An Analysis of the Makkah Defense Pact
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Recent developments in the political geography of West Asia, from rising tensions in the Persian Gulf to missile and drone activities in the Red Sea and the recent warning by Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, regarding the threat to freedom of navigation, indicate a key pattern shift; the US-Iran war has moved beyond the scope of a regional and local confrontation and has linked two vital passageways for the global economy: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Ukraine war was not merely a European crisis, but rather the starting point for the rearrangement of the global balance of power and a shift in the strategic behavior of great powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Great power competition is now pursued more in trade, currency, technology, and global supply chains than on the battlefields of military confrontation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Zangezur Corridor is one of the aspirations of the government of the Republic of Azerbaijani in the region, for the advancement and realization of which it is exerting utmost efforts. In fact, after the second Karabakh war (2020), this inapplicable plan has been raised more due to Azerbaijan’s “arbitrary interpretation” of the Baku-Yerevan-Moscow tripartite agreement and Armenia’s “weak position” in the region.
Hamid Khoshayand – Expert on regional affairs
Strategic Council Online – Interview: Senior researcher on Central Asia and Caucasus affairs, saying that approvals of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Boundary Commission should not be a prelude to changing the geographical borders in the region, noted: Iran can assist the peace talks in Karabakh so that by stabilizing borders and establishing calm measures can be taken for the future development of the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus affairs explaining the conflicting approaches between the countries of the Caucasus region and stressing the need for joint steps to resolve the region’s problems within the framework of the 3 + 3 mechanism, said: This plan can be a factor in ensuring prevention of new hostilities in the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior researcher at the Presidential Center for Strategic Studies saying that the Russians do not have a similar Iranian perception of the level of threat that would lead to fundamental geopolitical change in the Caucasus, noted: If the corridor sought by Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan is created by military action or threat, the balance of power in the region as a whole will change, and Russia will certainly suffer greatly.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus and Turkey affairs, referring to the reports that Armenia has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the Republic of Azerbaijan of putting Armenians under racial discrimination “for decades” and this is contrary to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which both countries have signed and said: This move by Armenia will not be of much benefit to the country in the short term. This is because the procedure in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is such that after a complaint is filed by Armenia, the Court must approve its jurisdiction by a majority of votes, and if no such majority is formed, the Court will refuse to continue the proceedings.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An analyst of the Caucasus issues says the recent border tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in line with imposing pressure upon Armenia with the goal of accepting to establish the Zangezur corridor, emphasizing that this corridor is not compatible with any of the present geopolitical and historical realities of the region and cannot be established and these pressures cannot force Armenia to accept it.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Recent developments in the political geography of West Asia, from rising tensions in the Persian Gulf to missile and drone activities in the Red Sea and the recent warning by Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, regarding the threat to freedom of navigation, indicate a key pattern shift; the US-Iran war has moved beyond the scope of a regional and local confrontation and has linked two vital passageways for the global economy: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Ukraine war was not merely a European crisis, but rather the starting point for the rearrangement of the global balance of power and a shift in the strategic behavior of great powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Great power competition is now pursued more in trade, currency, technology, and global supply chains than on the battlefields of military confrontation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Zangezur Corridor is one of the aspirations of the government of the Republic of Azerbaijani in the region, for the advancement and realization of which it is exerting utmost efforts. In fact, after the second Karabakh war (2020), this inapplicable plan has been raised more due to Azerbaijan’s “arbitrary interpretation” of the Baku-Yerevan-Moscow tripartite agreement and Armenia’s “weak position” in the region.
Hamid Khoshayand – Expert on regional affairs
Strategic Council Online – Interview: Senior researcher on Central Asia and Caucasus affairs, saying that approvals of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Boundary Commission should not be a prelude to changing the geographical borders in the region, noted: Iran can assist the peace talks in Karabakh so that by stabilizing borders and establishing calm measures can be taken for the future development of the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus affairs explaining the conflicting approaches between the countries of the Caucasus region and stressing the need for joint steps to resolve the region’s problems within the framework of the 3 + 3 mechanism, said: This plan can be a factor in ensuring prevention of new hostilities in the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior researcher at the Presidential Center for Strategic Studies saying that the Russians do not have a similar Iranian perception of the level of threat that would lead to fundamental geopolitical change in the Caucasus, noted: If the corridor sought by Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan is created by military action or threat, the balance of power in the region as a whole will change, and Russia will certainly suffer greatly.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus and Turkey affairs, referring to the reports that Armenia has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the Republic of Azerbaijan of putting Armenians under racial discrimination “for decades” and this is contrary to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which both countries have signed and said: This move by Armenia will not be of much benefit to the country in the short term. This is because the procedure in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is such that after a complaint is filed by Armenia, the Court must approve its jurisdiction by a majority of votes, and if no such majority is formed, the Court will refuse to continue the proceedings.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An analyst of the Caucasus issues says the recent border tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in line with imposing pressure upon Armenia with the goal of accepting to establish the Zangezur corridor, emphasizing that this corridor is not compatible with any of the present geopolitical and historical realities of the region and cannot be established and these pressures cannot force Armenia to accept it.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Zangezur Corridor is one of the aspirations of the government of the Republic of Azerbaijani in the region, for the advancement and realization of which it is exerting utmost efforts. In fact, after the second Karabakh war (2020), this inapplicable plan has been raised more due to Azerbaijan’s “arbitrary interpretation” of the Baku-Yerevan-Moscow tripartite agreement and Armenia’s “weak position” in the region.
Hamid Khoshayand – Expert on regional affairs
Strategic Council Online – Interview: Senior researcher on Central Asia and Caucasus affairs, saying that approvals of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Boundary Commission should not be a prelude to changing the geographical borders in the region, noted: Iran can assist the peace talks in Karabakh so that by stabilizing borders and establishing calm measures can be taken for the future development of the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus affairs explaining the conflicting approaches between the countries of the Caucasus region and stressing the need for joint steps to resolve the region’s problems within the framework of the 3 + 3 mechanism, said: This plan can be a factor in ensuring prevention of new hostilities in the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior researcher at the Presidential Center for Strategic Studies saying that the Russians do not have a similar Iranian perception of the level of threat that would lead to fundamental geopolitical change in the Caucasus, noted: If the corridor sought by Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan is created by military action or threat, the balance of power in the region as a whole will change, and Russia will certainly suffer greatly.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus and Turkey affairs, referring to the reports that Armenia has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the Republic of Azerbaijan of putting Armenians under racial discrimination “for decades” and this is contrary to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which both countries have signed and said: This move by Armenia will not be of much benefit to the country in the short term. This is because the procedure in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is such that after a complaint is filed by Armenia, the Court must approve its jurisdiction by a majority of votes, and if no such majority is formed, the Court will refuse to continue the proceedings.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An analyst of the Caucasus issues says the recent border tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in line with imposing pressure upon Armenia with the goal of accepting to establish the Zangezur corridor, emphasizing that this corridor is not compatible with any of the present geopolitical and historical realities of the region and cannot be established and these pressures cannot force Armenia to accept it.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Recent developments in the political geography of West Asia, from rising tensions in the Persian Gulf to missile and drone activities in the Red Sea and the recent warning by Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, regarding the threat to freedom of navigation, indicate a key pattern shift; the US-Iran war has moved beyond the scope of a regional and local confrontation and has linked two vital passageways for the global economy: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Ukraine war was not merely a European crisis, but rather the starting point for the rearrangement of the global balance of power and a shift in the strategic behavior of great powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Great power competition is now pursued more in trade, currency, technology, and global supply chains than on the battlefields of military confrontation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Zangezur Corridor is one of the aspirations of the government of the Republic of Azerbaijani in the region, for the advancement and realization of which it is exerting utmost efforts. In fact, after the second Karabakh war (2020), this inapplicable plan has been raised more due to Azerbaijan’s “arbitrary interpretation” of the Baku-Yerevan-Moscow tripartite agreement and Armenia’s “weak position” in the region.
Hamid Khoshayand – Expert on regional affairs
Strategic Council Online – Interview: Senior researcher on Central Asia and Caucasus affairs, saying that approvals of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Boundary Commission should not be a prelude to changing the geographical borders in the region, noted: Iran can assist the peace talks in Karabakh so that by stabilizing borders and establishing calm measures can be taken for the future development of the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus affairs explaining the conflicting approaches between the countries of the Caucasus region and stressing the need for joint steps to resolve the region’s problems within the framework of the 3 + 3 mechanism, said: This plan can be a factor in ensuring prevention of new hostilities in the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior researcher at the Presidential Center for Strategic Studies saying that the Russians do not have a similar Iranian perception of the level of threat that would lead to fundamental geopolitical change in the Caucasus, noted: If the corridor sought by Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan is created by military action or threat, the balance of power in the region as a whole will change, and Russia will certainly suffer greatly.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus and Turkey affairs, referring to the reports that Armenia has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the Republic of Azerbaijan of putting Armenians under racial discrimination “for decades” and this is contrary to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which both countries have signed and said: This move by Armenia will not be of much benefit to the country in the short term. This is because the procedure in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is such that after a complaint is filed by Armenia, the Court must approve its jurisdiction by a majority of votes, and if no such majority is formed, the Court will refuse to continue the proceedings.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An analyst of the Caucasus issues says the recent border tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in line with imposing pressure upon Armenia with the goal of accepting to establish the Zangezur corridor, emphasizing that this corridor is not compatible with any of the present geopolitical and historical realities of the region and cannot be established and these pressures cannot force Armenia to accept it.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Recent developments in the political geography of West Asia, from rising tensions in the Persian Gulf to missile and drone activities in the Red Sea and the recent warning by Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, regarding the threat to freedom of navigation, indicate a key pattern shift; the US-Iran war has moved beyond the scope of a regional and local confrontation and has linked two vital passageways for the global economy: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Ukraine war was not merely a European crisis, but rather the starting point for the rearrangement of the global balance of power and a shift in the strategic behavior of great powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Great power competition is now pursued more in trade, currency, technology, and global supply chains than on the battlefields of military confrontation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Zangezur Corridor is one of the aspirations of the government of the Republic of Azerbaijani in the region, for the advancement and realization of which it is exerting utmost efforts. In fact, after the second Karabakh war (2020), this inapplicable plan has been raised more due to Azerbaijan’s “arbitrary interpretation” of the Baku-Yerevan-Moscow tripartite agreement and Armenia’s “weak position” in the region.
Hamid Khoshayand – Expert on regional affairs
Strategic Council Online – Interview: Senior researcher on Central Asia and Caucasus affairs, saying that approvals of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Boundary Commission should not be a prelude to changing the geographical borders in the region, noted: Iran can assist the peace talks in Karabakh so that by stabilizing borders and establishing calm measures can be taken for the future development of the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus affairs explaining the conflicting approaches between the countries of the Caucasus region and stressing the need for joint steps to resolve the region’s problems within the framework of the 3 + 3 mechanism, said: This plan can be a factor in ensuring prevention of new hostilities in the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior researcher at the Presidential Center for Strategic Studies saying that the Russians do not have a similar Iranian perception of the level of threat that would lead to fundamental geopolitical change in the Caucasus, noted: If the corridor sought by Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan is created by military action or threat, the balance of power in the region as a whole will change, and Russia will certainly suffer greatly.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus and Turkey affairs, referring to the reports that Armenia has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the Republic of Azerbaijan of putting Armenians under racial discrimination “for decades” and this is contrary to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which both countries have signed and said: This move by Armenia will not be of much benefit to the country in the short term. This is because the procedure in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is such that after a complaint is filed by Armenia, the Court must approve its jurisdiction by a majority of votes, and if no such majority is formed, the Court will refuse to continue the proceedings.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An analyst of the Caucasus issues says the recent border tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in line with imposing pressure upon Armenia with the goal of accepting to establish the Zangezur corridor, emphasizing that this corridor is not compatible with any of the present geopolitical and historical realities of the region and cannot be established and these pressures cannot force Armenia to accept it.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Recent developments in the political geography of West Asia, from rising tensions in the Persian Gulf to missile and drone activities in the Red Sea and the recent warning by Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, regarding the threat to freedom of navigation, indicate a key pattern shift; the US-Iran war has moved beyond the scope of a regional and local confrontation and has linked two vital passageways for the global economy: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Ukraine war was not merely a European crisis, but rather the starting point for the rearrangement of the global balance of power and a shift in the strategic behavior of great powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Great power competition is now pursued more in trade, currency, technology, and global supply chains than on the battlefields of military confrontation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Zangezur Corridor is one of the aspirations of the government of the Republic of Azerbaijani in the region, for the advancement and realization of which it is exerting utmost efforts. In fact, after the second Karabakh war (2020), this inapplicable plan has been raised more due to Azerbaijan’s “arbitrary interpretation” of the Baku-Yerevan-Moscow tripartite agreement and Armenia’s “weak position” in the region.
Hamid Khoshayand – Expert on regional affairs
Strategic Council Online – Interview: Senior researcher on Central Asia and Caucasus affairs, saying that approvals of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Boundary Commission should not be a prelude to changing the geographical borders in the region, noted: Iran can assist the peace talks in Karabakh so that by stabilizing borders and establishing calm measures can be taken for the future development of the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus affairs explaining the conflicting approaches between the countries of the Caucasus region and stressing the need for joint steps to resolve the region’s problems within the framework of the 3 + 3 mechanism, said: This plan can be a factor in ensuring prevention of new hostilities in the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior researcher at the Presidential Center for Strategic Studies saying that the Russians do not have a similar Iranian perception of the level of threat that would lead to fundamental geopolitical change in the Caucasus, noted: If the corridor sought by Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan is created by military action or threat, the balance of power in the region as a whole will change, and Russia will certainly suffer greatly.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus and Turkey affairs, referring to the reports that Armenia has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the Republic of Azerbaijan of putting Armenians under racial discrimination “for decades” and this is contrary to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which both countries have signed and said: This move by Armenia will not be of much benefit to the country in the short term. This is because the procedure in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is such that after a complaint is filed by Armenia, the Court must approve its jurisdiction by a majority of votes, and if no such majority is formed, the Court will refuse to continue the proceedings.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An analyst of the Caucasus issues says the recent border tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in line with imposing pressure upon Armenia with the goal of accepting to establish the Zangezur corridor, emphasizing that this corridor is not compatible with any of the present geopolitical and historical realities of the region and cannot be established and these pressures cannot force Armenia to accept it.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Recent developments in the political geography of West Asia, from rising tensions in the Persian Gulf to missile and drone activities in the Red Sea and the recent warning by Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, regarding the threat to freedom of navigation, indicate a key pattern shift; the US-Iran war has moved beyond the scope of a regional and local confrontation and has linked two vital passageways for the global economy: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Ukraine war was not merely a European crisis, but rather the starting point for the rearrangement of the global balance of power and a shift in the strategic behavior of great powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Great power competition is now pursued more in trade, currency, technology, and global supply chains than on the battlefields of military confrontation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Zangezur Corridor is one of the aspirations of the government of the Republic of Azerbaijani in the region, for the advancement and realization of which it is exerting utmost efforts. In fact, after the second Karabakh war (2020), this inapplicable plan has been raised more due to Azerbaijan’s “arbitrary interpretation” of the Baku-Yerevan-Moscow tripartite agreement and Armenia’s “weak position” in the region.
Hamid Khoshayand – Expert on regional affairs
Strategic Council Online – Interview: Senior researcher on Central Asia and Caucasus affairs, saying that approvals of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Boundary Commission should not be a prelude to changing the geographical borders in the region, noted: Iran can assist the peace talks in Karabakh so that by stabilizing borders and establishing calm measures can be taken for the future development of the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus affairs explaining the conflicting approaches between the countries of the Caucasus region and stressing the need for joint steps to resolve the region’s problems within the framework of the 3 + 3 mechanism, said: This plan can be a factor in ensuring prevention of new hostilities in the region.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior researcher at the Presidential Center for Strategic Studies saying that the Russians do not have a similar Iranian perception of the level of threat that would lead to fundamental geopolitical change in the Caucasus, noted: If the corridor sought by Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan is created by military action or threat, the balance of power in the region as a whole will change, and Russia will certainly suffer greatly.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Caucasus and Turkey affairs, referring to the reports that Armenia has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the Republic of Azerbaijan of putting Armenians under racial discrimination “for decades” and this is contrary to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which both countries have signed and said: This move by Armenia will not be of much benefit to the country in the short term. This is because the procedure in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is such that after a complaint is filed by Armenia, the Court must approve its jurisdiction by a majority of votes, and if no such majority is formed, the Court will refuse to continue the proceedings.
Strategic Council Online—Interview: An analyst of the Caucasus issues says the recent border tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in line with imposing pressure upon Armenia with the goal of accepting to establish the Zangezur corridor, emphasizing that this corridor is not compatible with any of the present geopolitical and historical realities of the region and cannot be established and these pressures cannot force Armenia to accept it.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
Strategic Council Online – Note: Recent developments in the political geography of West Asia, from rising tensions in the Persian Gulf to missile and drone activities in the Red Sea and the recent warning by Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, regarding the threat to freedom of navigation, indicate a key pattern shift; the US-Iran war has moved beyond the scope of a regional and local confrontation and has linked two vital passageways for the global economy: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Ukraine war was not merely a European crisis, but rather the starting point for the rearrangement of the global balance of power and a shift in the strategic behavior of great powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Great power competition is now pursued more in trade, currency, technology, and global supply chains than on the battlefields of military confrontation.