Strategic Council Online: The United States has announced its withdrawal from Syrian soil at a time that it gives the green light to Turkey to violate the national sovereignty of Syria and occupy 450 square kilometers at a depth of 30 kilometers.
Azam Gol Mohammadi – International Law Researcher
Strategic Council Online: The US and certain countries in the region are currently trying to mount a wave of popular protests in Iraq in an open sign of intervention in the internal affairs of the country.
Hassan Danaeifar – Former Iranian Ambassador to Iraq
Strategic Council Online: A strategic affairs expert says a new round of tariff war between Europe and the United States appears to have been shaped. He added that a series of issues has made trade disputes between the two sides more complex, especially if Trump puts into effect his threat to significantly raise car import and parts tariffs from Europe to the United States it would be like a bomb that would completely change the bilateral trade relations.
Strategic Council Online: A university professor says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has given up some of his political misconduct over the past year, adding: “Saudi Arabia has human rights problems, but thanks to rich bank accounts, Riyadh has not come under real European and US pressure because for them the Saudi petrodollars are more attractive than the human rights situation.”
Strategic Council Online: A regional affairs analyst pointing to the dimensions and implications of Operation “Victory from God” in Najran and Yemen’s increasing resistance power said the spontaneous improvement could cause a balance of terror and concern among the Saudis. These developments have made Saudi Arabia more inclined to seek a mutually agreed to solution.
Strategic Council Online: Confiscation of $7 billion in Saad Hariri’s property in Saudi Arabia has led the Lebanese prime minister to change his policies towards Riyadh.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A university professor says the Democrats in the United States are hoping the Republicans will come to a conclusion during impeachment inquiry that they should get rid of Donald Trump as soon as possible. He emphasized that under the current situation, the Republicans are concerned they may lose the White House rather than worry about Trump’s re-election.
Strategic Council Online: Former Middle East Department Director General of the IRI Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it may be better for Iran and Saudi Arabia to talk directly and without mediation. “If Iran and Saudi could reach agreement on a framework both the US influence will decline in the region and the big powers that are interested in getting stronger and seek tension and escalation of regional competitions will become weaker in playing their game,” he said.
Strategic Council Online: Less than a month remains to the end of the official deadline for Britain to exit the European Union and a countdown has started for its political leaders to put whatever they have on the table hoping that UK will come out of a historic crisis it has been facing for three years. Under these circumstances, the prime minister’s political competence has been questioned, and this has complicated the possibility of implementing the Brexit deal.
Hamideh Safamanesh – International Relations Researcher
Strategic Council Online: An international relations lecturer noted that Saudi Arabia and its crown prince were under intense pressure over the killing of Saudi dissident journalist Gamal Khashoggi. He said accepting responsibility by Bin Salman will not take the burden off his shoulders.