SCFR Online – Opinion: After months of war and economic pressure, the situation between Iran and the United States has been placed between two conflicting logics; Washington insists on intensifying pressure to gain concessions, and Tehran does not accept negotiations under pressure.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The expansion of artificial intelligence and influence operations has drawn the field of conflict from physical space to the perceptual and algorithmic environment and has turned cognitive deterrence into a strategic necessity.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Riyadh, amid the Iran war, Yemeni pressure, and ambiguous Washington guarantees, has turned to flexible balancing in order to both preserve its security and increase its bargaining power.
SCFR Online – Opinion: London’s decision to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in the Yemen file, beyond a limited aerial mission, could confront Britain with broad legal, security, economic, and strategic consequences.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The acceleration of AI competition has shattered the boundaries of economic, military, intelligence, and cognitive power, turning this technology into a strategic component of national power.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs analyst stated that the developments following the Gaza war demonstrated that Iran, by solidifying its geostrategic position and its military power-balancing capability, can become a decisive actor in the new security order of West Asia.
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 analyst stated that the recent trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, signed on July 28, 2025, in Scotland, appears to have averted a full-scale tariff war. However, this agreement, shaped by Donald Trump’s pressures and threats to raise tariffs by up to 30%, reflects U.S. economic dominance over Europe more than it signifies mutual cooperation. The European Union’s commitment to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy and investing $600 billion in the U.S., along with accepting a 15% tariff on most European exports, raises serious questions about Europe’s economic independence and its implications for the global economy. Does this agreement mean stability for European trade, or does it represent a strategic surrender to the United States that will deepen existing rifts in the global order?
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A Russia affairs expert stated that Europe will face a complex security environment in the future, including increased militarization, economic challenges stemming from cutting dependence on Russian energy, and the need to redefine relations with the U.S. and NATO. As a result, without sustainable solutions, Europe may face greater existential, economic, and social threats in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An energy affairs analyst stated that the recent imposed war by the Zionist regime and the U.S. against Iran, which Donald Trump described as a military success, has disrupted energy markets and intensified concerns over rising oil prices. This event once again underscored Iran’s decisive position in the oil and gas market.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: The cultural attaché and head of Iran’s House of Culture in Pakistan said: In addition to Pakistan pursuing a balanced relationship with major powers such as America and China, the relationship with the countries of the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, is also important for economic stability and regional diplomacy.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Following the escalation of tensions between Russia and Western countries due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow is looking for solutions to deal with the extensive sanctions of the United States and its allies.
Hossein Sayyahi, researcher of international politics
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A European studies expert said that France will continue its policy of boosting European integration and security in the long term, and if America’s share declines, it will probably play a more decisive role in leading this trend.
Strategic Council Online – Meeting: A faculty member of the Department of Energy Engineering of the Sharif University of Technology, stating that artificial intelligence has created a revolution in the debate on energy, added: Nothing can replace human decision-making, and I hope it will be like this, but in any case, algorithms of artificial intelligence can help to make decisions.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The informal meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and the Balkan countries that are members of the European Union was held at the initiative of Mr. Mitsotakis, the conservative Prime Minister of Greece, and attended by Mrs. von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Union Council, and Mr. Zelensky, President of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, prime ministers of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, the president of Moldova, the president of Montenegro, and the president of Serbia also participated in the meeting.
Mahmoud Fazeli – International affairs analyst
SCFR Online – Opinion: After months of war and economic pressure, the situation between Iran and the United States has been placed between two conflicting logics; Washington insists on intensifying pressure to gain concessions, and Tehran does not accept negotiations under pressure.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The expansion of artificial intelligence and influence operations has drawn the field of conflict from physical space to the perceptual and algorithmic environment and has turned cognitive deterrence into a strategic necessity.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Riyadh, amid the Iran war, Yemeni pressure, and ambiguous Washington guarantees, has turned to flexible balancing in order to both preserve its security and increase its bargaining power.
SCFR Online – Opinion: London’s decision to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in the Yemen file, beyond a limited aerial mission, could confront Britain with broad legal, security, economic, and strategic consequences.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The acceleration of AI competition has shattered the boundaries of economic, military, intelligence, and cognitive power, turning this technology into a strategic component of national power.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs analyst stated that the developments following the Gaza war demonstrated that Iran, by solidifying its geostrategic position and its military power-balancing capability, can become a decisive actor in the new security order of West Asia.
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 analyst stated that the recent trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, signed on July 28, 2025, in Scotland, appears to have averted a full-scale tariff war. However, this agreement, shaped by Donald Trump’s pressures and threats to raise tariffs by up to 30%, reflects U.S. economic dominance over Europe more than it signifies mutual cooperation. The European Union’s commitment to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy and investing $600 billion in the U.S., along with accepting a 15% tariff on most European exports, raises serious questions about Europe’s economic independence and its implications for the global economy. Does this agreement mean stability for European trade, or does it represent a strategic surrender to the United States that will deepen existing rifts in the global order?
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A Russia affairs expert stated that Europe will face a complex security environment in the future, including increased militarization, economic challenges stemming from cutting dependence on Russian energy, and the need to redefine relations with the U.S. and NATO. As a result, without sustainable solutions, Europe may face greater existential, economic, and social threats in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An energy affairs analyst stated that the recent imposed war by the Zionist regime and the U.S. against Iran, which Donald Trump described as a military success, has disrupted energy markets and intensified concerns over rising oil prices. This event once again underscored Iran’s decisive position in the oil and gas market.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: The cultural attaché and head of Iran’s House of Culture in Pakistan said: In addition to Pakistan pursuing a balanced relationship with major powers such as America and China, the relationship with the countries of the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, is also important for economic stability and regional diplomacy.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Following the escalation of tensions between Russia and Western countries due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow is looking for solutions to deal with the extensive sanctions of the United States and its allies.
Hossein Sayyahi, researcher of international politics
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A European studies expert said that France will continue its policy of boosting European integration and security in the long term, and if America’s share declines, it will probably play a more decisive role in leading this trend.
Strategic Council Online – Meeting: A faculty member of the Department of Energy Engineering of the Sharif University of Technology, stating that artificial intelligence has created a revolution in the debate on energy, added: Nothing can replace human decision-making, and I hope it will be like this, but in any case, algorithms of artificial intelligence can help to make decisions.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The informal meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and the Balkan countries that are members of the European Union was held at the initiative of Mr. Mitsotakis, the conservative Prime Minister of Greece, and attended by Mrs. von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Union Council, and Mr. Zelensky, President of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, prime ministers of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, the president of Moldova, the president of Montenegro, and the president of Serbia also participated in the meeting.
Mahmoud Fazeli – International affairs analyst
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs analyst stated that the developments following the Gaza war demonstrated that Iran, by solidifying its geostrategic position and its military power-balancing capability, can become a decisive actor in the new security order of West Asia.
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 analyst stated that the recent trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, signed on July 28, 2025, in Scotland, appears to have averted a full-scale tariff war. However, this agreement, shaped by Donald Trump’s pressures and threats to raise tariffs by up to 30%, reflects U.S. economic dominance over Europe more than it signifies mutual cooperation. The European Union’s commitment to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy and investing $600 billion in the U.S., along with accepting a 15% tariff on most European exports, raises serious questions about Europe’s economic independence and its implications for the global economy. Does this agreement mean stability for European trade, or does it represent a strategic surrender to the United States that will deepen existing rifts in the global order?
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A Russia affairs expert stated that Europe will face a complex security environment in the future, including increased militarization, economic challenges stemming from cutting dependence on Russian energy, and the need to redefine relations with the U.S. and NATO. As a result, without sustainable solutions, Europe may face greater existential, economic, and social threats in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An energy affairs analyst stated that the recent imposed war by the Zionist regime and the U.S. against Iran, which Donald Trump described as a military success, has disrupted energy markets and intensified concerns over rising oil prices. This event once again underscored Iran’s decisive position in the oil and gas market.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: The cultural attaché and head of Iran’s House of Culture in Pakistan said: In addition to Pakistan pursuing a balanced relationship with major powers such as America and China, the relationship with the countries of the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, is also important for economic stability and regional diplomacy.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Following the escalation of tensions between Russia and Western countries due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow is looking for solutions to deal with the extensive sanctions of the United States and its allies.
Hossein Sayyahi, researcher of international politics
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A European studies expert said that France will continue its policy of boosting European integration and security in the long term, and if America’s share declines, it will probably play a more decisive role in leading this trend.
Strategic Council Online – Meeting: A faculty member of the Department of Energy Engineering of the Sharif University of Technology, stating that artificial intelligence has created a revolution in the debate on energy, added: Nothing can replace human decision-making, and I hope it will be like this, but in any case, algorithms of artificial intelligence can help to make decisions.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The informal meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and the Balkan countries that are members of the European Union was held at the initiative of Mr. Mitsotakis, the conservative Prime Minister of Greece, and attended by Mrs. von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Union Council, and Mr. Zelensky, President of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, prime ministers of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, the president of Moldova, the president of Montenegro, and the president of Serbia also participated in the meeting.
Mahmoud Fazeli – International affairs analyst
SCFR Online – Opinion: After months of war and economic pressure, the situation between Iran and the United States has been placed between two conflicting logics; Washington insists on intensifying pressure to gain concessions, and Tehran does not accept negotiations under pressure.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The expansion of artificial intelligence and influence operations has drawn the field of conflict from physical space to the perceptual and algorithmic environment and has turned cognitive deterrence into a strategic necessity.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Riyadh, amid the Iran war, Yemeni pressure, and ambiguous Washington guarantees, has turned to flexible balancing in order to both preserve its security and increase its bargaining power.
SCFR Online – Opinion: London’s decision to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in the Yemen file, beyond a limited aerial mission, could confront Britain with broad legal, security, economic, and strategic consequences.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The acceleration of AI competition has shattered the boundaries of economic, military, intelligence, and cognitive power, turning this technology into a strategic component of national power.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs analyst stated that the developments following the Gaza war demonstrated that Iran, by solidifying its geostrategic position and its military power-balancing capability, can become a decisive actor in the new security order of West Asia.
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 analyst stated that the recent trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, signed on July 28, 2025, in Scotland, appears to have averted a full-scale tariff war. However, this agreement, shaped by Donald Trump’s pressures and threats to raise tariffs by up to 30%, reflects U.S. economic dominance over Europe more than it signifies mutual cooperation. The European Union’s commitment to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy and investing $600 billion in the U.S., along with accepting a 15% tariff on most European exports, raises serious questions about Europe’s economic independence and its implications for the global economy. Does this agreement mean stability for European trade, or does it represent a strategic surrender to the United States that will deepen existing rifts in the global order?
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A Russia affairs expert stated that Europe will face a complex security environment in the future, including increased militarization, economic challenges stemming from cutting dependence on Russian energy, and the need to redefine relations with the U.S. and NATO. As a result, without sustainable solutions, Europe may face greater existential, economic, and social threats in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An energy affairs analyst stated that the recent imposed war by the Zionist regime and the U.S. against Iran, which Donald Trump described as a military success, has disrupted energy markets and intensified concerns over rising oil prices. This event once again underscored Iran’s decisive position in the oil and gas market.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: The cultural attaché and head of Iran’s House of Culture in Pakistan said: In addition to Pakistan pursuing a balanced relationship with major powers such as America and China, the relationship with the countries of the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, is also important for economic stability and regional diplomacy.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Following the escalation of tensions between Russia and Western countries due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow is looking for solutions to deal with the extensive sanctions of the United States and its allies.
Hossein Sayyahi, researcher of international politics
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A European studies expert said that France will continue its policy of boosting European integration and security in the long term, and if America’s share declines, it will probably play a more decisive role in leading this trend.
Strategic Council Online – Meeting: A faculty member of the Department of Energy Engineering of the Sharif University of Technology, stating that artificial intelligence has created a revolution in the debate on energy, added: Nothing can replace human decision-making, and I hope it will be like this, but in any case, algorithms of artificial intelligence can help to make decisions.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The informal meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and the Balkan countries that are members of the European Union was held at the initiative of Mr. Mitsotakis, the conservative Prime Minister of Greece, and attended by Mrs. von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Union Council, and Mr. Zelensky, President of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, prime ministers of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, the president of Moldova, the president of Montenegro, and the president of Serbia also participated in the meeting.
Mahmoud Fazeli – International affairs analyst
SCFR Online – Opinion: After months of war and economic pressure, the situation between Iran and the United States has been placed between two conflicting logics; Washington insists on intensifying pressure to gain concessions, and Tehran does not accept negotiations under pressure.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The expansion of artificial intelligence and influence operations has drawn the field of conflict from physical space to the perceptual and algorithmic environment and has turned cognitive deterrence into a strategic necessity.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Riyadh, amid the Iran war, Yemeni pressure, and ambiguous Washington guarantees, has turned to flexible balancing in order to both preserve its security and increase its bargaining power.
SCFR Online – Opinion: London’s decision to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in the Yemen file, beyond a limited aerial mission, could confront Britain with broad legal, security, economic, and strategic consequences.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The acceleration of AI competition has shattered the boundaries of economic, military, intelligence, and cognitive power, turning this technology into a strategic component of national power.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs analyst stated that the developments following the Gaza war demonstrated that Iran, by solidifying its geostrategic position and its military power-balancing capability, can become a decisive actor in the new security order of West Asia.
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 analyst stated that the recent trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, signed on July 28, 2025, in Scotland, appears to have averted a full-scale tariff war. However, this agreement, shaped by Donald Trump’s pressures and threats to raise tariffs by up to 30%, reflects U.S. economic dominance over Europe more than it signifies mutual cooperation. The European Union’s commitment to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy and investing $600 billion in the U.S., along with accepting a 15% tariff on most European exports, raises serious questions about Europe’s economic independence and its implications for the global economy. Does this agreement mean stability for European trade, or does it represent a strategic surrender to the United States that will deepen existing rifts in the global order?
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A Russia affairs expert stated that Europe will face a complex security environment in the future, including increased militarization, economic challenges stemming from cutting dependence on Russian energy, and the need to redefine relations with the U.S. and NATO. As a result, without sustainable solutions, Europe may face greater existential, economic, and social threats in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An energy affairs analyst stated that the recent imposed war by the Zionist regime and the U.S. against Iran, which Donald Trump described as a military success, has disrupted energy markets and intensified concerns over rising oil prices. This event once again underscored Iran’s decisive position in the oil and gas market.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: The cultural attaché and head of Iran’s House of Culture in Pakistan said: In addition to Pakistan pursuing a balanced relationship with major powers such as America and China, the relationship with the countries of the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, is also important for economic stability and regional diplomacy.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Following the escalation of tensions between Russia and Western countries due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow is looking for solutions to deal with the extensive sanctions of the United States and its allies.
Hossein Sayyahi, researcher of international politics
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A European studies expert said that France will continue its policy of boosting European integration and security in the long term, and if America’s share declines, it will probably play a more decisive role in leading this trend.
Strategic Council Online – Meeting: A faculty member of the Department of Energy Engineering of the Sharif University of Technology, stating that artificial intelligence has created a revolution in the debate on energy, added: Nothing can replace human decision-making, and I hope it will be like this, but in any case, algorithms of artificial intelligence can help to make decisions.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The informal meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and the Balkan countries that are members of the European Union was held at the initiative of Mr. Mitsotakis, the conservative Prime Minister of Greece, and attended by Mrs. von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Union Council, and Mr. Zelensky, President of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, prime ministers of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, the president of Moldova, the president of Montenegro, and the president of Serbia also participated in the meeting.
Mahmoud Fazeli – International affairs analyst
SCFR Online – Opinion: After months of war and economic pressure, the situation between Iran and the United States has been placed between two conflicting logics; Washington insists on intensifying pressure to gain concessions, and Tehran does not accept negotiations under pressure.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The expansion of artificial intelligence and influence operations has drawn the field of conflict from physical space to the perceptual and algorithmic environment and has turned cognitive deterrence into a strategic necessity.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Riyadh, amid the Iran war, Yemeni pressure, and ambiguous Washington guarantees, has turned to flexible balancing in order to both preserve its security and increase its bargaining power.
SCFR Online – Opinion: London’s decision to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in the Yemen file, beyond a limited aerial mission, could confront Britain with broad legal, security, economic, and strategic consequences.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The acceleration of AI competition has shattered the boundaries of economic, military, intelligence, and cognitive power, turning this technology into a strategic component of national power.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs analyst stated that the developments following the Gaza war demonstrated that Iran, by solidifying its geostrategic position and its military power-balancing capability, can become a decisive actor in the new security order of West Asia.
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 analyst stated that the recent trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, signed on July 28, 2025, in Scotland, appears to have averted a full-scale tariff war. However, this agreement, shaped by Donald Trump’s pressures and threats to raise tariffs by up to 30%, reflects U.S. economic dominance over Europe more than it signifies mutual cooperation. The European Union’s commitment to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy and investing $600 billion in the U.S., along with accepting a 15% tariff on most European exports, raises serious questions about Europe’s economic independence and its implications for the global economy. Does this agreement mean stability for European trade, or does it represent a strategic surrender to the United States that will deepen existing rifts in the global order?
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A Russia affairs expert stated that Europe will face a complex security environment in the future, including increased militarization, economic challenges stemming from cutting dependence on Russian energy, and the need to redefine relations with the U.S. and NATO. As a result, without sustainable solutions, Europe may face greater existential, economic, and social threats in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An energy affairs analyst stated that the recent imposed war by the Zionist regime and the U.S. against Iran, which Donald Trump described as a military success, has disrupted energy markets and intensified concerns over rising oil prices. This event once again underscored Iran’s decisive position in the oil and gas market.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: The cultural attaché and head of Iran’s House of Culture in Pakistan said: In addition to Pakistan pursuing a balanced relationship with major powers such as America and China, the relationship with the countries of the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, is also important for economic stability and regional diplomacy.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Following the escalation of tensions between Russia and Western countries due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow is looking for solutions to deal with the extensive sanctions of the United States and its allies.
Hossein Sayyahi, researcher of international politics
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A European studies expert said that France will continue its policy of boosting European integration and security in the long term, and if America’s share declines, it will probably play a more decisive role in leading this trend.
Strategic Council Online – Meeting: A faculty member of the Department of Energy Engineering of the Sharif University of Technology, stating that artificial intelligence has created a revolution in the debate on energy, added: Nothing can replace human decision-making, and I hope it will be like this, but in any case, algorithms of artificial intelligence can help to make decisions.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The informal meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and the Balkan countries that are members of the European Union was held at the initiative of Mr. Mitsotakis, the conservative Prime Minister of Greece, and attended by Mrs. von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Union Council, and Mr. Zelensky, President of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, prime ministers of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, the president of Moldova, the president of Montenegro, and the president of Serbia also participated in the meeting.
Mahmoud Fazeli – International affairs analyst
SCFR Online – Opinion: After months of war and economic pressure, the situation between Iran and the United States has been placed between two conflicting logics; Washington insists on intensifying pressure to gain concessions, and Tehran does not accept negotiations under pressure.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The expansion of artificial intelligence and influence operations has drawn the field of conflict from physical space to the perceptual and algorithmic environment and has turned cognitive deterrence into a strategic necessity.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Riyadh, amid the Iran war, Yemeni pressure, and ambiguous Washington guarantees, has turned to flexible balancing in order to both preserve its security and increase its bargaining power.
SCFR Online – Opinion: London’s decision to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in the Yemen file, beyond a limited aerial mission, could confront Britain with broad legal, security, economic, and strategic consequences.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The acceleration of AI competition has shattered the boundaries of economic, military, intelligence, and cognitive power, turning this technology into a strategic component of national power.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A West Asia affairs analyst stated that the developments following the Gaza war demonstrated that Iran, by solidifying its geostrategic position and its military power-balancing capability, can become a decisive actor in the new security order of West Asia.
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 analyst stated that the recent trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, signed on July 28, 2025, in Scotland, appears to have averted a full-scale tariff war. However, this agreement, shaped by Donald Trump’s pressures and threats to raise tariffs by up to 30%, reflects U.S. economic dominance over Europe more than it signifies mutual cooperation. The European Union’s commitment to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy and investing $600 billion in the U.S., along with accepting a 15% tariff on most European exports, raises serious questions about Europe’s economic independence and its implications for the global economy. Does this agreement mean stability for European trade, or does it represent a strategic surrender to the United States that will deepen existing rifts in the global order?
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A Russia affairs expert stated that Europe will face a complex security environment in the future, including increased militarization, economic challenges stemming from cutting dependence on Russian energy, and the need to redefine relations with the U.S. and NATO. As a result, without sustainable solutions, Europe may face greater existential, economic, and social threats in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An energy affairs analyst stated that the recent imposed war by the Zionist regime and the U.S. against Iran, which Donald Trump described as a military success, has disrupted energy markets and intensified concerns over rising oil prices. This event once again underscored Iran’s decisive position in the oil and gas market.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: The cultural attaché and head of Iran’s House of Culture in Pakistan said: In addition to Pakistan pursuing a balanced relationship with major powers such as America and China, the relationship with the countries of the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, is also important for economic stability and regional diplomacy.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Following the escalation of tensions between Russia and Western countries due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow is looking for solutions to deal with the extensive sanctions of the United States and its allies.
Hossein Sayyahi, researcher of international politics
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A European studies expert said that France will continue its policy of boosting European integration and security in the long term, and if America’s share declines, it will probably play a more decisive role in leading this trend.
Strategic Council Online – Meeting: A faculty member of the Department of Energy Engineering of the Sharif University of Technology, stating that artificial intelligence has created a revolution in the debate on energy, added: Nothing can replace human decision-making, and I hope it will be like this, but in any case, algorithms of artificial intelligence can help to make decisions.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The informal meeting of the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and the Balkan countries that are members of the European Union was held at the initiative of Mr. Mitsotakis, the conservative Prime Minister of Greece, and attended by Mrs. von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Charles Michel, President of the European Union Council, and Mr. Zelensky, President of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, prime ministers of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, the president of Moldova, the president of Montenegro, and the president of Serbia also participated in the meeting.
Mahmoud Fazeli – International affairs analyst
SCFR Online – Opinion: After months of war and economic pressure, the situation between Iran and the United States has been placed between two conflicting logics; Washington insists on intensifying pressure to gain concessions, and Tehran does not accept negotiations under pressure.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The expansion of artificial intelligence and influence operations has drawn the field of conflict from physical space to the perceptual and algorithmic environment and has turned cognitive deterrence into a strategic necessity.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Riyadh, amid the Iran war, Yemeni pressure, and ambiguous Washington guarantees, has turned to flexible balancing in order to both preserve its security and increase its bargaining power.
SCFR Online – Opinion: London’s decision to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in the Yemen file, beyond a limited aerial mission, could confront Britain with broad legal, security, economic, and strategic consequences.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The acceleration of AI competition has shattered the boundaries of economic, military, intelligence, and cognitive power, turning this technology into a strategic component of national power.
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.