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 – Former Iranian charge d’affaires to Yemen says US move to blacklist Ansarollah as a terrorist group will make political talks and aid activities more difficult, adding: Trump and his group wanted to take action in the final days of their term to create problems for the next US administration and even regional countries and leave an impact on the course of developments.
Strategic Council Online – Despite warnings, Ronald Trump intends to reduce the number of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq ahead of the deadline. He wants to be still influential in foreign and security policy, and intends to constrain his successor, Joe Biden. Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, without coordination and acceptance of the responsibility, could have dangerous consequences for the region as well as for the European allies of the US.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Expert on International Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Europeans say that if the release of Taliban prisoners by the Afghan and US governments is to be a sign of confidence in the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the Taliban must take further confidence-building steps. Therefore, from the European point of view, the release of 5,000 Taliban forces, even without a positive outlook for a peace agreement, is tactically very dangerous.
Nozar Shafiee – Expert and Researcher on Subcontinent Issues
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 – Former Iranian charge d’affaires to Yemen says US move to blacklist Ansarollah as a terrorist group will make political talks and aid activities more difficult, adding: Trump and his group wanted to take action in the final days of their term to create problems for the next US administration and even regional countries and leave an impact on the course of developments.
Strategic Council Online – Despite warnings, Ronald Trump intends to reduce the number of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq ahead of the deadline. He wants to be still influential in foreign and security policy, and intends to constrain his successor, Joe Biden. Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, without coordination and acceptance of the responsibility, could have dangerous consequences for the region as well as for the European allies of the US.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Expert on International Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Europeans say that if the release of Taliban prisoners by the Afghan and US governments is to be a sign of confidence in the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the Taliban must take further confidence-building steps. Therefore, from the European point of view, the release of 5,000 Taliban forces, even without a positive outlook for a peace agreement, is tactically very dangerous.
Nozar Shafiee – Expert and Researcher on Subcontinent Issues
Strategic Council Online – Former Iranian charge d’affaires to Yemen says US move to blacklist Ansarollah as a terrorist group will make political talks and aid activities more difficult, adding: Trump and his group wanted to take action in the final days of their term to create problems for the next US administration and even regional countries and leave an impact on the course of developments.
Strategic Council Online – Despite warnings, Ronald Trump intends to reduce the number of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq ahead of the deadline. He wants to be still influential in foreign and security policy, and intends to constrain his successor, Joe Biden. Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, without coordination and acceptance of the responsibility, could have dangerous consequences for the region as well as for the European allies of the US.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Expert on International Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Europeans say that if the release of Taliban prisoners by the Afghan and US governments is to be a sign of confidence in the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the Taliban must take further confidence-building steps. Therefore, from the European point of view, the release of 5,000 Taliban forces, even without a positive outlook for a peace agreement, is tactically very dangerous.
Nozar Shafiee – Expert and Researcher on Subcontinent Issues
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 – Former Iranian charge d’affaires to Yemen says US move to blacklist Ansarollah as a terrorist group will make political talks and aid activities more difficult, adding: Trump and his group wanted to take action in the final days of their term to create problems for the next US administration and even regional countries and leave an impact on the course of developments.
Strategic Council Online – Despite warnings, Ronald Trump intends to reduce the number of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq ahead of the deadline. He wants to be still influential in foreign and security policy, and intends to constrain his successor, Joe Biden. Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, without coordination and acceptance of the responsibility, could have dangerous consequences for the region as well as for the European allies of the US.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Expert on International Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Europeans say that if the release of Taliban prisoners by the Afghan and US governments is to be a sign of confidence in the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the Taliban must take further confidence-building steps. Therefore, from the European point of view, the release of 5,000 Taliban forces, even without a positive outlook for a peace agreement, is tactically very dangerous.
Nozar Shafiee – Expert and Researcher on Subcontinent Issues
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 – Former Iranian charge d’affaires to Yemen says US move to blacklist Ansarollah as a terrorist group will make political talks and aid activities more difficult, adding: Trump and his group wanted to take action in the final days of their term to create problems for the next US administration and even regional countries and leave an impact on the course of developments.
Strategic Council Online – Despite warnings, Ronald Trump intends to reduce the number of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq ahead of the deadline. He wants to be still influential in foreign and security policy, and intends to constrain his successor, Joe Biden. Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, without coordination and acceptance of the responsibility, could have dangerous consequences for the region as well as for the European allies of the US.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Expert on International Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Europeans say that if the release of Taliban prisoners by the Afghan and US governments is to be a sign of confidence in the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the Taliban must take further confidence-building steps. Therefore, from the European point of view, the release of 5,000 Taliban forces, even without a positive outlook for a peace agreement, is tactically very dangerous.
Nozar Shafiee – Expert and Researcher on Subcontinent Issues
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 – Former Iranian charge d’affaires to Yemen says US move to blacklist Ansarollah as a terrorist group will make political talks and aid activities more difficult, adding: Trump and his group wanted to take action in the final days of their term to create problems for the next US administration and even regional countries and leave an impact on the course of developments.
Strategic Council Online – Despite warnings, Ronald Trump intends to reduce the number of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq ahead of the deadline. He wants to be still influential in foreign and security policy, and intends to constrain his successor, Joe Biden. Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, without coordination and acceptance of the responsibility, could have dangerous consequences for the region as well as for the European allies of the US.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Expert on International Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Europeans say that if the release of Taliban prisoners by the Afghan and US governments is to be a sign of confidence in the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the Taliban must take further confidence-building steps. Therefore, from the European point of view, the release of 5,000 Taliban forces, even without a positive outlook for a peace agreement, is tactically very dangerous.
Nozar Shafiee – Expert and Researcher on Subcontinent Issues
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 – Former Iranian charge d’affaires to Yemen says US move to blacklist Ansarollah as a terrorist group will make political talks and aid activities more difficult, adding: Trump and his group wanted to take action in the final days of their term to create problems for the next US administration and even regional countries and leave an impact on the course of developments.
Strategic Council Online – Despite warnings, Ronald Trump intends to reduce the number of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq ahead of the deadline. He wants to be still influential in foreign and security policy, and intends to constrain his successor, Joe Biden. Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, without coordination and acceptance of the responsibility, could have dangerous consequences for the region as well as for the European allies of the US.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Expert on International Affairs
Strategic Council Online – Europeans say that if the release of Taliban prisoners by the Afghan and US governments is to be a sign of confidence in the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the Taliban must take further confidence-building steps. Therefore, from the European point of view, the release of 5,000 Taliban forces, even without a positive outlook for a peace agreement, is tactically very dangerous.
Nozar Shafiee – Expert and Researcher on Subcontinent Issues
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.