SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Ansarullah’s recent lightning-fast operation and surprise advances on Yemen’s western coast have rapidly transformed the equations of the war in that country and developments in West Asia, and have challenged the calculations of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the West, and the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The intensification of U.S. sanctions against Iran on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections indicates Washington’s inability to achieve its war objectives.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between Washington and Beijing over chips and artificial intelligence, simultaneously with the shifting of technological balances, has taken on new economic and security dimensions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit has created a new opportunity for Iran to transform its membership from a political achievement into economic and transit cooperation.
Strategic Council Online – Note: The Makkah Defense Pact can be seen as a sign of regional countries’ efforts to reduce security dependence on extra-regional powers and redefine the balance in West Asia.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
Strategic Council Online: The President of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stated, “Despite the signing of the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement between Iran and China, a long path remains toward its full implementation. One key point both countries must observe is to move away from a project-based approach and instead adopt a program-oriented relationship by formulating a concrete action plan. This plan should be grounded in Iran’s national spatial planning framework and aligned with the mutual priorities of both nations as outlined in the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Document.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran, by relying on its geo-economic capacities across various fields, should strive to solidify its position as a bridge connecting the Persian Gulf to Eurasia. However, regional and extra-regional competition for influence in Azerbaijan and Armenia has reached a critical point, where Iran’s security considerations and geopolitical red lines could turn the advancement of a multi-faceted strategy into a real test for the diplomatic apparatus.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A university professor and international affairs analyst stated, “The US-centered world order is transitioning towards a multipolar structure.” This geopolitical transformation brings challenges and opportunities for Iran.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran’s hybrid and multidimensional diplomacy, if combined with a measured, flexible, and more effective approach, could lead to tangible domestic and international achievements. The world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which power is more dispersed and distributed among multiple actors. In this context, Iran, by adopting an inclusive policy and emphasizing cooperation with alliances such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), seeks to reposition itself in the international system strategically. This policy goes beyond a reaction to the so-called Western-imposed isolation; it signifies a normative decision and choice to establish a fairer and more balanced order based on principles of justice, equality, and respect for national sovereignty. However, excessive reliance on specific alliances and blocs could limit Iran’s strategic options.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The expansion of the BRICS group, particularly with the addition of influential powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, has sparked a wave of concern in American policymaking circles, especially among conservative factions symbolized by Donald Trump. This fear does not stem merely from the increase in membership. Still, it is rooted in the coalition’s potential to challenge the Western-led economic and political order—particularly the dollar’s exclusive status as the global reserve and exchange currency.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the contemporary world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are engaged in a complex competition to preserve or expand their global influence. In this context, Iran, as a key player in the region and the Islamic world with significant strategic capabilities—including membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)—can leverage these developments to strengthen its position.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent BRICS meeting ended with a symbolic image of the BRICS currency in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Perhaps, before this meeting, some experts did not believe in continuing BRICS as a block (or newly emerging network). Although India’s veto of Turkey’s membership showed that BRICS has a relatively long way to go to gain power from the expansion channel of the alliance, views on BRICS show it to be largely successful. BRICS money and its display in Putin’s hands are signs of seriousness in BRICS and its increasing importance in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: BRICS, within the framework of “positive” and not “negative” policies, without violating or opposing the principles and order-building components based on the United Nations Charter, is looking for new arrangements that govern political and economic paradigms, security, etc., has challenged America and the liberal system in today’s world.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On June 9, Saudi Arabia’s oil agreement with the United States expired. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that Riyadh would not renew the 75-year-old contract that helped maintain the hegemony of the US dollar in international trade. This action allows Riyadh to sell oil in different currencies, including yuan, euro, yen, etc., instead of the US dollar.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Ansarullah’s recent lightning-fast operation and surprise advances on Yemen’s western coast have rapidly transformed the equations of the war in that country and developments in West Asia, and have challenged the calculations of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the West, and the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The intensification of U.S. sanctions against Iran on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections indicates Washington’s inability to achieve its war objectives.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between Washington and Beijing over chips and artificial intelligence, simultaneously with the shifting of technological balances, has taken on new economic and security dimensions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit has created a new opportunity for Iran to transform its membership from a political achievement into economic and transit cooperation.
Strategic Council Online – Note: The Makkah Defense Pact can be seen as a sign of regional countries’ efforts to reduce security dependence on extra-regional powers and redefine the balance in West Asia.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
Strategic Council Online: The President of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stated, “Despite the signing of the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement between Iran and China, a long path remains toward its full implementation. One key point both countries must observe is to move away from a project-based approach and instead adopt a program-oriented relationship by formulating a concrete action plan. This plan should be grounded in Iran’s national spatial planning framework and aligned with the mutual priorities of both nations as outlined in the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Document.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran, by relying on its geo-economic capacities across various fields, should strive to solidify its position as a bridge connecting the Persian Gulf to Eurasia. However, regional and extra-regional competition for influence in Azerbaijan and Armenia has reached a critical point, where Iran’s security considerations and geopolitical red lines could turn the advancement of a multi-faceted strategy into a real test for the diplomatic apparatus.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A university professor and international affairs analyst stated, “The US-centered world order is transitioning towards a multipolar structure.” This geopolitical transformation brings challenges and opportunities for Iran.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran’s hybrid and multidimensional diplomacy, if combined with a measured, flexible, and more effective approach, could lead to tangible domestic and international achievements. The world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which power is more dispersed and distributed among multiple actors. In this context, Iran, by adopting an inclusive policy and emphasizing cooperation with alliances such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), seeks to reposition itself in the international system strategically. This policy goes beyond a reaction to the so-called Western-imposed isolation; it signifies a normative decision and choice to establish a fairer and more balanced order based on principles of justice, equality, and respect for national sovereignty. However, excessive reliance on specific alliances and blocs could limit Iran’s strategic options.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The expansion of the BRICS group, particularly with the addition of influential powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, has sparked a wave of concern in American policymaking circles, especially among conservative factions symbolized by Donald Trump. This fear does not stem merely from the increase in membership. Still, it is rooted in the coalition’s potential to challenge the Western-led economic and political order—particularly the dollar’s exclusive status as the global reserve and exchange currency.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the contemporary world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are engaged in a complex competition to preserve or expand their global influence. In this context, Iran, as a key player in the region and the Islamic world with significant strategic capabilities—including membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)—can leverage these developments to strengthen its position.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent BRICS meeting ended with a symbolic image of the BRICS currency in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Perhaps, before this meeting, some experts did not believe in continuing BRICS as a block (or newly emerging network). Although India’s veto of Turkey’s membership showed that BRICS has a relatively long way to go to gain power from the expansion channel of the alliance, views on BRICS show it to be largely successful. BRICS money and its display in Putin’s hands are signs of seriousness in BRICS and its increasing importance in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: BRICS, within the framework of “positive” and not “negative” policies, without violating or opposing the principles and order-building components based on the United Nations Charter, is looking for new arrangements that govern political and economic paradigms, security, etc., has challenged America and the liberal system in today’s world.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On June 9, Saudi Arabia’s oil agreement with the United States expired. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that Riyadh would not renew the 75-year-old contract that helped maintain the hegemony of the US dollar in international trade. This action allows Riyadh to sell oil in different currencies, including yuan, euro, yen, etc., instead of the US dollar.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
Strategic Council Online: The President of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stated, “Despite the signing of the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement between Iran and China, a long path remains toward its full implementation. One key point both countries must observe is to move away from a project-based approach and instead adopt a program-oriented relationship by formulating a concrete action plan. This plan should be grounded in Iran’s national spatial planning framework and aligned with the mutual priorities of both nations as outlined in the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Document.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran, by relying on its geo-economic capacities across various fields, should strive to solidify its position as a bridge connecting the Persian Gulf to Eurasia. However, regional and extra-regional competition for influence in Azerbaijan and Armenia has reached a critical point, where Iran’s security considerations and geopolitical red lines could turn the advancement of a multi-faceted strategy into a real test for the diplomatic apparatus.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A university professor and international affairs analyst stated, “The US-centered world order is transitioning towards a multipolar structure.” This geopolitical transformation brings challenges and opportunities for Iran.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran’s hybrid and multidimensional diplomacy, if combined with a measured, flexible, and more effective approach, could lead to tangible domestic and international achievements. The world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which power is more dispersed and distributed among multiple actors. In this context, Iran, by adopting an inclusive policy and emphasizing cooperation with alliances such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), seeks to reposition itself in the international system strategically. This policy goes beyond a reaction to the so-called Western-imposed isolation; it signifies a normative decision and choice to establish a fairer and more balanced order based on principles of justice, equality, and respect for national sovereignty. However, excessive reliance on specific alliances and blocs could limit Iran’s strategic options.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The expansion of the BRICS group, particularly with the addition of influential powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, has sparked a wave of concern in American policymaking circles, especially among conservative factions symbolized by Donald Trump. This fear does not stem merely from the increase in membership. Still, it is rooted in the coalition’s potential to challenge the Western-led economic and political order—particularly the dollar’s exclusive status as the global reserve and exchange currency.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the contemporary world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are engaged in a complex competition to preserve or expand their global influence. In this context, Iran, as a key player in the region and the Islamic world with significant strategic capabilities—including membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)—can leverage these developments to strengthen its position.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent BRICS meeting ended with a symbolic image of the BRICS currency in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Perhaps, before this meeting, some experts did not believe in continuing BRICS as a block (or newly emerging network). Although India’s veto of Turkey’s membership showed that BRICS has a relatively long way to go to gain power from the expansion channel of the alliance, views on BRICS show it to be largely successful. BRICS money and its display in Putin’s hands are signs of seriousness in BRICS and its increasing importance in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: BRICS, within the framework of “positive” and not “negative” policies, without violating or opposing the principles and order-building components based on the United Nations Charter, is looking for new arrangements that govern political and economic paradigms, security, etc., has challenged America and the liberal system in today’s world.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On June 9, Saudi Arabia’s oil agreement with the United States expired. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that Riyadh would not renew the 75-year-old contract that helped maintain the hegemony of the US dollar in international trade. This action allows Riyadh to sell oil in different currencies, including yuan, euro, yen, etc., instead of the US dollar.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Ansarullah’s recent lightning-fast operation and surprise advances on Yemen’s western coast have rapidly transformed the equations of the war in that country and developments in West Asia, and have challenged the calculations of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the West, and the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The intensification of U.S. sanctions against Iran on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections indicates Washington’s inability to achieve its war objectives.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between Washington and Beijing over chips and artificial intelligence, simultaneously with the shifting of technological balances, has taken on new economic and security dimensions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit has created a new opportunity for Iran to transform its membership from a political achievement into economic and transit cooperation.
Strategic Council Online – Note: The Makkah Defense Pact can be seen as a sign of regional countries’ efforts to reduce security dependence on extra-regional powers and redefine the balance in West Asia.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
Strategic Council Online: The President of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stated, “Despite the signing of the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement between Iran and China, a long path remains toward its full implementation. One key point both countries must observe is to move away from a project-based approach and instead adopt a program-oriented relationship by formulating a concrete action plan. This plan should be grounded in Iran’s national spatial planning framework and aligned with the mutual priorities of both nations as outlined in the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Document.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran, by relying on its geo-economic capacities across various fields, should strive to solidify its position as a bridge connecting the Persian Gulf to Eurasia. However, regional and extra-regional competition for influence in Azerbaijan and Armenia has reached a critical point, where Iran’s security considerations and geopolitical red lines could turn the advancement of a multi-faceted strategy into a real test for the diplomatic apparatus.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A university professor and international affairs analyst stated, “The US-centered world order is transitioning towards a multipolar structure.” This geopolitical transformation brings challenges and opportunities for Iran.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran’s hybrid and multidimensional diplomacy, if combined with a measured, flexible, and more effective approach, could lead to tangible domestic and international achievements. The world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which power is more dispersed and distributed among multiple actors. In this context, Iran, by adopting an inclusive policy and emphasizing cooperation with alliances such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), seeks to reposition itself in the international system strategically. This policy goes beyond a reaction to the so-called Western-imposed isolation; it signifies a normative decision and choice to establish a fairer and more balanced order based on principles of justice, equality, and respect for national sovereignty. However, excessive reliance on specific alliances and blocs could limit Iran’s strategic options.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The expansion of the BRICS group, particularly with the addition of influential powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, has sparked a wave of concern in American policymaking circles, especially among conservative factions symbolized by Donald Trump. This fear does not stem merely from the increase in membership. Still, it is rooted in the coalition’s potential to challenge the Western-led economic and political order—particularly the dollar’s exclusive status as the global reserve and exchange currency.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the contemporary world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are engaged in a complex competition to preserve or expand their global influence. In this context, Iran, as a key player in the region and the Islamic world with significant strategic capabilities—including membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)—can leverage these developments to strengthen its position.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent BRICS meeting ended with a symbolic image of the BRICS currency in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Perhaps, before this meeting, some experts did not believe in continuing BRICS as a block (or newly emerging network). Although India’s veto of Turkey’s membership showed that BRICS has a relatively long way to go to gain power from the expansion channel of the alliance, views on BRICS show it to be largely successful. BRICS money and its display in Putin’s hands are signs of seriousness in BRICS and its increasing importance in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: BRICS, within the framework of “positive” and not “negative” policies, without violating or opposing the principles and order-building components based on the United Nations Charter, is looking for new arrangements that govern political and economic paradigms, security, etc., has challenged America and the liberal system in today’s world.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On June 9, Saudi Arabia’s oil agreement with the United States expired. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that Riyadh would not renew the 75-year-old contract that helped maintain the hegemony of the US dollar in international trade. This action allows Riyadh to sell oil in different currencies, including yuan, euro, yen, etc., instead of the US dollar.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Ansarullah’s recent lightning-fast operation and surprise advances on Yemen’s western coast have rapidly transformed the equations of the war in that country and developments in West Asia, and have challenged the calculations of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the West, and the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The intensification of U.S. sanctions against Iran on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections indicates Washington’s inability to achieve its war objectives.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between Washington and Beijing over chips and artificial intelligence, simultaneously with the shifting of technological balances, has taken on new economic and security dimensions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit has created a new opportunity for Iran to transform its membership from a political achievement into economic and transit cooperation.
Strategic Council Online – Note: The Makkah Defense Pact can be seen as a sign of regional countries’ efforts to reduce security dependence on extra-regional powers and redefine the balance in West Asia.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
Strategic Council Online: The President of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stated, “Despite the signing of the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement between Iran and China, a long path remains toward its full implementation. One key point both countries must observe is to move away from a project-based approach and instead adopt a program-oriented relationship by formulating a concrete action plan. This plan should be grounded in Iran’s national spatial planning framework and aligned with the mutual priorities of both nations as outlined in the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Document.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran, by relying on its geo-economic capacities across various fields, should strive to solidify its position as a bridge connecting the Persian Gulf to Eurasia. However, regional and extra-regional competition for influence in Azerbaijan and Armenia has reached a critical point, where Iran’s security considerations and geopolitical red lines could turn the advancement of a multi-faceted strategy into a real test for the diplomatic apparatus.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A university professor and international affairs analyst stated, “The US-centered world order is transitioning towards a multipolar structure.” This geopolitical transformation brings challenges and opportunities for Iran.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran’s hybrid and multidimensional diplomacy, if combined with a measured, flexible, and more effective approach, could lead to tangible domestic and international achievements. The world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which power is more dispersed and distributed among multiple actors. In this context, Iran, by adopting an inclusive policy and emphasizing cooperation with alliances such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), seeks to reposition itself in the international system strategically. This policy goes beyond a reaction to the so-called Western-imposed isolation; it signifies a normative decision and choice to establish a fairer and more balanced order based on principles of justice, equality, and respect for national sovereignty. However, excessive reliance on specific alliances and blocs could limit Iran’s strategic options.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The expansion of the BRICS group, particularly with the addition of influential powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, has sparked a wave of concern in American policymaking circles, especially among conservative factions symbolized by Donald Trump. This fear does not stem merely from the increase in membership. Still, it is rooted in the coalition’s potential to challenge the Western-led economic and political order—particularly the dollar’s exclusive status as the global reserve and exchange currency.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the contemporary world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are engaged in a complex competition to preserve or expand their global influence. In this context, Iran, as a key player in the region and the Islamic world with significant strategic capabilities—including membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)—can leverage these developments to strengthen its position.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent BRICS meeting ended with a symbolic image of the BRICS currency in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Perhaps, before this meeting, some experts did not believe in continuing BRICS as a block (or newly emerging network). Although India’s veto of Turkey’s membership showed that BRICS has a relatively long way to go to gain power from the expansion channel of the alliance, views on BRICS show it to be largely successful. BRICS money and its display in Putin’s hands are signs of seriousness in BRICS and its increasing importance in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: BRICS, within the framework of “positive” and not “negative” policies, without violating or opposing the principles and order-building components based on the United Nations Charter, is looking for new arrangements that govern political and economic paradigms, security, etc., has challenged America and the liberal system in today’s world.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On June 9, Saudi Arabia’s oil agreement with the United States expired. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that Riyadh would not renew the 75-year-old contract that helped maintain the hegemony of the US dollar in international trade. This action allows Riyadh to sell oil in different currencies, including yuan, euro, yen, etc., instead of the US dollar.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Ansarullah’s recent lightning-fast operation and surprise advances on Yemen’s western coast have rapidly transformed the equations of the war in that country and developments in West Asia, and have challenged the calculations of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the West, and the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The intensification of U.S. sanctions against Iran on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections indicates Washington’s inability to achieve its war objectives.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between Washington and Beijing over chips and artificial intelligence, simultaneously with the shifting of technological balances, has taken on new economic and security dimensions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit has created a new opportunity for Iran to transform its membership from a political achievement into economic and transit cooperation.
Strategic Council Online – Note: The Makkah Defense Pact can be seen as a sign of regional countries’ efforts to reduce security dependence on extra-regional powers and redefine the balance in West Asia.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
Strategic Council Online: The President of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stated, “Despite the signing of the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement between Iran and China, a long path remains toward its full implementation. One key point both countries must observe is to move away from a project-based approach and instead adopt a program-oriented relationship by formulating a concrete action plan. This plan should be grounded in Iran’s national spatial planning framework and aligned with the mutual priorities of both nations as outlined in the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Document.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran, by relying on its geo-economic capacities across various fields, should strive to solidify its position as a bridge connecting the Persian Gulf to Eurasia. However, regional and extra-regional competition for influence in Azerbaijan and Armenia has reached a critical point, where Iran’s security considerations and geopolitical red lines could turn the advancement of a multi-faceted strategy into a real test for the diplomatic apparatus.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A university professor and international affairs analyst stated, “The US-centered world order is transitioning towards a multipolar structure.” This geopolitical transformation brings challenges and opportunities for Iran.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran’s hybrid and multidimensional diplomacy, if combined with a measured, flexible, and more effective approach, could lead to tangible domestic and international achievements. The world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which power is more dispersed and distributed among multiple actors. In this context, Iran, by adopting an inclusive policy and emphasizing cooperation with alliances such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), seeks to reposition itself in the international system strategically. This policy goes beyond a reaction to the so-called Western-imposed isolation; it signifies a normative decision and choice to establish a fairer and more balanced order based on principles of justice, equality, and respect for national sovereignty. However, excessive reliance on specific alliances and blocs could limit Iran’s strategic options.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The expansion of the BRICS group, particularly with the addition of influential powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, has sparked a wave of concern in American policymaking circles, especially among conservative factions symbolized by Donald Trump. This fear does not stem merely from the increase in membership. Still, it is rooted in the coalition’s potential to challenge the Western-led economic and political order—particularly the dollar’s exclusive status as the global reserve and exchange currency.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the contemporary world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are engaged in a complex competition to preserve or expand their global influence. In this context, Iran, as a key player in the region and the Islamic world with significant strategic capabilities—including membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)—can leverage these developments to strengthen its position.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent BRICS meeting ended with a symbolic image of the BRICS currency in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Perhaps, before this meeting, some experts did not believe in continuing BRICS as a block (or newly emerging network). Although India’s veto of Turkey’s membership showed that BRICS has a relatively long way to go to gain power from the expansion channel of the alliance, views on BRICS show it to be largely successful. BRICS money and its display in Putin’s hands are signs of seriousness in BRICS and its increasing importance in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: BRICS, within the framework of “positive” and not “negative” policies, without violating or opposing the principles and order-building components based on the United Nations Charter, is looking for new arrangements that govern political and economic paradigms, security, etc., has challenged America and the liberal system in today’s world.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On June 9, Saudi Arabia’s oil agreement with the United States expired. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that Riyadh would not renew the 75-year-old contract that helped maintain the hegemony of the US dollar in international trade. This action allows Riyadh to sell oil in different currencies, including yuan, euro, yen, etc., instead of the US dollar.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Ansarullah’s recent lightning-fast operation and surprise advances on Yemen’s western coast have rapidly transformed the equations of the war in that country and developments in West Asia, and have challenged the calculations of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the West, and the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The intensification of U.S. sanctions against Iran on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections indicates Washington’s inability to achieve its war objectives.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between Washington and Beijing over chips and artificial intelligence, simultaneously with the shifting of technological balances, has taken on new economic and security dimensions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit has created a new opportunity for Iran to transform its membership from a political achievement into economic and transit cooperation.
Strategic Council Online – Note: The Makkah Defense Pact can be seen as a sign of regional countries’ efforts to reduce security dependence on extra-regional powers and redefine the balance in West Asia.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
Strategic Council Online: The President of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stated, “Despite the signing of the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement between Iran and China, a long path remains toward its full implementation. One key point both countries must observe is to move away from a project-based approach and instead adopt a program-oriented relationship by formulating a concrete action plan. This plan should be grounded in Iran’s national spatial planning framework and aligned with the mutual priorities of both nations as outlined in the 25-year Comprehensive Cooperation Document.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran, by relying on its geo-economic capacities across various fields, should strive to solidify its position as a bridge connecting the Persian Gulf to Eurasia. However, regional and extra-regional competition for influence in Azerbaijan and Armenia has reached a critical point, where Iran’s security considerations and geopolitical red lines could turn the advancement of a multi-faceted strategy into a real test for the diplomatic apparatus.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A university professor and international affairs analyst stated, “The US-centered world order is transitioning towards a multipolar structure.” This geopolitical transformation brings challenges and opportunities for Iran.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that Iran’s hybrid and multidimensional diplomacy, if combined with a measured, flexible, and more effective approach, could lead to tangible domestic and international achievements. The world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which power is more dispersed and distributed among multiple actors. In this context, Iran, by adopting an inclusive policy and emphasizing cooperation with alliances such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), seeks to reposition itself in the international system strategically. This policy goes beyond a reaction to the so-called Western-imposed isolation; it signifies a normative decision and choice to establish a fairer and more balanced order based on principles of justice, equality, and respect for national sovereignty. However, excessive reliance on specific alliances and blocs could limit Iran’s strategic options.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The expansion of the BRICS group, particularly with the addition of influential powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, has sparked a wave of concern in American policymaking circles, especially among conservative factions symbolized by Donald Trump. This fear does not stem merely from the increase in membership. Still, it is rooted in the coalition’s potential to challenge the Western-led economic and political order—particularly the dollar’s exclusive status as the global reserve and exchange currency.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the contemporary world is transitioning toward a multipolar order in which major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are engaged in a complex competition to preserve or expand their global influence. In this context, Iran, as a key player in the region and the Islamic world with significant strategic capabilities—including membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)—can leverage these developments to strengthen its position.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent BRICS meeting ended with a symbolic image of the BRICS currency in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Perhaps, before this meeting, some experts did not believe in continuing BRICS as a block (or newly emerging network). Although India’s veto of Turkey’s membership showed that BRICS has a relatively long way to go to gain power from the expansion channel of the alliance, views on BRICS show it to be largely successful. BRICS money and its display in Putin’s hands are signs of seriousness in BRICS and its increasing importance in the future.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: BRICS, within the framework of “positive” and not “negative” policies, without violating or opposing the principles and order-building components based on the United Nations Charter, is looking for new arrangements that govern political and economic paradigms, security, etc., has challenged America and the liberal system in today’s world.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On June 9, Saudi Arabia’s oil agreement with the United States expired. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that Riyadh would not renew the 75-year-old contract that helped maintain the hegemony of the US dollar in international trade. This action allows Riyadh to sell oil in different currencies, including yuan, euro, yen, etc., instead of the US dollar.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The simultaneity of pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has turned the geography of energy and shipping into a new arena for the emergence of new risks, costs, and leverage.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Makkah Pact, signed on August 7, 2026, between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, is more than an answer to geopolitical vacuums; in practice, it faces a “deterrence dilemma” and “differing threat perception.” While this pact symbolizes a transition toward regional self-reliance, its first field tests and the complexities of relations with regional actors will determine its real meaning.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The reason for Washington’s reluctance to enter directly into war with Ansarullah is military and economic limitations, electoral considerations, and concern about the expansion of the crisis at two energy chokepoints.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Ansarullah’s recent lightning-fast operation and surprise advances on Yemen’s western coast have rapidly transformed the equations of the war in that country and developments in West Asia, and have challenged the calculations of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the West, and the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The intensification of U.S. sanctions against Iran on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections indicates Washington’s inability to achieve its war objectives.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition between Washington and Beijing over chips and artificial intelligence, simultaneously with the shifting of technological balances, has taken on new economic and security dimensions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit has created a new opportunity for Iran to transform its membership from a political achievement into economic and transit cooperation.
Strategic Council Online – Note: The Makkah Defense Pact can be seen as a sign of regional countries’ efforts to reduce security dependence on extra-regional powers and redefine the balance in West Asia.