SCFR Online – Opinion: The three-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington and his meeting with Donald Trump on September 24 and 25, 2026, accompanied by a ceremonial welcome at Andrews Air Force Base, was more a diplomatic display for managing the level of tensions than an indication of a breakthrough achievement in relations between the two powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
Strategic Council Online – An expert on international affairs referred to economic competition and some security and military issues as major reasons for concern in the region over the US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying they consider themselves long-standing economic and security partners of the West and they worry that the deal will make the West less concerned about keeping them safe and alone in the face of Iran.
Strategic Council Online – An American affairs expert said: From the Americans’ point of view, Russia is expanding its military base in Syria and making efforts to establish military bases in Libya and Sudan. It is also expanding its influence from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, he said, adding that China is also moving westward, i.e. the Middle East region, by relying on economic initiatives such as the Silk Road and One Belt One Road initiative.
Strategic Council Online – Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, following the failure of the informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations, with representatives from both North and South Cyprus and the guarantor countries (Turkey, Greece and Britain) in Geneva, acknowledged that despite all the efforts that have been made so far, we have not yet found enough common ground between the two sides to be able to start formal talks in order to resolve the Cyprus issue. Of course, we will not give up our efforts in this regard, and for the time being, the results of the negotiations and efforts regarding Cyprus are fruitless. We are determined to make every effort to continue negotiations and dialogue to achieve positive results in resolving the Cyprus issue. We hope that formal negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus conflict will begin in the next two months.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs
Strategic Council Online- It was March 26, 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition over-all air raids of the regional countries launched against Yemen called Operation Decisive Storm. The US and Israel played logistic role plus supplying weapons and equipments in the war. The operation was supposed to finish within a few weeks, achieving tangible results and pre-determined objectives.
Barsaam Mohammadi, international analyst.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Asia affairs said that the recent decision of the new US administration to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan is a win-win situation for Islamabad, adding that Pakistan views this issue politically and strategically against India and seeks to regain its strategic depth with an economic approach to Afghan markets as well as improving its relations with the United States.
Strategic Council Online – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has resigned as had promised earlier to pave the way for early elections.
Seyed Mohammad Reza Damavandi – researcher in the Caucasus area
Strategic Council Online—Opinion: With the arrival of the World Quds Day, the Zionist regime has increased its destructive movements and measures in the Middle East especially against the resistance movement and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hassan Hanizadeh—expert of Middle East issues
Online Strategic Council—Interview: An expert of Turkey issues says it seems that during the next four years of Biden’s presidency in the White House, we would witness more US pressures on Turkey so that Ankara could not act independently outside the NATO framework and the policies of the United States as the leader of NATO.
Strategic Council Online – A faculty member of the University of Tehran, referring to the reasons for the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Yemen, stressed: Given that the two countries are in different situations and have different points of view, their alliance is questionable and it is possible that their past relations in the region will totally fade away.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Europe affairs said that Biden’s visit to Britain and then to Belgium is an indication of the high importance of reviving transatlantic relations in the political sphere of Biden administration in the next four years. He added: The US emphasis on reviving transatlantic relations and at its helm the European Union, will not deal a blow on bilateral trade, political and security relations with Britain.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The three-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington and his meeting with Donald Trump on September 24 and 25, 2026, accompanied by a ceremonial welcome at Andrews Air Force Base, was more a diplomatic display for managing the level of tensions than an indication of a breakthrough achievement in relations between the two powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
Strategic Council Online – An expert on international affairs referred to economic competition and some security and military issues as major reasons for concern in the region over the US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying they consider themselves long-standing economic and security partners of the West and they worry that the deal will make the West less concerned about keeping them safe and alone in the face of Iran.
Strategic Council Online – An American affairs expert said: From the Americans’ point of view, Russia is expanding its military base in Syria and making efforts to establish military bases in Libya and Sudan. It is also expanding its influence from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, he said, adding that China is also moving westward, i.e. the Middle East region, by relying on economic initiatives such as the Silk Road and One Belt One Road initiative.
Strategic Council Online – Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, following the failure of the informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations, with representatives from both North and South Cyprus and the guarantor countries (Turkey, Greece and Britain) in Geneva, acknowledged that despite all the efforts that have been made so far, we have not yet found enough common ground between the two sides to be able to start formal talks in order to resolve the Cyprus issue. Of course, we will not give up our efforts in this regard, and for the time being, the results of the negotiations and efforts regarding Cyprus are fruitless. We are determined to make every effort to continue negotiations and dialogue to achieve positive results in resolving the Cyprus issue. We hope that formal negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus conflict will begin in the next two months.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs
Strategic Council Online- It was March 26, 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition over-all air raids of the regional countries launched against Yemen called Operation Decisive Storm. The US and Israel played logistic role plus supplying weapons and equipments in the war. The operation was supposed to finish within a few weeks, achieving tangible results and pre-determined objectives.
Barsaam Mohammadi, international analyst.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Asia affairs said that the recent decision of the new US administration to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan is a win-win situation for Islamabad, adding that Pakistan views this issue politically and strategically against India and seeks to regain its strategic depth with an economic approach to Afghan markets as well as improving its relations with the United States.
Strategic Council Online – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has resigned as had promised earlier to pave the way for early elections.
Seyed Mohammad Reza Damavandi – researcher in the Caucasus area
Strategic Council Online—Opinion: With the arrival of the World Quds Day, the Zionist regime has increased its destructive movements and measures in the Middle East especially against the resistance movement and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hassan Hanizadeh—expert of Middle East issues
Online Strategic Council—Interview: An expert of Turkey issues says it seems that during the next four years of Biden’s presidency in the White House, we would witness more US pressures on Turkey so that Ankara could not act independently outside the NATO framework and the policies of the United States as the leader of NATO.
Strategic Council Online – A faculty member of the University of Tehran, referring to the reasons for the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Yemen, stressed: Given that the two countries are in different situations and have different points of view, their alliance is questionable and it is possible that their past relations in the region will totally fade away.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Europe affairs said that Biden’s visit to Britain and then to Belgium is an indication of the high importance of reviving transatlantic relations in the political sphere of Biden administration in the next four years. He added: The US emphasis on reviving transatlantic relations and at its helm the European Union, will not deal a blow on bilateral trade, political and security relations with Britain.
Strategic Council Online – An expert on international affairs referred to economic competition and some security and military issues as major reasons for concern in the region over the US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying they consider themselves long-standing economic and security partners of the West and they worry that the deal will make the West less concerned about keeping them safe and alone in the face of Iran.
Strategic Council Online – An American affairs expert said: From the Americans’ point of view, Russia is expanding its military base in Syria and making efforts to establish military bases in Libya and Sudan. It is also expanding its influence from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, he said, adding that China is also moving westward, i.e. the Middle East region, by relying on economic initiatives such as the Silk Road and One Belt One Road initiative.
Strategic Council Online – Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, following the failure of the informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations, with representatives from both North and South Cyprus and the guarantor countries (Turkey, Greece and Britain) in Geneva, acknowledged that despite all the efforts that have been made so far, we have not yet found enough common ground between the two sides to be able to start formal talks in order to resolve the Cyprus issue. Of course, we will not give up our efforts in this regard, and for the time being, the results of the negotiations and efforts regarding Cyprus are fruitless. We are determined to make every effort to continue negotiations and dialogue to achieve positive results in resolving the Cyprus issue. We hope that formal negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus conflict will begin in the next two months.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs
Strategic Council Online- It was March 26, 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition over-all air raids of the regional countries launched against Yemen called Operation Decisive Storm. The US and Israel played logistic role plus supplying weapons and equipments in the war. The operation was supposed to finish within a few weeks, achieving tangible results and pre-determined objectives.
Barsaam Mohammadi, international analyst.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Asia affairs said that the recent decision of the new US administration to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan is a win-win situation for Islamabad, adding that Pakistan views this issue politically and strategically against India and seeks to regain its strategic depth with an economic approach to Afghan markets as well as improving its relations with the United States.
Strategic Council Online – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has resigned as had promised earlier to pave the way for early elections.
Seyed Mohammad Reza Damavandi – researcher in the Caucasus area
Strategic Council Online—Opinion: With the arrival of the World Quds Day, the Zionist regime has increased its destructive movements and measures in the Middle East especially against the resistance movement and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hassan Hanizadeh—expert of Middle East issues
Online Strategic Council—Interview: An expert of Turkey issues says it seems that during the next four years of Biden’s presidency in the White House, we would witness more US pressures on Turkey so that Ankara could not act independently outside the NATO framework and the policies of the United States as the leader of NATO.
Strategic Council Online – A faculty member of the University of Tehran, referring to the reasons for the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Yemen, stressed: Given that the two countries are in different situations and have different points of view, their alliance is questionable and it is possible that their past relations in the region will totally fade away.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Europe affairs said that Biden’s visit to Britain and then to Belgium is an indication of the high importance of reviving transatlantic relations in the political sphere of Biden administration in the next four years. He added: The US emphasis on reviving transatlantic relations and at its helm the European Union, will not deal a blow on bilateral trade, political and security relations with Britain.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The three-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington and his meeting with Donald Trump on September 24 and 25, 2026, accompanied by a ceremonial welcome at Andrews Air Force Base, was more a diplomatic display for managing the level of tensions than an indication of a breakthrough achievement in relations between the two powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
Strategic Council Online – An expert on international affairs referred to economic competition and some security and military issues as major reasons for concern in the region over the US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying they consider themselves long-standing economic and security partners of the West and they worry that the deal will make the West less concerned about keeping them safe and alone in the face of Iran.
Strategic Council Online – An American affairs expert said: From the Americans’ point of view, Russia is expanding its military base in Syria and making efforts to establish military bases in Libya and Sudan. It is also expanding its influence from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, he said, adding that China is also moving westward, i.e. the Middle East region, by relying on economic initiatives such as the Silk Road and One Belt One Road initiative.
Strategic Council Online – Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, following the failure of the informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations, with representatives from both North and South Cyprus and the guarantor countries (Turkey, Greece and Britain) in Geneva, acknowledged that despite all the efforts that have been made so far, we have not yet found enough common ground between the two sides to be able to start formal talks in order to resolve the Cyprus issue. Of course, we will not give up our efforts in this regard, and for the time being, the results of the negotiations and efforts regarding Cyprus are fruitless. We are determined to make every effort to continue negotiations and dialogue to achieve positive results in resolving the Cyprus issue. We hope that formal negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus conflict will begin in the next two months.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs
Strategic Council Online- It was March 26, 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition over-all air raids of the regional countries launched against Yemen called Operation Decisive Storm. The US and Israel played logistic role plus supplying weapons and equipments in the war. The operation was supposed to finish within a few weeks, achieving tangible results and pre-determined objectives.
Barsaam Mohammadi, international analyst.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Asia affairs said that the recent decision of the new US administration to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan is a win-win situation for Islamabad, adding that Pakistan views this issue politically and strategically against India and seeks to regain its strategic depth with an economic approach to Afghan markets as well as improving its relations with the United States.
Strategic Council Online – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has resigned as had promised earlier to pave the way for early elections.
Seyed Mohammad Reza Damavandi – researcher in the Caucasus area
Strategic Council Online—Opinion: With the arrival of the World Quds Day, the Zionist regime has increased its destructive movements and measures in the Middle East especially against the resistance movement and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hassan Hanizadeh—expert of Middle East issues
Online Strategic Council—Interview: An expert of Turkey issues says it seems that during the next four years of Biden’s presidency in the White House, we would witness more US pressures on Turkey so that Ankara could not act independently outside the NATO framework and the policies of the United States as the leader of NATO.
Strategic Council Online – A faculty member of the University of Tehran, referring to the reasons for the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Yemen, stressed: Given that the two countries are in different situations and have different points of view, their alliance is questionable and it is possible that their past relations in the region will totally fade away.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Europe affairs said that Biden’s visit to Britain and then to Belgium is an indication of the high importance of reviving transatlantic relations in the political sphere of Biden administration in the next four years. He added: The US emphasis on reviving transatlantic relations and at its helm the European Union, will not deal a blow on bilateral trade, political and security relations with Britain.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The three-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington and his meeting with Donald Trump on September 24 and 25, 2026, accompanied by a ceremonial welcome at Andrews Air Force Base, was more a diplomatic display for managing the level of tensions than an indication of a breakthrough achievement in relations between the two powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
Strategic Council Online – An expert on international affairs referred to economic competition and some security and military issues as major reasons for concern in the region over the US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying they consider themselves long-standing economic and security partners of the West and they worry that the deal will make the West less concerned about keeping them safe and alone in the face of Iran.
Strategic Council Online – An American affairs expert said: From the Americans’ point of view, Russia is expanding its military base in Syria and making efforts to establish military bases in Libya and Sudan. It is also expanding its influence from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, he said, adding that China is also moving westward, i.e. the Middle East region, by relying on economic initiatives such as the Silk Road and One Belt One Road initiative.
Strategic Council Online – Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, following the failure of the informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations, with representatives from both North and South Cyprus and the guarantor countries (Turkey, Greece and Britain) in Geneva, acknowledged that despite all the efforts that have been made so far, we have not yet found enough common ground between the two sides to be able to start formal talks in order to resolve the Cyprus issue. Of course, we will not give up our efforts in this regard, and for the time being, the results of the negotiations and efforts regarding Cyprus are fruitless. We are determined to make every effort to continue negotiations and dialogue to achieve positive results in resolving the Cyprus issue. We hope that formal negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus conflict will begin in the next two months.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs
Strategic Council Online- It was March 26, 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition over-all air raids of the regional countries launched against Yemen called Operation Decisive Storm. The US and Israel played logistic role plus supplying weapons and equipments in the war. The operation was supposed to finish within a few weeks, achieving tangible results and pre-determined objectives.
Barsaam Mohammadi, international analyst.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Asia affairs said that the recent decision of the new US administration to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan is a win-win situation for Islamabad, adding that Pakistan views this issue politically and strategically against India and seeks to regain its strategic depth with an economic approach to Afghan markets as well as improving its relations with the United States.
Strategic Council Online – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has resigned as had promised earlier to pave the way for early elections.
Seyed Mohammad Reza Damavandi – researcher in the Caucasus area
Strategic Council Online—Opinion: With the arrival of the World Quds Day, the Zionist regime has increased its destructive movements and measures in the Middle East especially against the resistance movement and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hassan Hanizadeh—expert of Middle East issues
Online Strategic Council—Interview: An expert of Turkey issues says it seems that during the next four years of Biden’s presidency in the White House, we would witness more US pressures on Turkey so that Ankara could not act independently outside the NATO framework and the policies of the United States as the leader of NATO.
Strategic Council Online – A faculty member of the University of Tehran, referring to the reasons for the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Yemen, stressed: Given that the two countries are in different situations and have different points of view, their alliance is questionable and it is possible that their past relations in the region will totally fade away.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Europe affairs said that Biden’s visit to Britain and then to Belgium is an indication of the high importance of reviving transatlantic relations in the political sphere of Biden administration in the next four years. He added: The US emphasis on reviving transatlantic relations and at its helm the European Union, will not deal a blow on bilateral trade, political and security relations with Britain.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The three-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington and his meeting with Donald Trump on September 24 and 25, 2026, accompanied by a ceremonial welcome at Andrews Air Force Base, was more a diplomatic display for managing the level of tensions than an indication of a breakthrough achievement in relations between the two powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
Strategic Council Online – An expert on international affairs referred to economic competition and some security and military issues as major reasons for concern in the region over the US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying they consider themselves long-standing economic and security partners of the West and they worry that the deal will make the West less concerned about keeping them safe and alone in the face of Iran.
Strategic Council Online – An American affairs expert said: From the Americans’ point of view, Russia is expanding its military base in Syria and making efforts to establish military bases in Libya and Sudan. It is also expanding its influence from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, he said, adding that China is also moving westward, i.e. the Middle East region, by relying on economic initiatives such as the Silk Road and One Belt One Road initiative.
Strategic Council Online – Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, following the failure of the informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations, with representatives from both North and South Cyprus and the guarantor countries (Turkey, Greece and Britain) in Geneva, acknowledged that despite all the efforts that have been made so far, we have not yet found enough common ground between the two sides to be able to start formal talks in order to resolve the Cyprus issue. Of course, we will not give up our efforts in this regard, and for the time being, the results of the negotiations and efforts regarding Cyprus are fruitless. We are determined to make every effort to continue negotiations and dialogue to achieve positive results in resolving the Cyprus issue. We hope that formal negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus conflict will begin in the next two months.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs
Strategic Council Online- It was March 26, 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition over-all air raids of the regional countries launched against Yemen called Operation Decisive Storm. The US and Israel played logistic role plus supplying weapons and equipments in the war. The operation was supposed to finish within a few weeks, achieving tangible results and pre-determined objectives.
Barsaam Mohammadi, international analyst.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Asia affairs said that the recent decision of the new US administration to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan is a win-win situation for Islamabad, adding that Pakistan views this issue politically and strategically against India and seeks to regain its strategic depth with an economic approach to Afghan markets as well as improving its relations with the United States.
Strategic Council Online – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has resigned as had promised earlier to pave the way for early elections.
Seyed Mohammad Reza Damavandi – researcher in the Caucasus area
Strategic Council Online—Opinion: With the arrival of the World Quds Day, the Zionist regime has increased its destructive movements and measures in the Middle East especially against the resistance movement and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hassan Hanizadeh—expert of Middle East issues
Online Strategic Council—Interview: An expert of Turkey issues says it seems that during the next four years of Biden’s presidency in the White House, we would witness more US pressures on Turkey so that Ankara could not act independently outside the NATO framework and the policies of the United States as the leader of NATO.
Strategic Council Online – A faculty member of the University of Tehran, referring to the reasons for the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Yemen, stressed: Given that the two countries are in different situations and have different points of view, their alliance is questionable and it is possible that their past relations in the region will totally fade away.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Europe affairs said that Biden’s visit to Britain and then to Belgium is an indication of the high importance of reviving transatlantic relations in the political sphere of Biden administration in the next four years. He added: The US emphasis on reviving transatlantic relations and at its helm the European Union, will not deal a blow on bilateral trade, political and security relations with Britain.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The three-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington and his meeting with Donald Trump on September 24 and 25, 2026, accompanied by a ceremonial welcome at Andrews Air Force Base, was more a diplomatic display for managing the level of tensions than an indication of a breakthrough achievement in relations between the two powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
Strategic Council Online – An expert on international affairs referred to economic competition and some security and military issues as major reasons for concern in the region over the US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying they consider themselves long-standing economic and security partners of the West and they worry that the deal will make the West less concerned about keeping them safe and alone in the face of Iran.
Strategic Council Online – An American affairs expert said: From the Americans’ point of view, Russia is expanding its military base in Syria and making efforts to establish military bases in Libya and Sudan. It is also expanding its influence from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, he said, adding that China is also moving westward, i.e. the Middle East region, by relying on economic initiatives such as the Silk Road and One Belt One Road initiative.
Strategic Council Online – Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, following the failure of the informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations, with representatives from both North and South Cyprus and the guarantor countries (Turkey, Greece and Britain) in Geneva, acknowledged that despite all the efforts that have been made so far, we have not yet found enough common ground between the two sides to be able to start formal talks in order to resolve the Cyprus issue. Of course, we will not give up our efforts in this regard, and for the time being, the results of the negotiations and efforts regarding Cyprus are fruitless. We are determined to make every effort to continue negotiations and dialogue to achieve positive results in resolving the Cyprus issue. We hope that formal negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus conflict will begin in the next two months.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs
Strategic Council Online- It was March 26, 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition over-all air raids of the regional countries launched against Yemen called Operation Decisive Storm. The US and Israel played logistic role plus supplying weapons and equipments in the war. The operation was supposed to finish within a few weeks, achieving tangible results and pre-determined objectives.
Barsaam Mohammadi, international analyst.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Asia affairs said that the recent decision of the new US administration to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan is a win-win situation for Islamabad, adding that Pakistan views this issue politically and strategically against India and seeks to regain its strategic depth with an economic approach to Afghan markets as well as improving its relations with the United States.
Strategic Council Online – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has resigned as had promised earlier to pave the way for early elections.
Seyed Mohammad Reza Damavandi – researcher in the Caucasus area
Strategic Council Online—Opinion: With the arrival of the World Quds Day, the Zionist regime has increased its destructive movements and measures in the Middle East especially against the resistance movement and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hassan Hanizadeh—expert of Middle East issues
Online Strategic Council—Interview: An expert of Turkey issues says it seems that during the next four years of Biden’s presidency in the White House, we would witness more US pressures on Turkey so that Ankara could not act independently outside the NATO framework and the policies of the United States as the leader of NATO.
Strategic Council Online – A faculty member of the University of Tehran, referring to the reasons for the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Yemen, stressed: Given that the two countries are in different situations and have different points of view, their alliance is questionable and it is possible that their past relations in the region will totally fade away.
Strategic Council Online – An analyst of Europe affairs said that Biden’s visit to Britain and then to Belgium is an indication of the high importance of reviving transatlantic relations in the political sphere of Biden administration in the next four years. He added: The US emphasis on reviving transatlantic relations and at its helm the European Union, will not deal a blow on bilateral trade, political and security relations with Britain.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The three-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington and his meeting with Donald Trump on September 24 and 25, 2026, accompanied by a ceremonial welcome at Andrews Air Force Base, was more a diplomatic display for managing the level of tensions than an indication of a breakthrough achievement in relations between the two powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.