governments are having to ostracise Austria bilaterally, not through their club, of which Austria is a member in good standing.

ECONOMIST: What is Europe?