Strategic Council Online – Note: Hamas’s handing over the civilian management in Gaza is assessed as an attempt to reduce political pressures, facilitate reconstruction, and preserve the status of resistance in the future equations of Palestine.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when the West Asia region, particularly in recent months, has been undergoing the most complex political and security developments of the past half-century, the sudden decision by the cabinet of the Zionist regime to recognize the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey, which has faced strong condemnation and opposition from Ankara and Baku, raises questions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent aggressive war launched by the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran not only failed to strengthen NATO, but also exposed the structural weaknesses, deep divisions, and identity crisis of this alliance more than ever before.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between China and the United States is no longer solely about economics or military power, but is now centered on the control of algorithms, data, and the governance rules of artificial intelligence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Washington trilateral agreement, by linking the end of occupation to political and security conditions, does not establish a sustainable peace; rather, it consolidates the occupation.
SCFRONLINE – Opinion: The war against Iran was not merely a military confrontation, but a turning point that challenged many of the security assumptions of West Asia and even the Western alliance system.
SCFRonline – Opinion: Unlike classical powers, Beijing pursues its preferred order not through territorial occupation, but through technology, capital, standard-setting, and digital governance.
SCFR online – Opinion: Competition among major powers has shifted from land to sea, and control of maritime chokepoints has become the most important component of global geopolitics.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: Trump’s new plan for ending the Gaza war is accompanied by ambiguities and unilateral conditions that have created deep skepticism among the Resistance forces and a segment of Arab and Palestinian public opinion.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have resumed after a halt of over two years, following a tripartite agreement between Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies. These exports had been suspended since March 2023 due to a ruling by the Paris arbitration court against Turkey. The court stated that Ankara had violated the 1973 pipeline agreement with Baghdad by allowing Erbil to export oil independently since 2014. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that oil exports have commenced at full capacity and are continuing without any technical issues. The ministry described the recent move as a significant step toward strengthening the management of national wealth. Officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also described this event as historic and a significant achievement for the whole of Iraq. On the other hand, the Baghdad government announced that the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region could add between $ 400 million and $ 500 million monthly to the federal budget and play a significant role in boosting national revenues.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: An American affairs expert stated that despite the U.S. withdrawal from global climate commitments, the trend of American companies investing in clean energy has not stopped. Independent analysts believe that this contradiction between the government’s official policy and private sector behavior indicates a complex economic reality: companies know that in the short term, profits might be higher through continued use of fossil fuels and the plundering of natural resources, but in the long term, participation in renewable energy is inevitable.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that the unveiling of Iraq’s Vision 2050 plan by its Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, is assessed as a turning point on the path of economic development and reducing the country’s dependence on oil revenues. This plan is designed to create a diversified economy, develop infrastructure, and position Iraq at the heart of Asia-Europe trade corridors. If realized, it could alter the region’s geopolitical equations. In this plan, Al-Sudani has emphasized diverting 20 percent of the Asia-Europe trade through Iraq, which, if successful, will make the country a key player in global trade. On the other hand, environmental crises, security challenges, and the necessity of reforming governance structures in Iraq have made this plan a multidimensional and complex issue. For Iran, the implementation of Vision 2050 not only creates economic opportunities in the fields of energy and transit but also provides the possibility of enhancing political and security cooperation. However, the success of this plan is contingent upon resolving internal obstacles and Baghdad’s smart management of foreign relations, an issue that could improve the future of Iran-Iraq interactions and the regional standing of both countries in the coming decades.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that in recent months, a multitude of political, economic, cultural, and scientific sanctions have been imposed against the Israeli regime, which, in the interpretation of many analysts, constitutes an “unprecedented set” of multi-layered global pressures. This wave, from the European Union to academic circles, from music festivals to world cinema, has targeted Tel Aviv’s international legitimacy and placed it in an increasingly tight spot. The message of these sanctions is also clear; the Israeli regime can no longer rely on its traditional immunity in the West to escape the moral and political consequences of its crimes in Gaza. Diplomatic isolation, economic restrictions, civil pressures, and damage to cultural prestige are all shaping an environment that can not only limit the Israeli regime’s freedom of action on the international stage but also challenges the credibility and legitimacy of this regime in global public opinion; a challenge that, in principle, should lead to a change in behavior or even internal political equations of the Israeli regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international economics expert stated that sanctions, as discussed in political and economic literature, are tools used to force countries to change their behavior in foreign or domestic policies. However, the fundamental question is whether these tools consistently achieve the expected results. The European Union, which has intensified its sanctions policy against Russia since 2014, especially after the Ukraine war in 2022, now faces the question of to what extent these sanctions have been able to halt Moscow’s economic machine. Although more than 50 sanction packages have been imposed against Russia since 2014, statistics and analyses show that Russia has been able to overcome the pressures in many cases and even gain more profit in some areas. Experts believe that the lack of unity in European decision-making, the conflict of economic interests among member states, and the historical dependence of some on Russian energy have all combined to cause Europe’s sanctions policy not only to fail to achieve its ultimate goal but, in some cases, to yield opposite results. Meanwhile, the debate over “secondary sanctions” and the change in the European Union’s strategies after the Ukraine war marks a turning point in the future path of Moscow-Brussels relations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the French government’s inability to meet public demands has led to a resurgence of domestic protests. The budget deficit has compelled Emmanuel Macron’s government to implement measures such as reducing public service expenditures, eliminating national holidays, cutting wages, and increasing taxes to offset the shortfall, which has further fueled the protests.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior Iraqi affairs analyst stated that the recent action by the US Department of State in placing four Iraqi Shiite groups on the list of foreign terrorist organizations has not only seriously challenged Iraq’s security dimension but has also broadly overshadowed Baghdad’s political and diplomatic equations. This decision, interpreted as a continuation of Washington’s policy of maximum pressure in the region, could have multi-layered consequences for Iraq’s internal security, foreign relations, and even the balance of power. The groups affected by this decision are part of the official structure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and were key players in the defeat of ISIS; therefore, their placement on the terrorist list is not only considered a threat against US interests but also calls into question the legitimacy and cohesion of Iraq’s security forces. This move could cast a shadow over the process of withdrawing US forces from Iraq and provide a pretext for the continuation of Washington’s military presence. Similarly, at the regional level, it further frees the hands of the Israeli regime for aggressive actions.
Strategic Council Online – A senior US affairs analyst stated that the overt intervention of billionaire and media mogul Elon Musk in the UK’s internal developments has once again brought the discussion about the role of non-state actors in international politics to the forefront of attention. With his provocative speech at the extreme right-wing rally in London, Musk not only called for the dissolution of parliament and early elections but also effectively sowed the seeds of political violence in the country’s fragile social fabric by promoting a rhetoric of “resistance or destruction.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned these remarks, but the matter goes beyond a war of words. The emergence of figures like Musk, who simultaneously possess capital, media influence, and social popularity, has blurred the line between official politics and protest movements. This trend could become a serious challenge to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. International institutions have been designed primarily to control the actions of states, rather than billionaires who own global platforms. Today, however, developments show that technology and media giants can influence the political developments of countries as independent actors; a reality that could pose new questions to the international order regarding national sovereignty and political security.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Hamas’s handing over the civilian management in Gaza is assessed as an attempt to reduce political pressures, facilitate reconstruction, and preserve the status of resistance in the future equations of Palestine.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when the West Asia region, particularly in recent months, has been undergoing the most complex political and security developments of the past half-century, the sudden decision by the cabinet of the Zionist regime to recognize the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey, which has faced strong condemnation and opposition from Ankara and Baku, raises questions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent aggressive war launched by the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran not only failed to strengthen NATO, but also exposed the structural weaknesses, deep divisions, and identity crisis of this alliance more than ever before.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between China and the United States is no longer solely about economics or military power, but is now centered on the control of algorithms, data, and the governance rules of artificial intelligence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Washington trilateral agreement, by linking the end of occupation to political and security conditions, does not establish a sustainable peace; rather, it consolidates the occupation.
SCFRONLINE – Opinion: The war against Iran was not merely a military confrontation, but a turning point that challenged many of the security assumptions of West Asia and even the Western alliance system.
SCFRonline – Opinion: Unlike classical powers, Beijing pursues its preferred order not through territorial occupation, but through technology, capital, standard-setting, and digital governance.
SCFR online – Opinion: Competition among major powers has shifted from land to sea, and control of maritime chokepoints has become the most important component of global geopolitics.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: Trump’s new plan for ending the Gaza war is accompanied by ambiguities and unilateral conditions that have created deep skepticism among the Resistance forces and a segment of Arab and Palestinian public opinion.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have resumed after a halt of over two years, following a tripartite agreement between Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies. These exports had been suspended since March 2023 due to a ruling by the Paris arbitration court against Turkey. The court stated that Ankara had violated the 1973 pipeline agreement with Baghdad by allowing Erbil to export oil independently since 2014. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that oil exports have commenced at full capacity and are continuing without any technical issues. The ministry described the recent move as a significant step toward strengthening the management of national wealth. Officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also described this event as historic and a significant achievement for the whole of Iraq. On the other hand, the Baghdad government announced that the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region could add between $ 400 million and $ 500 million monthly to the federal budget and play a significant role in boosting national revenues.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: An American affairs expert stated that despite the U.S. withdrawal from global climate commitments, the trend of American companies investing in clean energy has not stopped. Independent analysts believe that this contradiction between the government’s official policy and private sector behavior indicates a complex economic reality: companies know that in the short term, profits might be higher through continued use of fossil fuels and the plundering of natural resources, but in the long term, participation in renewable energy is inevitable.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that the unveiling of Iraq’s Vision 2050 plan by its Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, is assessed as a turning point on the path of economic development and reducing the country’s dependence on oil revenues. This plan is designed to create a diversified economy, develop infrastructure, and position Iraq at the heart of Asia-Europe trade corridors. If realized, it could alter the region’s geopolitical equations. In this plan, Al-Sudani has emphasized diverting 20 percent of the Asia-Europe trade through Iraq, which, if successful, will make the country a key player in global trade. On the other hand, environmental crises, security challenges, and the necessity of reforming governance structures in Iraq have made this plan a multidimensional and complex issue. For Iran, the implementation of Vision 2050 not only creates economic opportunities in the fields of energy and transit but also provides the possibility of enhancing political and security cooperation. However, the success of this plan is contingent upon resolving internal obstacles and Baghdad’s smart management of foreign relations, an issue that could improve the future of Iran-Iraq interactions and the regional standing of both countries in the coming decades.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that in recent months, a multitude of political, economic, cultural, and scientific sanctions have been imposed against the Israeli regime, which, in the interpretation of many analysts, constitutes an “unprecedented set” of multi-layered global pressures. This wave, from the European Union to academic circles, from music festivals to world cinema, has targeted Tel Aviv’s international legitimacy and placed it in an increasingly tight spot. The message of these sanctions is also clear; the Israeli regime can no longer rely on its traditional immunity in the West to escape the moral and political consequences of its crimes in Gaza. Diplomatic isolation, economic restrictions, civil pressures, and damage to cultural prestige are all shaping an environment that can not only limit the Israeli regime’s freedom of action on the international stage but also challenges the credibility and legitimacy of this regime in global public opinion; a challenge that, in principle, should lead to a change in behavior or even internal political equations of the Israeli regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international economics expert stated that sanctions, as discussed in political and economic literature, are tools used to force countries to change their behavior in foreign or domestic policies. However, the fundamental question is whether these tools consistently achieve the expected results. The European Union, which has intensified its sanctions policy against Russia since 2014, especially after the Ukraine war in 2022, now faces the question of to what extent these sanctions have been able to halt Moscow’s economic machine. Although more than 50 sanction packages have been imposed against Russia since 2014, statistics and analyses show that Russia has been able to overcome the pressures in many cases and even gain more profit in some areas. Experts believe that the lack of unity in European decision-making, the conflict of economic interests among member states, and the historical dependence of some on Russian energy have all combined to cause Europe’s sanctions policy not only to fail to achieve its ultimate goal but, in some cases, to yield opposite results. Meanwhile, the debate over “secondary sanctions” and the change in the European Union’s strategies after the Ukraine war marks a turning point in the future path of Moscow-Brussels relations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the French government’s inability to meet public demands has led to a resurgence of domestic protests. The budget deficit has compelled Emmanuel Macron’s government to implement measures such as reducing public service expenditures, eliminating national holidays, cutting wages, and increasing taxes to offset the shortfall, which has further fueled the protests.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior Iraqi affairs analyst stated that the recent action by the US Department of State in placing four Iraqi Shiite groups on the list of foreign terrorist organizations has not only seriously challenged Iraq’s security dimension but has also broadly overshadowed Baghdad’s political and diplomatic equations. This decision, interpreted as a continuation of Washington’s policy of maximum pressure in the region, could have multi-layered consequences for Iraq’s internal security, foreign relations, and even the balance of power. The groups affected by this decision are part of the official structure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and were key players in the defeat of ISIS; therefore, their placement on the terrorist list is not only considered a threat against US interests but also calls into question the legitimacy and cohesion of Iraq’s security forces. This move could cast a shadow over the process of withdrawing US forces from Iraq and provide a pretext for the continuation of Washington’s military presence. Similarly, at the regional level, it further frees the hands of the Israeli regime for aggressive actions.
Strategic Council Online – A senior US affairs analyst stated that the overt intervention of billionaire and media mogul Elon Musk in the UK’s internal developments has once again brought the discussion about the role of non-state actors in international politics to the forefront of attention. With his provocative speech at the extreme right-wing rally in London, Musk not only called for the dissolution of parliament and early elections but also effectively sowed the seeds of political violence in the country’s fragile social fabric by promoting a rhetoric of “resistance or destruction.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned these remarks, but the matter goes beyond a war of words. The emergence of figures like Musk, who simultaneously possess capital, media influence, and social popularity, has blurred the line between official politics and protest movements. This trend could become a serious challenge to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. International institutions have been designed primarily to control the actions of states, rather than billionaires who own global platforms. Today, however, developments show that technology and media giants can influence the political developments of countries as independent actors; a reality that could pose new questions to the international order regarding national sovereignty and political security.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: Trump’s new plan for ending the Gaza war is accompanied by ambiguities and unilateral conditions that have created deep skepticism among the Resistance forces and a segment of Arab and Palestinian public opinion.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have resumed after a halt of over two years, following a tripartite agreement between Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies. These exports had been suspended since March 2023 due to a ruling by the Paris arbitration court against Turkey. The court stated that Ankara had violated the 1973 pipeline agreement with Baghdad by allowing Erbil to export oil independently since 2014. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that oil exports have commenced at full capacity and are continuing without any technical issues. The ministry described the recent move as a significant step toward strengthening the management of national wealth. Officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also described this event as historic and a significant achievement for the whole of Iraq. On the other hand, the Baghdad government announced that the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region could add between $ 400 million and $ 500 million monthly to the federal budget and play a significant role in boosting national revenues.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: An American affairs expert stated that despite the U.S. withdrawal from global climate commitments, the trend of American companies investing in clean energy has not stopped. Independent analysts believe that this contradiction between the government’s official policy and private sector behavior indicates a complex economic reality: companies know that in the short term, profits might be higher through continued use of fossil fuels and the plundering of natural resources, but in the long term, participation in renewable energy is inevitable.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that the unveiling of Iraq’s Vision 2050 plan by its Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, is assessed as a turning point on the path of economic development and reducing the country’s dependence on oil revenues. This plan is designed to create a diversified economy, develop infrastructure, and position Iraq at the heart of Asia-Europe trade corridors. If realized, it could alter the region’s geopolitical equations. In this plan, Al-Sudani has emphasized diverting 20 percent of the Asia-Europe trade through Iraq, which, if successful, will make the country a key player in global trade. On the other hand, environmental crises, security challenges, and the necessity of reforming governance structures in Iraq have made this plan a multidimensional and complex issue. For Iran, the implementation of Vision 2050 not only creates economic opportunities in the fields of energy and transit but also provides the possibility of enhancing political and security cooperation. However, the success of this plan is contingent upon resolving internal obstacles and Baghdad’s smart management of foreign relations, an issue that could improve the future of Iran-Iraq interactions and the regional standing of both countries in the coming decades.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that in recent months, a multitude of political, economic, cultural, and scientific sanctions have been imposed against the Israeli regime, which, in the interpretation of many analysts, constitutes an “unprecedented set” of multi-layered global pressures. This wave, from the European Union to academic circles, from music festivals to world cinema, has targeted Tel Aviv’s international legitimacy and placed it in an increasingly tight spot. The message of these sanctions is also clear; the Israeli regime can no longer rely on its traditional immunity in the West to escape the moral and political consequences of its crimes in Gaza. Diplomatic isolation, economic restrictions, civil pressures, and damage to cultural prestige are all shaping an environment that can not only limit the Israeli regime’s freedom of action on the international stage but also challenges the credibility and legitimacy of this regime in global public opinion; a challenge that, in principle, should lead to a change in behavior or even internal political equations of the Israeli regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international economics expert stated that sanctions, as discussed in political and economic literature, are tools used to force countries to change their behavior in foreign or domestic policies. However, the fundamental question is whether these tools consistently achieve the expected results. The European Union, which has intensified its sanctions policy against Russia since 2014, especially after the Ukraine war in 2022, now faces the question of to what extent these sanctions have been able to halt Moscow’s economic machine. Although more than 50 sanction packages have been imposed against Russia since 2014, statistics and analyses show that Russia has been able to overcome the pressures in many cases and even gain more profit in some areas. Experts believe that the lack of unity in European decision-making, the conflict of economic interests among member states, and the historical dependence of some on Russian energy have all combined to cause Europe’s sanctions policy not only to fail to achieve its ultimate goal but, in some cases, to yield opposite results. Meanwhile, the debate over “secondary sanctions” and the change in the European Union’s strategies after the Ukraine war marks a turning point in the future path of Moscow-Brussels relations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the French government’s inability to meet public demands has led to a resurgence of domestic protests. The budget deficit has compelled Emmanuel Macron’s government to implement measures such as reducing public service expenditures, eliminating national holidays, cutting wages, and increasing taxes to offset the shortfall, which has further fueled the protests.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior Iraqi affairs analyst stated that the recent action by the US Department of State in placing four Iraqi Shiite groups on the list of foreign terrorist organizations has not only seriously challenged Iraq’s security dimension but has also broadly overshadowed Baghdad’s political and diplomatic equations. This decision, interpreted as a continuation of Washington’s policy of maximum pressure in the region, could have multi-layered consequences for Iraq’s internal security, foreign relations, and even the balance of power. The groups affected by this decision are part of the official structure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and were key players in the defeat of ISIS; therefore, their placement on the terrorist list is not only considered a threat against US interests but also calls into question the legitimacy and cohesion of Iraq’s security forces. This move could cast a shadow over the process of withdrawing US forces from Iraq and provide a pretext for the continuation of Washington’s military presence. Similarly, at the regional level, it further frees the hands of the Israeli regime for aggressive actions.
Strategic Council Online – A senior US affairs analyst stated that the overt intervention of billionaire and media mogul Elon Musk in the UK’s internal developments has once again brought the discussion about the role of non-state actors in international politics to the forefront of attention. With his provocative speech at the extreme right-wing rally in London, Musk not only called for the dissolution of parliament and early elections but also effectively sowed the seeds of political violence in the country’s fragile social fabric by promoting a rhetoric of “resistance or destruction.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned these remarks, but the matter goes beyond a war of words. The emergence of figures like Musk, who simultaneously possess capital, media influence, and social popularity, has blurred the line between official politics and protest movements. This trend could become a serious challenge to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. International institutions have been designed primarily to control the actions of states, rather than billionaires who own global platforms. Today, however, developments show that technology and media giants can influence the political developments of countries as independent actors; a reality that could pose new questions to the international order regarding national sovereignty and political security.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Hamas’s handing over the civilian management in Gaza is assessed as an attempt to reduce political pressures, facilitate reconstruction, and preserve the status of resistance in the future equations of Palestine.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when the West Asia region, particularly in recent months, has been undergoing the most complex political and security developments of the past half-century, the sudden decision by the cabinet of the Zionist regime to recognize the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey, which has faced strong condemnation and opposition from Ankara and Baku, raises questions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent aggressive war launched by the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran not only failed to strengthen NATO, but also exposed the structural weaknesses, deep divisions, and identity crisis of this alliance more than ever before.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between China and the United States is no longer solely about economics or military power, but is now centered on the control of algorithms, data, and the governance rules of artificial intelligence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Washington trilateral agreement, by linking the end of occupation to political and security conditions, does not establish a sustainable peace; rather, it consolidates the occupation.
SCFRONLINE – Opinion: The war against Iran was not merely a military confrontation, but a turning point that challenged many of the security assumptions of West Asia and even the Western alliance system.
SCFRonline – Opinion: Unlike classical powers, Beijing pursues its preferred order not through territorial occupation, but through technology, capital, standard-setting, and digital governance.
SCFR online – Opinion: Competition among major powers has shifted from land to sea, and control of maritime chokepoints has become the most important component of global geopolitics.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: Trump’s new plan for ending the Gaza war is accompanied by ambiguities and unilateral conditions that have created deep skepticism among the Resistance forces and a segment of Arab and Palestinian public opinion.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have resumed after a halt of over two years, following a tripartite agreement between Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies. These exports had been suspended since March 2023 due to a ruling by the Paris arbitration court against Turkey. The court stated that Ankara had violated the 1973 pipeline agreement with Baghdad by allowing Erbil to export oil independently since 2014. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that oil exports have commenced at full capacity and are continuing without any technical issues. The ministry described the recent move as a significant step toward strengthening the management of national wealth. Officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also described this event as historic and a significant achievement for the whole of Iraq. On the other hand, the Baghdad government announced that the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region could add between $ 400 million and $ 500 million monthly to the federal budget and play a significant role in boosting national revenues.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: An American affairs expert stated that despite the U.S. withdrawal from global climate commitments, the trend of American companies investing in clean energy has not stopped. Independent analysts believe that this contradiction between the government’s official policy and private sector behavior indicates a complex economic reality: companies know that in the short term, profits might be higher through continued use of fossil fuels and the plundering of natural resources, but in the long term, participation in renewable energy is inevitable.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that the unveiling of Iraq’s Vision 2050 plan by its Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, is assessed as a turning point on the path of economic development and reducing the country’s dependence on oil revenues. This plan is designed to create a diversified economy, develop infrastructure, and position Iraq at the heart of Asia-Europe trade corridors. If realized, it could alter the region’s geopolitical equations. In this plan, Al-Sudani has emphasized diverting 20 percent of the Asia-Europe trade through Iraq, which, if successful, will make the country a key player in global trade. On the other hand, environmental crises, security challenges, and the necessity of reforming governance structures in Iraq have made this plan a multidimensional and complex issue. For Iran, the implementation of Vision 2050 not only creates economic opportunities in the fields of energy and transit but also provides the possibility of enhancing political and security cooperation. However, the success of this plan is contingent upon resolving internal obstacles and Baghdad’s smart management of foreign relations, an issue that could improve the future of Iran-Iraq interactions and the regional standing of both countries in the coming decades.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that in recent months, a multitude of political, economic, cultural, and scientific sanctions have been imposed against the Israeli regime, which, in the interpretation of many analysts, constitutes an “unprecedented set” of multi-layered global pressures. This wave, from the European Union to academic circles, from music festivals to world cinema, has targeted Tel Aviv’s international legitimacy and placed it in an increasingly tight spot. The message of these sanctions is also clear; the Israeli regime can no longer rely on its traditional immunity in the West to escape the moral and political consequences of its crimes in Gaza. Diplomatic isolation, economic restrictions, civil pressures, and damage to cultural prestige are all shaping an environment that can not only limit the Israeli regime’s freedom of action on the international stage but also challenges the credibility and legitimacy of this regime in global public opinion; a challenge that, in principle, should lead to a change in behavior or even internal political equations of the Israeli regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international economics expert stated that sanctions, as discussed in political and economic literature, are tools used to force countries to change their behavior in foreign or domestic policies. However, the fundamental question is whether these tools consistently achieve the expected results. The European Union, which has intensified its sanctions policy against Russia since 2014, especially after the Ukraine war in 2022, now faces the question of to what extent these sanctions have been able to halt Moscow’s economic machine. Although more than 50 sanction packages have been imposed against Russia since 2014, statistics and analyses show that Russia has been able to overcome the pressures in many cases and even gain more profit in some areas. Experts believe that the lack of unity in European decision-making, the conflict of economic interests among member states, and the historical dependence of some on Russian energy have all combined to cause Europe’s sanctions policy not only to fail to achieve its ultimate goal but, in some cases, to yield opposite results. Meanwhile, the debate over “secondary sanctions” and the change in the European Union’s strategies after the Ukraine war marks a turning point in the future path of Moscow-Brussels relations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the French government’s inability to meet public demands has led to a resurgence of domestic protests. The budget deficit has compelled Emmanuel Macron’s government to implement measures such as reducing public service expenditures, eliminating national holidays, cutting wages, and increasing taxes to offset the shortfall, which has further fueled the protests.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior Iraqi affairs analyst stated that the recent action by the US Department of State in placing four Iraqi Shiite groups on the list of foreign terrorist organizations has not only seriously challenged Iraq’s security dimension but has also broadly overshadowed Baghdad’s political and diplomatic equations. This decision, interpreted as a continuation of Washington’s policy of maximum pressure in the region, could have multi-layered consequences for Iraq’s internal security, foreign relations, and even the balance of power. The groups affected by this decision are part of the official structure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and were key players in the defeat of ISIS; therefore, their placement on the terrorist list is not only considered a threat against US interests but also calls into question the legitimacy and cohesion of Iraq’s security forces. This move could cast a shadow over the process of withdrawing US forces from Iraq and provide a pretext for the continuation of Washington’s military presence. Similarly, at the regional level, it further frees the hands of the Israeli regime for aggressive actions.
Strategic Council Online – A senior US affairs analyst stated that the overt intervention of billionaire and media mogul Elon Musk in the UK’s internal developments has once again brought the discussion about the role of non-state actors in international politics to the forefront of attention. With his provocative speech at the extreme right-wing rally in London, Musk not only called for the dissolution of parliament and early elections but also effectively sowed the seeds of political violence in the country’s fragile social fabric by promoting a rhetoric of “resistance or destruction.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned these remarks, but the matter goes beyond a war of words. The emergence of figures like Musk, who simultaneously possess capital, media influence, and social popularity, has blurred the line between official politics and protest movements. This trend could become a serious challenge to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. International institutions have been designed primarily to control the actions of states, rather than billionaires who own global platforms. Today, however, developments show that technology and media giants can influence the political developments of countries as independent actors; a reality that could pose new questions to the international order regarding national sovereignty and political security.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Hamas’s handing over the civilian management in Gaza is assessed as an attempt to reduce political pressures, facilitate reconstruction, and preserve the status of resistance in the future equations of Palestine.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when the West Asia region, particularly in recent months, has been undergoing the most complex political and security developments of the past half-century, the sudden decision by the cabinet of the Zionist regime to recognize the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey, which has faced strong condemnation and opposition from Ankara and Baku, raises questions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent aggressive war launched by the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran not only failed to strengthen NATO, but also exposed the structural weaknesses, deep divisions, and identity crisis of this alliance more than ever before.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between China and the United States is no longer solely about economics or military power, but is now centered on the control of algorithms, data, and the governance rules of artificial intelligence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Washington trilateral agreement, by linking the end of occupation to political and security conditions, does not establish a sustainable peace; rather, it consolidates the occupation.
SCFRONLINE – Opinion: The war against Iran was not merely a military confrontation, but a turning point that challenged many of the security assumptions of West Asia and even the Western alliance system.
SCFRonline – Opinion: Unlike classical powers, Beijing pursues its preferred order not through territorial occupation, but through technology, capital, standard-setting, and digital governance.
SCFR online – Opinion: Competition among major powers has shifted from land to sea, and control of maritime chokepoints has become the most important component of global geopolitics.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: Trump’s new plan for ending the Gaza war is accompanied by ambiguities and unilateral conditions that have created deep skepticism among the Resistance forces and a segment of Arab and Palestinian public opinion.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have resumed after a halt of over two years, following a tripartite agreement between Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies. These exports had been suspended since March 2023 due to a ruling by the Paris arbitration court against Turkey. The court stated that Ankara had violated the 1973 pipeline agreement with Baghdad by allowing Erbil to export oil independently since 2014. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that oil exports have commenced at full capacity and are continuing without any technical issues. The ministry described the recent move as a significant step toward strengthening the management of national wealth. Officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also described this event as historic and a significant achievement for the whole of Iraq. On the other hand, the Baghdad government announced that the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region could add between $ 400 million and $ 500 million monthly to the federal budget and play a significant role in boosting national revenues.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: An American affairs expert stated that despite the U.S. withdrawal from global climate commitments, the trend of American companies investing in clean energy has not stopped. Independent analysts believe that this contradiction between the government’s official policy and private sector behavior indicates a complex economic reality: companies know that in the short term, profits might be higher through continued use of fossil fuels and the plundering of natural resources, but in the long term, participation in renewable energy is inevitable.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that the unveiling of Iraq’s Vision 2050 plan by its Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, is assessed as a turning point on the path of economic development and reducing the country’s dependence on oil revenues. This plan is designed to create a diversified economy, develop infrastructure, and position Iraq at the heart of Asia-Europe trade corridors. If realized, it could alter the region’s geopolitical equations. In this plan, Al-Sudani has emphasized diverting 20 percent of the Asia-Europe trade through Iraq, which, if successful, will make the country a key player in global trade. On the other hand, environmental crises, security challenges, and the necessity of reforming governance structures in Iraq have made this plan a multidimensional and complex issue. For Iran, the implementation of Vision 2050 not only creates economic opportunities in the fields of energy and transit but also provides the possibility of enhancing political and security cooperation. However, the success of this plan is contingent upon resolving internal obstacles and Baghdad’s smart management of foreign relations, an issue that could improve the future of Iran-Iraq interactions and the regional standing of both countries in the coming decades.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that in recent months, a multitude of political, economic, cultural, and scientific sanctions have been imposed against the Israeli regime, which, in the interpretation of many analysts, constitutes an “unprecedented set” of multi-layered global pressures. This wave, from the European Union to academic circles, from music festivals to world cinema, has targeted Tel Aviv’s international legitimacy and placed it in an increasingly tight spot. The message of these sanctions is also clear; the Israeli regime can no longer rely on its traditional immunity in the West to escape the moral and political consequences of its crimes in Gaza. Diplomatic isolation, economic restrictions, civil pressures, and damage to cultural prestige are all shaping an environment that can not only limit the Israeli regime’s freedom of action on the international stage but also challenges the credibility and legitimacy of this regime in global public opinion; a challenge that, in principle, should lead to a change in behavior or even internal political equations of the Israeli regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international economics expert stated that sanctions, as discussed in political and economic literature, are tools used to force countries to change their behavior in foreign or domestic policies. However, the fundamental question is whether these tools consistently achieve the expected results. The European Union, which has intensified its sanctions policy against Russia since 2014, especially after the Ukraine war in 2022, now faces the question of to what extent these sanctions have been able to halt Moscow’s economic machine. Although more than 50 sanction packages have been imposed against Russia since 2014, statistics and analyses show that Russia has been able to overcome the pressures in many cases and even gain more profit in some areas. Experts believe that the lack of unity in European decision-making, the conflict of economic interests among member states, and the historical dependence of some on Russian energy have all combined to cause Europe’s sanctions policy not only to fail to achieve its ultimate goal but, in some cases, to yield opposite results. Meanwhile, the debate over “secondary sanctions” and the change in the European Union’s strategies after the Ukraine war marks a turning point in the future path of Moscow-Brussels relations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the French government’s inability to meet public demands has led to a resurgence of domestic protests. The budget deficit has compelled Emmanuel Macron’s government to implement measures such as reducing public service expenditures, eliminating national holidays, cutting wages, and increasing taxes to offset the shortfall, which has further fueled the protests.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior Iraqi affairs analyst stated that the recent action by the US Department of State in placing four Iraqi Shiite groups on the list of foreign terrorist organizations has not only seriously challenged Iraq’s security dimension but has also broadly overshadowed Baghdad’s political and diplomatic equations. This decision, interpreted as a continuation of Washington’s policy of maximum pressure in the region, could have multi-layered consequences for Iraq’s internal security, foreign relations, and even the balance of power. The groups affected by this decision are part of the official structure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and were key players in the defeat of ISIS; therefore, their placement on the terrorist list is not only considered a threat against US interests but also calls into question the legitimacy and cohesion of Iraq’s security forces. This move could cast a shadow over the process of withdrawing US forces from Iraq and provide a pretext for the continuation of Washington’s military presence. Similarly, at the regional level, it further frees the hands of the Israeli regime for aggressive actions.
Strategic Council Online – A senior US affairs analyst stated that the overt intervention of billionaire and media mogul Elon Musk in the UK’s internal developments has once again brought the discussion about the role of non-state actors in international politics to the forefront of attention. With his provocative speech at the extreme right-wing rally in London, Musk not only called for the dissolution of parliament and early elections but also effectively sowed the seeds of political violence in the country’s fragile social fabric by promoting a rhetoric of “resistance or destruction.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned these remarks, but the matter goes beyond a war of words. The emergence of figures like Musk, who simultaneously possess capital, media influence, and social popularity, has blurred the line between official politics and protest movements. This trend could become a serious challenge to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. International institutions have been designed primarily to control the actions of states, rather than billionaires who own global platforms. Today, however, developments show that technology and media giants can influence the political developments of countries as independent actors; a reality that could pose new questions to the international order regarding national sovereignty and political security.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Hamas’s handing over the civilian management in Gaza is assessed as an attempt to reduce political pressures, facilitate reconstruction, and preserve the status of resistance in the future equations of Palestine.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when the West Asia region, particularly in recent months, has been undergoing the most complex political and security developments of the past half-century, the sudden decision by the cabinet of the Zionist regime to recognize the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey, which has faced strong condemnation and opposition from Ankara and Baku, raises questions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent aggressive war launched by the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran not only failed to strengthen NATO, but also exposed the structural weaknesses, deep divisions, and identity crisis of this alliance more than ever before.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between China and the United States is no longer solely about economics or military power, but is now centered on the control of algorithms, data, and the governance rules of artificial intelligence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Washington trilateral agreement, by linking the end of occupation to political and security conditions, does not establish a sustainable peace; rather, it consolidates the occupation.
SCFRONLINE – Opinion: The war against Iran was not merely a military confrontation, but a turning point that challenged many of the security assumptions of West Asia and even the Western alliance system.
SCFRonline – Opinion: Unlike classical powers, Beijing pursues its preferred order not through territorial occupation, but through technology, capital, standard-setting, and digital governance.
SCFR online – Opinion: Competition among major powers has shifted from land to sea, and control of maritime chokepoints has become the most important component of global geopolitics.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: Trump’s new plan for ending the Gaza war is accompanied by ambiguities and unilateral conditions that have created deep skepticism among the Resistance forces and a segment of Arab and Palestinian public opinion.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have resumed after a halt of over two years, following a tripartite agreement between Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies. These exports had been suspended since March 2023 due to a ruling by the Paris arbitration court against Turkey. The court stated that Ankara had violated the 1973 pipeline agreement with Baghdad by allowing Erbil to export oil independently since 2014. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that oil exports have commenced at full capacity and are continuing without any technical issues. The ministry described the recent move as a significant step toward strengthening the management of national wealth. Officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also described this event as historic and a significant achievement for the whole of Iraq. On the other hand, the Baghdad government announced that the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region could add between $ 400 million and $ 500 million monthly to the federal budget and play a significant role in boosting national revenues.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: An American affairs expert stated that despite the U.S. withdrawal from global climate commitments, the trend of American companies investing in clean energy has not stopped. Independent analysts believe that this contradiction between the government’s official policy and private sector behavior indicates a complex economic reality: companies know that in the short term, profits might be higher through continued use of fossil fuels and the plundering of natural resources, but in the long term, participation in renewable energy is inevitable.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that the unveiling of Iraq’s Vision 2050 plan by its Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, is assessed as a turning point on the path of economic development and reducing the country’s dependence on oil revenues. This plan is designed to create a diversified economy, develop infrastructure, and position Iraq at the heart of Asia-Europe trade corridors. If realized, it could alter the region’s geopolitical equations. In this plan, Al-Sudani has emphasized diverting 20 percent of the Asia-Europe trade through Iraq, which, if successful, will make the country a key player in global trade. On the other hand, environmental crises, security challenges, and the necessity of reforming governance structures in Iraq have made this plan a multidimensional and complex issue. For Iran, the implementation of Vision 2050 not only creates economic opportunities in the fields of energy and transit but also provides the possibility of enhancing political and security cooperation. However, the success of this plan is contingent upon resolving internal obstacles and Baghdad’s smart management of foreign relations, an issue that could improve the future of Iran-Iraq interactions and the regional standing of both countries in the coming decades.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that in recent months, a multitude of political, economic, cultural, and scientific sanctions have been imposed against the Israeli regime, which, in the interpretation of many analysts, constitutes an “unprecedented set” of multi-layered global pressures. This wave, from the European Union to academic circles, from music festivals to world cinema, has targeted Tel Aviv’s international legitimacy and placed it in an increasingly tight spot. The message of these sanctions is also clear; the Israeli regime can no longer rely on its traditional immunity in the West to escape the moral and political consequences of its crimes in Gaza. Diplomatic isolation, economic restrictions, civil pressures, and damage to cultural prestige are all shaping an environment that can not only limit the Israeli regime’s freedom of action on the international stage but also challenges the credibility and legitimacy of this regime in global public opinion; a challenge that, in principle, should lead to a change in behavior or even internal political equations of the Israeli regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international economics expert stated that sanctions, as discussed in political and economic literature, are tools used to force countries to change their behavior in foreign or domestic policies. However, the fundamental question is whether these tools consistently achieve the expected results. The European Union, which has intensified its sanctions policy against Russia since 2014, especially after the Ukraine war in 2022, now faces the question of to what extent these sanctions have been able to halt Moscow’s economic machine. Although more than 50 sanction packages have been imposed against Russia since 2014, statistics and analyses show that Russia has been able to overcome the pressures in many cases and even gain more profit in some areas. Experts believe that the lack of unity in European decision-making, the conflict of economic interests among member states, and the historical dependence of some on Russian energy have all combined to cause Europe’s sanctions policy not only to fail to achieve its ultimate goal but, in some cases, to yield opposite results. Meanwhile, the debate over “secondary sanctions” and the change in the European Union’s strategies after the Ukraine war marks a turning point in the future path of Moscow-Brussels relations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the French government’s inability to meet public demands has led to a resurgence of domestic protests. The budget deficit has compelled Emmanuel Macron’s government to implement measures such as reducing public service expenditures, eliminating national holidays, cutting wages, and increasing taxes to offset the shortfall, which has further fueled the protests.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior Iraqi affairs analyst stated that the recent action by the US Department of State in placing four Iraqi Shiite groups on the list of foreign terrorist organizations has not only seriously challenged Iraq’s security dimension but has also broadly overshadowed Baghdad’s political and diplomatic equations. This decision, interpreted as a continuation of Washington’s policy of maximum pressure in the region, could have multi-layered consequences for Iraq’s internal security, foreign relations, and even the balance of power. The groups affected by this decision are part of the official structure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and were key players in the defeat of ISIS; therefore, their placement on the terrorist list is not only considered a threat against US interests but also calls into question the legitimacy and cohesion of Iraq’s security forces. This move could cast a shadow over the process of withdrawing US forces from Iraq and provide a pretext for the continuation of Washington’s military presence. Similarly, at the regional level, it further frees the hands of the Israeli regime for aggressive actions.
Strategic Council Online – A senior US affairs analyst stated that the overt intervention of billionaire and media mogul Elon Musk in the UK’s internal developments has once again brought the discussion about the role of non-state actors in international politics to the forefront of attention. With his provocative speech at the extreme right-wing rally in London, Musk not only called for the dissolution of parliament and early elections but also effectively sowed the seeds of political violence in the country’s fragile social fabric by promoting a rhetoric of “resistance or destruction.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned these remarks, but the matter goes beyond a war of words. The emergence of figures like Musk, who simultaneously possess capital, media influence, and social popularity, has blurred the line between official politics and protest movements. This trend could become a serious challenge to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. International institutions have been designed primarily to control the actions of states, rather than billionaires who own global platforms. Today, however, developments show that technology and media giants can influence the political developments of countries as independent actors; a reality that could pose new questions to the international order regarding national sovereignty and political security.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Hamas’s handing over the civilian management in Gaza is assessed as an attempt to reduce political pressures, facilitate reconstruction, and preserve the status of resistance in the future equations of Palestine.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when the West Asia region, particularly in recent months, has been undergoing the most complex political and security developments of the past half-century, the sudden decision by the cabinet of the Zionist regime to recognize the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey, which has faced strong condemnation and opposition from Ankara and Baku, raises questions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent aggressive war launched by the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran not only failed to strengthen NATO, but also exposed the structural weaknesses, deep divisions, and identity crisis of this alliance more than ever before.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between China and the United States is no longer solely about economics or military power, but is now centered on the control of algorithms, data, and the governance rules of artificial intelligence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Washington trilateral agreement, by linking the end of occupation to political and security conditions, does not establish a sustainable peace; rather, it consolidates the occupation.
SCFRONLINE – Opinion: The war against Iran was not merely a military confrontation, but a turning point that challenged many of the security assumptions of West Asia and even the Western alliance system.
SCFRonline – Opinion: Unlike classical powers, Beijing pursues its preferred order not through territorial occupation, but through technology, capital, standard-setting, and digital governance.
SCFR online – Opinion: Competition among major powers has shifted from land to sea, and control of maritime chokepoints has become the most important component of global geopolitics.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: Trump’s new plan for ending the Gaza war is accompanied by ambiguities and unilateral conditions that have created deep skepticism among the Resistance forces and a segment of Arab and Palestinian public opinion.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have resumed after a halt of over two years, following a tripartite agreement between Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies. These exports had been suspended since March 2023 due to a ruling by the Paris arbitration court against Turkey. The court stated that Ankara had violated the 1973 pipeline agreement with Baghdad by allowing Erbil to export oil independently since 2014. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that oil exports have commenced at full capacity and are continuing without any technical issues. The ministry described the recent move as a significant step toward strengthening the management of national wealth. Officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also described this event as historic and a significant achievement for the whole of Iraq. On the other hand, the Baghdad government announced that the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region could add between $ 400 million and $ 500 million monthly to the federal budget and play a significant role in boosting national revenues.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: An American affairs expert stated that despite the U.S. withdrawal from global climate commitments, the trend of American companies investing in clean energy has not stopped. Independent analysts believe that this contradiction between the government’s official policy and private sector behavior indicates a complex economic reality: companies know that in the short term, profits might be higher through continued use of fossil fuels and the plundering of natural resources, but in the long term, participation in renewable energy is inevitable.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs expert stated that the unveiling of Iraq’s Vision 2050 plan by its Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, is assessed as a turning point on the path of economic development and reducing the country’s dependence on oil revenues. This plan is designed to create a diversified economy, develop infrastructure, and position Iraq at the heart of Asia-Europe trade corridors. If realized, it could alter the region’s geopolitical equations. In this plan, Al-Sudani has emphasized diverting 20 percent of the Asia-Europe trade through Iraq, which, if successful, will make the country a key player in global trade. On the other hand, environmental crises, security challenges, and the necessity of reforming governance structures in Iraq have made this plan a multidimensional and complex issue. For Iran, the implementation of Vision 2050 not only creates economic opportunities in the fields of energy and transit but also provides the possibility of enhancing political and security cooperation. However, the success of this plan is contingent upon resolving internal obstacles and Baghdad’s smart management of foreign relations, an issue that could improve the future of Iran-Iraq interactions and the regional standing of both countries in the coming decades.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that in recent months, a multitude of political, economic, cultural, and scientific sanctions have been imposed against the Israeli regime, which, in the interpretation of many analysts, constitutes an “unprecedented set” of multi-layered global pressures. This wave, from the European Union to academic circles, from music festivals to world cinema, has targeted Tel Aviv’s international legitimacy and placed it in an increasingly tight spot. The message of these sanctions is also clear; the Israeli regime can no longer rely on its traditional immunity in the West to escape the moral and political consequences of its crimes in Gaza. Diplomatic isolation, economic restrictions, civil pressures, and damage to cultural prestige are all shaping an environment that can not only limit the Israeli regime’s freedom of action on the international stage but also challenges the credibility and legitimacy of this regime in global public opinion; a challenge that, in principle, should lead to a change in behavior or even internal political equations of the Israeli regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international economics expert stated that sanctions, as discussed in political and economic literature, are tools used to force countries to change their behavior in foreign or domestic policies. However, the fundamental question is whether these tools consistently achieve the expected results. The European Union, which has intensified its sanctions policy against Russia since 2014, especially after the Ukraine war in 2022, now faces the question of to what extent these sanctions have been able to halt Moscow’s economic machine. Although more than 50 sanction packages have been imposed against Russia since 2014, statistics and analyses show that Russia has been able to overcome the pressures in many cases and even gain more profit in some areas. Experts believe that the lack of unity in European decision-making, the conflict of economic interests among member states, and the historical dependence of some on Russian energy have all combined to cause Europe’s sanctions policy not only to fail to achieve its ultimate goal but, in some cases, to yield opposite results. Meanwhile, the debate over “secondary sanctions” and the change in the European Union’s strategies after the Ukraine war marks a turning point in the future path of Moscow-Brussels relations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the French government’s inability to meet public demands has led to a resurgence of domestic protests. The budget deficit has compelled Emmanuel Macron’s government to implement measures such as reducing public service expenditures, eliminating national holidays, cutting wages, and increasing taxes to offset the shortfall, which has further fueled the protests.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior Iraqi affairs analyst stated that the recent action by the US Department of State in placing four Iraqi Shiite groups on the list of foreign terrorist organizations has not only seriously challenged Iraq’s security dimension but has also broadly overshadowed Baghdad’s political and diplomatic equations. This decision, interpreted as a continuation of Washington’s policy of maximum pressure in the region, could have multi-layered consequences for Iraq’s internal security, foreign relations, and even the balance of power. The groups affected by this decision are part of the official structure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and were key players in the defeat of ISIS; therefore, their placement on the terrorist list is not only considered a threat against US interests but also calls into question the legitimacy and cohesion of Iraq’s security forces. This move could cast a shadow over the process of withdrawing US forces from Iraq and provide a pretext for the continuation of Washington’s military presence. Similarly, at the regional level, it further frees the hands of the Israeli regime for aggressive actions.
Strategic Council Online – A senior US affairs analyst stated that the overt intervention of billionaire and media mogul Elon Musk in the UK’s internal developments has once again brought the discussion about the role of non-state actors in international politics to the forefront of attention. With his provocative speech at the extreme right-wing rally in London, Musk not only called for the dissolution of parliament and early elections but also effectively sowed the seeds of political violence in the country’s fragile social fabric by promoting a rhetoric of “resistance or destruction.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned these remarks, but the matter goes beyond a war of words. The emergence of figures like Musk, who simultaneously possess capital, media influence, and social popularity, has blurred the line between official politics and protest movements. This trend could become a serious challenge to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. International institutions have been designed primarily to control the actions of states, rather than billionaires who own global platforms. Today, however, developments show that technology and media giants can influence the political developments of countries as independent actors; a reality that could pose new questions to the international order regarding national sovereignty and political security.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Hamas’s handing over the civilian management in Gaza is assessed as an attempt to reduce political pressures, facilitate reconstruction, and preserve the status of resistance in the future equations of Palestine.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when the West Asia region, particularly in recent months, has been undergoing the most complex political and security developments of the past half-century, the sudden decision by the cabinet of the Zionist regime to recognize the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey, which has faced strong condemnation and opposition from Ankara and Baku, raises questions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent aggressive war launched by the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran not only failed to strengthen NATO, but also exposed the structural weaknesses, deep divisions, and identity crisis of this alliance more than ever before.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between China and the United States is no longer solely about economics or military power, but is now centered on the control of algorithms, data, and the governance rules of artificial intelligence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Washington trilateral agreement, by linking the end of occupation to political and security conditions, does not establish a sustainable peace; rather, it consolidates the occupation.
SCFRONLINE – Opinion: The war against Iran was not merely a military confrontation, but a turning point that challenged many of the security assumptions of West Asia and even the Western alliance system.
SCFRonline – Opinion: Unlike classical powers, Beijing pursues its preferred order not through territorial occupation, but through technology, capital, standard-setting, and digital governance.
SCFR online – Opinion: Competition among major powers has shifted from land to sea, and control of maritime chokepoints has become the most important component of global geopolitics.