Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional affairs researcher stated: Despite projects such as the Khaf-Herat railway and the Herat-Balkh-Mazar-i-Sharif corridor being on the agenda, insecurity and the absence of an inclusive government remain the most significant obstacles to realizing transit corridors and Afghanistan playing an effective role in the economy of Eurasia.
Strategic Council Online- Interview: An international affairs expert said, “By utilizing multilateral capacities and regional diplomacy, Iran is trying to establish geopolitical balance against the water policies of its neighbors while safeguarding its historical water rights.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An expert on Persian Gulf regional issues stated: The White House recently announced that Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The order states that U.S. policy is to deter and respond to any external attack on Qatar’s security and territorial integrity.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior analyst on Afghan and Pakistani affairs stated that China’s explicit reaction to the new US efforts to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan has once again highlighted the geopolitical competition among major powers in this sensitive region. Beijing has emphasized that any escalation of tensions or creation of confrontation in Afghanistan runs counter to the wishes and interests of the Afghan people and the entire region, and the Afghans themselves must shape the future of Afghanistan. This stance comes as US President Donald Trump has revealed Washington’s plan to return to Bagram, citing the base’s proximity to sensitive Chinese nuclear areas as one of the primary motivations. Analysts believe that a potential US return to Bagram signifies not only the revival of a military presence in Afghanistan but also an effort to curb China’s growing influence and control vital regional trade and security routes; a move that could have broad geopolitical consequences for all of Central and South Asia.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A former Iranian diplomat stated that Russia’s recognition of the Taliban or the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is primarily a security and intelligence matter, and any expansion of political and economic relations with the Taliban will undoubtedly be carried out with Moscow’s specific considerations.