SCFR Online – Note: Articles from Western think tanks confirm that, contrary to Western assumptions, the war has failed to cause Iran’s economy to collapse, and this situation has led Washington to seek a pathway for exiting the quagmire.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent mobilization by certain members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council toward more active participation in NATO security arrangements should not be interpreted as a sudden shift or fundamental transformation in these countries’ foreign policies.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz has transformed from an energy corridor into a geopolitical instrument, and the West’s reluctant acknowledgment of Iran’s capacity to disrupt it has consolidated Tehran’s deterrence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The growing divide between Europe and the United States is no longer merely a tactical disagreement, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and the redefinition of interests in a multipolar world.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A faculty member of Allameh Tabataba’i University stated that in relations with Central Asia, China has considered a pragmatic policy centered on the economy and has put this economy in interaction with politics, and for this reason, concerning political and security issues has not been indifferent, adding: the agreements reached in the recent meeting of the heads of states of China and Central Asian countries, entails stabilization and intensification of Beijing’s presence and influence in that region, and as a result, an increase of Beijing’s playing capability in those countries.
Strategic Council Online- Opinion: In addition to bilateral relations, regionalism as well as linking the economic interests of Northern neighbors to Iran’s potentials can bring more achievements.
Mehdi Khoorsand, Expert on China and Eurasia affairs
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Central Asian affairs says the recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the four main Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan bears geopolitical and strategic significance given the recent developments such as the nuclear talks and the 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Strategic Council Online – The Islamic Republic of Iran can use the principle of balancing and diversification, to increase its presence in the Central Asian region.
Vali Kouzegar Kaleji – senior researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies of the President’s Office
Strategic Council Online: Director General of Scientific and Academic Cooperation of the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communications, says the spread of the Persian language and literature in the world is one of the country’s most important cultural strategies in the international arena. “The countries that are hindering Iran’s influence politically are adopting the same policy towards the development of Persian in their own country and want people to pay less attention to the language.”
Strategic Council Online: Because Central Asian countries geographically do not have access to the high seas, the best way for them to keep in touch with world trade is through southern Iran, and they are interested in this route because of the security Iran enjoys. The Islamic Republic of Iran should also welcome these investments and projects, as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.
Abdolreza Farajirad – University Professor and Expert on Geopolitics
Strategic Council Online: If Iran under the sanctions and under circumstances that Europe too has failed to meet its commitments, could properly pursue its cooperation with Eurasia an opportunity for expanding regional trade and increasing Iran’s non-oil exports will be provided.
Afshar Soleimani – Former Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan
SCFR Online – Note: Articles from Western think tanks confirm that, contrary to Western assumptions, the war has failed to cause Iran’s economy to collapse, and this situation has led Washington to seek a pathway for exiting the quagmire.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent mobilization by certain members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council toward more active participation in NATO security arrangements should not be interpreted as a sudden shift or fundamental transformation in these countries’ foreign policies.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz has transformed from an energy corridor into a geopolitical instrument, and the West’s reluctant acknowledgment of Iran’s capacity to disrupt it has consolidated Tehran’s deterrence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The growing divide between Europe and the United States is no longer merely a tactical disagreement, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and the redefinition of interests in a multipolar world.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A faculty member of Allameh Tabataba’i University stated that in relations with Central Asia, China has considered a pragmatic policy centered on the economy and has put this economy in interaction with politics, and for this reason, concerning political and security issues has not been indifferent, adding: the agreements reached in the recent meeting of the heads of states of China and Central Asian countries, entails stabilization and intensification of Beijing’s presence and influence in that region, and as a result, an increase of Beijing’s playing capability in those countries.
Strategic Council Online- Opinion: In addition to bilateral relations, regionalism as well as linking the economic interests of Northern neighbors to Iran’s potentials can bring more achievements.
Mehdi Khoorsand, Expert on China and Eurasia affairs
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Central Asian affairs says the recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the four main Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan bears geopolitical and strategic significance given the recent developments such as the nuclear talks and the 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Strategic Council Online – The Islamic Republic of Iran can use the principle of balancing and diversification, to increase its presence in the Central Asian region.
Vali Kouzegar Kaleji – senior researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies of the President’s Office
Strategic Council Online: Director General of Scientific and Academic Cooperation of the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communications, says the spread of the Persian language and literature in the world is one of the country’s most important cultural strategies in the international arena. “The countries that are hindering Iran’s influence politically are adopting the same policy towards the development of Persian in their own country and want people to pay less attention to the language.”
Strategic Council Online: Because Central Asian countries geographically do not have access to the high seas, the best way for them to keep in touch with world trade is through southern Iran, and they are interested in this route because of the security Iran enjoys. The Islamic Republic of Iran should also welcome these investments and projects, as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.
Abdolreza Farajirad – University Professor and Expert on Geopolitics
Strategic Council Online: If Iran under the sanctions and under circumstances that Europe too has failed to meet its commitments, could properly pursue its cooperation with Eurasia an opportunity for expanding regional trade and increasing Iran’s non-oil exports will be provided.
Afshar Soleimani – Former Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A faculty member of Allameh Tabataba’i University stated that in relations with Central Asia, China has considered a pragmatic policy centered on the economy and has put this economy in interaction with politics, and for this reason, concerning political and security issues has not been indifferent, adding: the agreements reached in the recent meeting of the heads of states of China and Central Asian countries, entails stabilization and intensification of Beijing’s presence and influence in that region, and as a result, an increase of Beijing’s playing capability in those countries.
Strategic Council Online- Opinion: In addition to bilateral relations, regionalism as well as linking the economic interests of Northern neighbors to Iran’s potentials can bring more achievements.
Mehdi Khoorsand, Expert on China and Eurasia affairs
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Central Asian affairs says the recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the four main Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan bears geopolitical and strategic significance given the recent developments such as the nuclear talks and the 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Strategic Council Online – The Islamic Republic of Iran can use the principle of balancing and diversification, to increase its presence in the Central Asian region.
Vali Kouzegar Kaleji – senior researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies of the President’s Office
Strategic Council Online: Director General of Scientific and Academic Cooperation of the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communications, says the spread of the Persian language and literature in the world is one of the country’s most important cultural strategies in the international arena. “The countries that are hindering Iran’s influence politically are adopting the same policy towards the development of Persian in their own country and want people to pay less attention to the language.”
Strategic Council Online: Because Central Asian countries geographically do not have access to the high seas, the best way for them to keep in touch with world trade is through southern Iran, and they are interested in this route because of the security Iran enjoys. The Islamic Republic of Iran should also welcome these investments and projects, as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.
Abdolreza Farajirad – University Professor and Expert on Geopolitics
Strategic Council Online: If Iran under the sanctions and under circumstances that Europe too has failed to meet its commitments, could properly pursue its cooperation with Eurasia an opportunity for expanding regional trade and increasing Iran’s non-oil exports will be provided.
Afshar Soleimani – Former Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan
SCFR Online – Note: Articles from Western think tanks confirm that, contrary to Western assumptions, the war has failed to cause Iran’s economy to collapse, and this situation has led Washington to seek a pathway for exiting the quagmire.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent mobilization by certain members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council toward more active participation in NATO security arrangements should not be interpreted as a sudden shift or fundamental transformation in these countries’ foreign policies.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz has transformed from an energy corridor into a geopolitical instrument, and the West’s reluctant acknowledgment of Iran’s capacity to disrupt it has consolidated Tehran’s deterrence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The growing divide between Europe and the United States is no longer merely a tactical disagreement, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and the redefinition of interests in a multipolar world.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A faculty member of Allameh Tabataba’i University stated that in relations with Central Asia, China has considered a pragmatic policy centered on the economy and has put this economy in interaction with politics, and for this reason, concerning political and security issues has not been indifferent, adding: the agreements reached in the recent meeting of the heads of states of China and Central Asian countries, entails stabilization and intensification of Beijing’s presence and influence in that region, and as a result, an increase of Beijing’s playing capability in those countries.
Strategic Council Online- Opinion: In addition to bilateral relations, regionalism as well as linking the economic interests of Northern neighbors to Iran’s potentials can bring more achievements.
Mehdi Khoorsand, Expert on China and Eurasia affairs
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Central Asian affairs says the recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the four main Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan bears geopolitical and strategic significance given the recent developments such as the nuclear talks and the 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Strategic Council Online – The Islamic Republic of Iran can use the principle of balancing and diversification, to increase its presence in the Central Asian region.
Vali Kouzegar Kaleji – senior researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies of the President’s Office
Strategic Council Online: Director General of Scientific and Academic Cooperation of the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communications, says the spread of the Persian language and literature in the world is one of the country’s most important cultural strategies in the international arena. “The countries that are hindering Iran’s influence politically are adopting the same policy towards the development of Persian in their own country and want people to pay less attention to the language.”
Strategic Council Online: Because Central Asian countries geographically do not have access to the high seas, the best way for them to keep in touch with world trade is through southern Iran, and they are interested in this route because of the security Iran enjoys. The Islamic Republic of Iran should also welcome these investments and projects, as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.
Abdolreza Farajirad – University Professor and Expert on Geopolitics
Strategic Council Online: If Iran under the sanctions and under circumstances that Europe too has failed to meet its commitments, could properly pursue its cooperation with Eurasia an opportunity for expanding regional trade and increasing Iran’s non-oil exports will be provided.
Afshar Soleimani – Former Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan
SCFR Online – Note: Articles from Western think tanks confirm that, contrary to Western assumptions, the war has failed to cause Iran’s economy to collapse, and this situation has led Washington to seek a pathway for exiting the quagmire.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent mobilization by certain members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council toward more active participation in NATO security arrangements should not be interpreted as a sudden shift or fundamental transformation in these countries’ foreign policies.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz has transformed from an energy corridor into a geopolitical instrument, and the West’s reluctant acknowledgment of Iran’s capacity to disrupt it has consolidated Tehran’s deterrence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The growing divide between Europe and the United States is no longer merely a tactical disagreement, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and the redefinition of interests in a multipolar world.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A faculty member of Allameh Tabataba’i University stated that in relations with Central Asia, China has considered a pragmatic policy centered on the economy and has put this economy in interaction with politics, and for this reason, concerning political and security issues has not been indifferent, adding: the agreements reached in the recent meeting of the heads of states of China and Central Asian countries, entails stabilization and intensification of Beijing’s presence and influence in that region, and as a result, an increase of Beijing’s playing capability in those countries.
Strategic Council Online- Opinion: In addition to bilateral relations, regionalism as well as linking the economic interests of Northern neighbors to Iran’s potentials can bring more achievements.
Mehdi Khoorsand, Expert on China and Eurasia affairs
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Central Asian affairs says the recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the four main Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan bears geopolitical and strategic significance given the recent developments such as the nuclear talks and the 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Strategic Council Online – The Islamic Republic of Iran can use the principle of balancing and diversification, to increase its presence in the Central Asian region.
Vali Kouzegar Kaleji – senior researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies of the President’s Office
Strategic Council Online: Director General of Scientific and Academic Cooperation of the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communications, says the spread of the Persian language and literature in the world is one of the country’s most important cultural strategies in the international arena. “The countries that are hindering Iran’s influence politically are adopting the same policy towards the development of Persian in their own country and want people to pay less attention to the language.”
Strategic Council Online: Because Central Asian countries geographically do not have access to the high seas, the best way for them to keep in touch with world trade is through southern Iran, and they are interested in this route because of the security Iran enjoys. The Islamic Republic of Iran should also welcome these investments and projects, as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.
Abdolreza Farajirad – University Professor and Expert on Geopolitics
Strategic Council Online: If Iran under the sanctions and under circumstances that Europe too has failed to meet its commitments, could properly pursue its cooperation with Eurasia an opportunity for expanding regional trade and increasing Iran’s non-oil exports will be provided.
Afshar Soleimani – Former Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan
SCFR Online – Note: Articles from Western think tanks confirm that, contrary to Western assumptions, the war has failed to cause Iran’s economy to collapse, and this situation has led Washington to seek a pathway for exiting the quagmire.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent mobilization by certain members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council toward more active participation in NATO security arrangements should not be interpreted as a sudden shift or fundamental transformation in these countries’ foreign policies.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz has transformed from an energy corridor into a geopolitical instrument, and the West’s reluctant acknowledgment of Iran’s capacity to disrupt it has consolidated Tehran’s deterrence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The growing divide between Europe and the United States is no longer merely a tactical disagreement, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and the redefinition of interests in a multipolar world.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A faculty member of Allameh Tabataba’i University stated that in relations with Central Asia, China has considered a pragmatic policy centered on the economy and has put this economy in interaction with politics, and for this reason, concerning political and security issues has not been indifferent, adding: the agreements reached in the recent meeting of the heads of states of China and Central Asian countries, entails stabilization and intensification of Beijing’s presence and influence in that region, and as a result, an increase of Beijing’s playing capability in those countries.
Strategic Council Online- Opinion: In addition to bilateral relations, regionalism as well as linking the economic interests of Northern neighbors to Iran’s potentials can bring more achievements.
Mehdi Khoorsand, Expert on China and Eurasia affairs
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Central Asian affairs says the recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the four main Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan bears geopolitical and strategic significance given the recent developments such as the nuclear talks and the 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Strategic Council Online – The Islamic Republic of Iran can use the principle of balancing and diversification, to increase its presence in the Central Asian region.
Vali Kouzegar Kaleji – senior researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies of the President’s Office
Strategic Council Online: Director General of Scientific and Academic Cooperation of the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communications, says the spread of the Persian language and literature in the world is one of the country’s most important cultural strategies in the international arena. “The countries that are hindering Iran’s influence politically are adopting the same policy towards the development of Persian in their own country and want people to pay less attention to the language.”
Strategic Council Online: Because Central Asian countries geographically do not have access to the high seas, the best way for them to keep in touch with world trade is through southern Iran, and they are interested in this route because of the security Iran enjoys. The Islamic Republic of Iran should also welcome these investments and projects, as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.
Abdolreza Farajirad – University Professor and Expert on Geopolitics
Strategic Council Online: If Iran under the sanctions and under circumstances that Europe too has failed to meet its commitments, could properly pursue its cooperation with Eurasia an opportunity for expanding regional trade and increasing Iran’s non-oil exports will be provided.
Afshar Soleimani – Former Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan
SCFR Online – Note: Articles from Western think tanks confirm that, contrary to Western assumptions, the war has failed to cause Iran’s economy to collapse, and this situation has led Washington to seek a pathway for exiting the quagmire.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent mobilization by certain members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council toward more active participation in NATO security arrangements should not be interpreted as a sudden shift or fundamental transformation in these countries’ foreign policies.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz has transformed from an energy corridor into a geopolitical instrument, and the West’s reluctant acknowledgment of Iran’s capacity to disrupt it has consolidated Tehran’s deterrence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The growing divide between Europe and the United States is no longer merely a tactical disagreement, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and the redefinition of interests in a multipolar world.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A faculty member of Allameh Tabataba’i University stated that in relations with Central Asia, China has considered a pragmatic policy centered on the economy and has put this economy in interaction with politics, and for this reason, concerning political and security issues has not been indifferent, adding: the agreements reached in the recent meeting of the heads of states of China and Central Asian countries, entails stabilization and intensification of Beijing’s presence and influence in that region, and as a result, an increase of Beijing’s playing capability in those countries.
Strategic Council Online- Opinion: In addition to bilateral relations, regionalism as well as linking the economic interests of Northern neighbors to Iran’s potentials can bring more achievements.
Mehdi Khoorsand, Expert on China and Eurasia affairs
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Central Asian affairs says the recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the four main Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan bears geopolitical and strategic significance given the recent developments such as the nuclear talks and the 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Strategic Council Online – The Islamic Republic of Iran can use the principle of balancing and diversification, to increase its presence in the Central Asian region.
Vali Kouzegar Kaleji – senior researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies of the President’s Office
Strategic Council Online: Director General of Scientific and Academic Cooperation of the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communications, says the spread of the Persian language and literature in the world is one of the country’s most important cultural strategies in the international arena. “The countries that are hindering Iran’s influence politically are adopting the same policy towards the development of Persian in their own country and want people to pay less attention to the language.”
Strategic Council Online: Because Central Asian countries geographically do not have access to the high seas, the best way for them to keep in touch with world trade is through southern Iran, and they are interested in this route because of the security Iran enjoys. The Islamic Republic of Iran should also welcome these investments and projects, as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.
Abdolreza Farajirad – University Professor and Expert on Geopolitics
Strategic Council Online: If Iran under the sanctions and under circumstances that Europe too has failed to meet its commitments, could properly pursue its cooperation with Eurasia an opportunity for expanding regional trade and increasing Iran’s non-oil exports will be provided.
Afshar Soleimani – Former Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan
SCFR Online – Note: Articles from Western think tanks confirm that, contrary to Western assumptions, the war has failed to cause Iran’s economy to collapse, and this situation has led Washington to seek a pathway for exiting the quagmire.
SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The recent mobilization by certain members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council toward more active participation in NATO security arrangements should not be interpreted as a sudden shift or fundamental transformation in these countries’ foreign policies.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz has transformed from an energy corridor into a geopolitical instrument, and the West’s reluctant acknowledgment of Iran’s capacity to disrupt it has consolidated Tehran’s deterrence.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The growing divide between Europe and the United States is no longer merely a tactical disagreement, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and the redefinition of interests in a multipolar world.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.