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.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A researcher in the field of digital economy and artificial intelligence said: In today’s world, artificial intelligence (AI) is considered one of the main pillars of global economic and geopolitical transformations. The increasing competition among major powers, such as the United States and China, along with the European Union’s efforts to become a leading continent in the field of artificial intelligence, underscores the growing importance of this technology in shaping the economic and political destinies of countries. Amidst this, Global South countries, including Iran, can play an effective role in shaping the digital future by utilizing their domestic capacities and international cooperation.
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: 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 – Opinion: Recently, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has barred Chinese citizens from accessing its systems and facilities, a prohibition that even includes Chinese citizens possessing U.S. visas. This move can be interpreted as a sign of space competition between the United States and China.