SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
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.
Strategic Council Online: Editorial—Under the present circumstances, we may witness once again a crisis in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet. With increasing foreign interference in Lebanon, it seems this crisis would be extended and prolonged more than the previous occasions as each of the foreign players are seeking to advance their own objectives and want to set the pieces of government in their own favour. This is while Lebanon is not a country to be settled with instruction issued from abroad.
Hossein Ajorloo – Expert of Middle East affairs
Strategic Council Online – The most likely scenario Lebanon is presently faced with is not to allow the prime minister proposed by Michel Aoun to form government in the absence of the consent of Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora and Samir Geagea, and finally, with the widening of political vacuum, the Lebanese President will be forced to appoint Saad Hariri to form the government.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Expert on Middle East Affairs
Strategic Council Online – A former Iranian diplomat, referring to the different stances of France and the United States regarding the role and status of Hezbollah in Lebanon, said: Hezbollah is a 100% and undeniable reality that exists and is present in Lebanon. No action in this country can succeed without taking the role of Hezbollah into account.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
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.
Strategic Council Online: Editorial—Under the present circumstances, we may witness once again a crisis in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet. With increasing foreign interference in Lebanon, it seems this crisis would be extended and prolonged more than the previous occasions as each of the foreign players are seeking to advance their own objectives and want to set the pieces of government in their own favour. This is while Lebanon is not a country to be settled with instruction issued from abroad.
Hossein Ajorloo – Expert of Middle East affairs
Strategic Council Online – The most likely scenario Lebanon is presently faced with is not to allow the prime minister proposed by Michel Aoun to form government in the absence of the consent of Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora and Samir Geagea, and finally, with the widening of political vacuum, the Lebanese President will be forced to appoint Saad Hariri to form the government.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Expert on Middle East Affairs
Strategic Council Online – A former Iranian diplomat, referring to the different stances of France and the United States regarding the role and status of Hezbollah in Lebanon, said: Hezbollah is a 100% and undeniable reality that exists and is present in Lebanon. No action in this country can succeed without taking the role of Hezbollah into account.
Strategic Council Online: Editorial—Under the present circumstances, we may witness once again a crisis in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet. With increasing foreign interference in Lebanon, it seems this crisis would be extended and prolonged more than the previous occasions as each of the foreign players are seeking to advance their own objectives and want to set the pieces of government in their own favour. This is while Lebanon is not a country to be settled with instruction issued from abroad.
Hossein Ajorloo – Expert of Middle East affairs
Strategic Council Online – The most likely scenario Lebanon is presently faced with is not to allow the prime minister proposed by Michel Aoun to form government in the absence of the consent of Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora and Samir Geagea, and finally, with the widening of political vacuum, the Lebanese President will be forced to appoint Saad Hariri to form the government.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Expert on Middle East Affairs
Strategic Council Online – A former Iranian diplomat, referring to the different stances of France and the United States regarding the role and status of Hezbollah in Lebanon, said: Hezbollah is a 100% and undeniable reality that exists and is present in Lebanon. No action in this country can succeed without taking the role of Hezbollah into account.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
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.
Strategic Council Online: Editorial—Under the present circumstances, we may witness once again a crisis in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet. With increasing foreign interference in Lebanon, it seems this crisis would be extended and prolonged more than the previous occasions as each of the foreign players are seeking to advance their own objectives and want to set the pieces of government in their own favour. This is while Lebanon is not a country to be settled with instruction issued from abroad.
Hossein Ajorloo – Expert of Middle East affairs
Strategic Council Online – The most likely scenario Lebanon is presently faced with is not to allow the prime minister proposed by Michel Aoun to form government in the absence of the consent of Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora and Samir Geagea, and finally, with the widening of political vacuum, the Lebanese President will be forced to appoint Saad Hariri to form the government.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Expert on Middle East Affairs
Strategic Council Online – A former Iranian diplomat, referring to the different stances of France and the United States regarding the role and status of Hezbollah in Lebanon, said: Hezbollah is a 100% and undeniable reality that exists and is present in Lebanon. No action in this country can succeed without taking the role of Hezbollah into account.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
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.
Strategic Council Online: Editorial—Under the present circumstances, we may witness once again a crisis in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet. With increasing foreign interference in Lebanon, it seems this crisis would be extended and prolonged more than the previous occasions as each of the foreign players are seeking to advance their own objectives and want to set the pieces of government in their own favour. This is while Lebanon is not a country to be settled with instruction issued from abroad.
Hossein Ajorloo – Expert of Middle East affairs
Strategic Council Online – The most likely scenario Lebanon is presently faced with is not to allow the prime minister proposed by Michel Aoun to form government in the absence of the consent of Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora and Samir Geagea, and finally, with the widening of political vacuum, the Lebanese President will be forced to appoint Saad Hariri to form the government.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Expert on Middle East Affairs
Strategic Council Online – A former Iranian diplomat, referring to the different stances of France and the United States regarding the role and status of Hezbollah in Lebanon, said: Hezbollah is a 100% and undeniable reality that exists and is present in Lebanon. No action in this country can succeed without taking the role of Hezbollah into account.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
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.
Strategic Council Online: Editorial—Under the present circumstances, we may witness once again a crisis in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet. With increasing foreign interference in Lebanon, it seems this crisis would be extended and prolonged more than the previous occasions as each of the foreign players are seeking to advance their own objectives and want to set the pieces of government in their own favour. This is while Lebanon is not a country to be settled with instruction issued from abroad.
Hossein Ajorloo – Expert of Middle East affairs
Strategic Council Online – The most likely scenario Lebanon is presently faced with is not to allow the prime minister proposed by Michel Aoun to form government in the absence of the consent of Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora and Samir Geagea, and finally, with the widening of political vacuum, the Lebanese President will be forced to appoint Saad Hariri to form the government.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Expert on Middle East Affairs
Strategic Council Online – A former Iranian diplomat, referring to the different stances of France and the United States regarding the role and status of Hezbollah in Lebanon, said: Hezbollah is a 100% and undeniable reality that exists and is present in Lebanon. No action in this country can succeed without taking the role of Hezbollah into account.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
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.
Strategic Council Online: Editorial—Under the present circumstances, we may witness once again a crisis in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet. With increasing foreign interference in Lebanon, it seems this crisis would be extended and prolonged more than the previous occasions as each of the foreign players are seeking to advance their own objectives and want to set the pieces of government in their own favour. This is while Lebanon is not a country to be settled with instruction issued from abroad.
Hossein Ajorloo – Expert of Middle East affairs
Strategic Council Online – The most likely scenario Lebanon is presently faced with is not to allow the prime minister proposed by Michel Aoun to form government in the absence of the consent of Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora and Samir Geagea, and finally, with the widening of political vacuum, the Lebanese President will be forced to appoint Saad Hariri to form the government.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Expert on Middle East Affairs
Strategic Council Online – A former Iranian diplomat, referring to the different stances of France and the United States regarding the role and status of Hezbollah in Lebanon, said: Hezbollah is a 100% and undeniable reality that exists and is present in Lebanon. No action in this country can succeed without taking the role of Hezbollah into account.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Developments in the South Caucasus and Central Asia indicate that transit competition has become an arena for a new staging of influence among Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The upcoming Palestinian elections, after nearly two decades of hiatus, could affect the arrangement of political forces, the legitimacy of institutions, and the future path of Palestinian governance.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The direct war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, disruption of nuclear inspections, and intensification of great power competition have taken the non-proliferation crisis beyond the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the Iran–U.S. equation, China pursues a cautious balance between its energy and transit interests with Tehran and considerations related to sanctions and competition with Washington.
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.