SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
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: Former Middle East Director-General of the IRI Foreign Ministry believes that after the recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the authorities in Riyadh have concluded that the crisis is getting out of control.
Strategic Council Online: The US wants to somehow continue its relative support for Kurdish groups in northern Syria, which is not very pleasing to Turkey, so although at the current juncture it seems that the US support for Turkey’s military presence in Syria would remain within the limits of the agreements between the parties, the trend of these developments in the long-term will depend on the conditions Syria would face.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Turkish local elections were held on March 31st, the first local election in the presidential system in Turkey, and held in the form of a coalition for the first time since the start of the local elections in 1948.
Sadegh Maleki – Strategist and Senior Political Analyst
Strategic Council Online: Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) secured the highest number of votes in the local elections on March 31 throughout the country but did not win in key cities. The interesting point is that the Turkish president, for the first time in his political life, is tasting defeat and maybe this is the beginning of the end of the authority of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the undisputed leader of the Justice and Development Party and the Turkish president.
Firouz Dawlat Abadi – Former IRI Ambassador to Turkey and Expert on Regional Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Generally speaking, municipal elections, despite the relative success of the Justice & Development Party, exposed challenges between political parties and groups in Turkey.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: At Sochi Conference, not only arrangements were made to deal seriously with the remnants of the terrorist groups in Adlib, but also thanks to the efforts of Iran and Russia points were included in the final statement which will prevent any misuse of the vacuum resulting from the withdrawal of American forces.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The recent agreement between Turkey and Russia with an aim to improve the situation in Syria could help conceive an Iranian-Turkish-Russian triangle to solve the Syrian crisis.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: One of the contingencies and scenarios discussed for the future dialogue between the Kurds and the Syrian government, is for a part of the American troops to stay in the northern regions of Syria, in which case the Kurdish tribes will face a new dilemma: To continue cooperation with the United States or forge new cooperation with the Syrian government. The existence of this dilemma can further create disparities within the Kurdish groups and prevent them from pursuing the right path.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The new changes in the Saudi cabinet will not be very deep and widespread and we should not expect a tangible turn in Saudi foreign policy vis-à-vis the Yemeni crisis or Iran-related issues.
Dr. Rahman Ghahramanpour – Senior Middle East Researcher
Strategic Council Online: The Syrian dossier has reached a crucial and decisive stage this year. The widespread security crisis imposed on Syria by the crisis generating regional and international actors since 2011, with the aim of overthrowing the Syrian state and disturbing the balance of power in the region to the disadvantage of the Resistance, has reached its final stages thanks to the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance Forces as well as Russia’s assistance. Therefore, the year 2018 could be called the year of shifting the Syrian dossier into the political phase.
Ahmad Zarean – University Lecturer & Senior Expert on Strategic Affairs
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
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: Former Middle East Director-General of the IRI Foreign Ministry believes that after the recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the authorities in Riyadh have concluded that the crisis is getting out of control.
Strategic Council Online: The US wants to somehow continue its relative support for Kurdish groups in northern Syria, which is not very pleasing to Turkey, so although at the current juncture it seems that the US support for Turkey’s military presence in Syria would remain within the limits of the agreements between the parties, the trend of these developments in the long-term will depend on the conditions Syria would face.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Turkish local elections were held on March 31st, the first local election in the presidential system in Turkey, and held in the form of a coalition for the first time since the start of the local elections in 1948.
Sadegh Maleki – Strategist and Senior Political Analyst
Strategic Council Online: Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) secured the highest number of votes in the local elections on March 31 throughout the country but did not win in key cities. The interesting point is that the Turkish president, for the first time in his political life, is tasting defeat and maybe this is the beginning of the end of the authority of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the undisputed leader of the Justice and Development Party and the Turkish president.
Firouz Dawlat Abadi – Former IRI Ambassador to Turkey and Expert on Regional Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Generally speaking, municipal elections, despite the relative success of the Justice & Development Party, exposed challenges between political parties and groups in Turkey.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: At Sochi Conference, not only arrangements were made to deal seriously with the remnants of the terrorist groups in Adlib, but also thanks to the efforts of Iran and Russia points were included in the final statement which will prevent any misuse of the vacuum resulting from the withdrawal of American forces.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The recent agreement between Turkey and Russia with an aim to improve the situation in Syria could help conceive an Iranian-Turkish-Russian triangle to solve the Syrian crisis.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: One of the contingencies and scenarios discussed for the future dialogue between the Kurds and the Syrian government, is for a part of the American troops to stay in the northern regions of Syria, in which case the Kurdish tribes will face a new dilemma: To continue cooperation with the United States or forge new cooperation with the Syrian government. The existence of this dilemma can further create disparities within the Kurdish groups and prevent them from pursuing the right path.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The new changes in the Saudi cabinet will not be very deep and widespread and we should not expect a tangible turn in Saudi foreign policy vis-à-vis the Yemeni crisis or Iran-related issues.
Dr. Rahman Ghahramanpour – Senior Middle East Researcher
Strategic Council Online: The Syrian dossier has reached a crucial and decisive stage this year. The widespread security crisis imposed on Syria by the crisis generating regional and international actors since 2011, with the aim of overthrowing the Syrian state and disturbing the balance of power in the region to the disadvantage of the Resistance, has reached its final stages thanks to the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance Forces as well as Russia’s assistance. Therefore, the year 2018 could be called the year of shifting the Syrian dossier into the political phase.
Ahmad Zarean – University Lecturer & Senior Expert on Strategic Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Former Middle East Director-General of the IRI Foreign Ministry believes that after the recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the authorities in Riyadh have concluded that the crisis is getting out of control.
Strategic Council Online: The US wants to somehow continue its relative support for Kurdish groups in northern Syria, which is not very pleasing to Turkey, so although at the current juncture it seems that the US support for Turkey’s military presence in Syria would remain within the limits of the agreements between the parties, the trend of these developments in the long-term will depend on the conditions Syria would face.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Turkish local elections were held on March 31st, the first local election in the presidential system in Turkey, and held in the form of a coalition for the first time since the start of the local elections in 1948.
Sadegh Maleki – Strategist and Senior Political Analyst
Strategic Council Online: Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) secured the highest number of votes in the local elections on March 31 throughout the country but did not win in key cities. The interesting point is that the Turkish president, for the first time in his political life, is tasting defeat and maybe this is the beginning of the end of the authority of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the undisputed leader of the Justice and Development Party and the Turkish president.
Firouz Dawlat Abadi – Former IRI Ambassador to Turkey and Expert on Regional Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Generally speaking, municipal elections, despite the relative success of the Justice & Development Party, exposed challenges between political parties and groups in Turkey.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: At Sochi Conference, not only arrangements were made to deal seriously with the remnants of the terrorist groups in Adlib, but also thanks to the efforts of Iran and Russia points were included in the final statement which will prevent any misuse of the vacuum resulting from the withdrawal of American forces.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The recent agreement between Turkey and Russia with an aim to improve the situation in Syria could help conceive an Iranian-Turkish-Russian triangle to solve the Syrian crisis.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: One of the contingencies and scenarios discussed for the future dialogue between the Kurds and the Syrian government, is for a part of the American troops to stay in the northern regions of Syria, in which case the Kurdish tribes will face a new dilemma: To continue cooperation with the United States or forge new cooperation with the Syrian government. The existence of this dilemma can further create disparities within the Kurdish groups and prevent them from pursuing the right path.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The new changes in the Saudi cabinet will not be very deep and widespread and we should not expect a tangible turn in Saudi foreign policy vis-à-vis the Yemeni crisis or Iran-related issues.
Dr. Rahman Ghahramanpour – Senior Middle East Researcher
Strategic Council Online: The Syrian dossier has reached a crucial and decisive stage this year. The widespread security crisis imposed on Syria by the crisis generating regional and international actors since 2011, with the aim of overthrowing the Syrian state and disturbing the balance of power in the region to the disadvantage of the Resistance, has reached its final stages thanks to the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance Forces as well as Russia’s assistance. Therefore, the year 2018 could be called the year of shifting the Syrian dossier into the political phase.
Ahmad Zarean – University Lecturer & Senior Expert on Strategic Affairs
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
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: Former Middle East Director-General of the IRI Foreign Ministry believes that after the recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the authorities in Riyadh have concluded that the crisis is getting out of control.
Strategic Council Online: The US wants to somehow continue its relative support for Kurdish groups in northern Syria, which is not very pleasing to Turkey, so although at the current juncture it seems that the US support for Turkey’s military presence in Syria would remain within the limits of the agreements between the parties, the trend of these developments in the long-term will depend on the conditions Syria would face.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Turkish local elections were held on March 31st, the first local election in the presidential system in Turkey, and held in the form of a coalition for the first time since the start of the local elections in 1948.
Sadegh Maleki – Strategist and Senior Political Analyst
Strategic Council Online: Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) secured the highest number of votes in the local elections on March 31 throughout the country but did not win in key cities. The interesting point is that the Turkish president, for the first time in his political life, is tasting defeat and maybe this is the beginning of the end of the authority of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the undisputed leader of the Justice and Development Party and the Turkish president.
Firouz Dawlat Abadi – Former IRI Ambassador to Turkey and Expert on Regional Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Generally speaking, municipal elections, despite the relative success of the Justice & Development Party, exposed challenges between political parties and groups in Turkey.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: At Sochi Conference, not only arrangements were made to deal seriously with the remnants of the terrorist groups in Adlib, but also thanks to the efforts of Iran and Russia points were included in the final statement which will prevent any misuse of the vacuum resulting from the withdrawal of American forces.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The recent agreement between Turkey and Russia with an aim to improve the situation in Syria could help conceive an Iranian-Turkish-Russian triangle to solve the Syrian crisis.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: One of the contingencies and scenarios discussed for the future dialogue between the Kurds and the Syrian government, is for a part of the American troops to stay in the northern regions of Syria, in which case the Kurdish tribes will face a new dilemma: To continue cooperation with the United States or forge new cooperation with the Syrian government. The existence of this dilemma can further create disparities within the Kurdish groups and prevent them from pursuing the right path.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The new changes in the Saudi cabinet will not be very deep and widespread and we should not expect a tangible turn in Saudi foreign policy vis-à-vis the Yemeni crisis or Iran-related issues.
Dr. Rahman Ghahramanpour – Senior Middle East Researcher
Strategic Council Online: The Syrian dossier has reached a crucial and decisive stage this year. The widespread security crisis imposed on Syria by the crisis generating regional and international actors since 2011, with the aim of overthrowing the Syrian state and disturbing the balance of power in the region to the disadvantage of the Resistance, has reached its final stages thanks to the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance Forces as well as Russia’s assistance. Therefore, the year 2018 could be called the year of shifting the Syrian dossier into the political phase.
Ahmad Zarean – University Lecturer & Senior Expert on Strategic Affairs
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
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: Former Middle East Director-General of the IRI Foreign Ministry believes that after the recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the authorities in Riyadh have concluded that the crisis is getting out of control.
Strategic Council Online: The US wants to somehow continue its relative support for Kurdish groups in northern Syria, which is not very pleasing to Turkey, so although at the current juncture it seems that the US support for Turkey’s military presence in Syria would remain within the limits of the agreements between the parties, the trend of these developments in the long-term will depend on the conditions Syria would face.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Turkish local elections were held on March 31st, the first local election in the presidential system in Turkey, and held in the form of a coalition for the first time since the start of the local elections in 1948.
Sadegh Maleki – Strategist and Senior Political Analyst
Strategic Council Online: Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) secured the highest number of votes in the local elections on March 31 throughout the country but did not win in key cities. The interesting point is that the Turkish president, for the first time in his political life, is tasting defeat and maybe this is the beginning of the end of the authority of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the undisputed leader of the Justice and Development Party and the Turkish president.
Firouz Dawlat Abadi – Former IRI Ambassador to Turkey and Expert on Regional Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Generally speaking, municipal elections, despite the relative success of the Justice & Development Party, exposed challenges between political parties and groups in Turkey.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: At Sochi Conference, not only arrangements were made to deal seriously with the remnants of the terrorist groups in Adlib, but also thanks to the efforts of Iran and Russia points were included in the final statement which will prevent any misuse of the vacuum resulting from the withdrawal of American forces.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The recent agreement between Turkey and Russia with an aim to improve the situation in Syria could help conceive an Iranian-Turkish-Russian triangle to solve the Syrian crisis.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: One of the contingencies and scenarios discussed for the future dialogue between the Kurds and the Syrian government, is for a part of the American troops to stay in the northern regions of Syria, in which case the Kurdish tribes will face a new dilemma: To continue cooperation with the United States or forge new cooperation with the Syrian government. The existence of this dilemma can further create disparities within the Kurdish groups and prevent them from pursuing the right path.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The new changes in the Saudi cabinet will not be very deep and widespread and we should not expect a tangible turn in Saudi foreign policy vis-à-vis the Yemeni crisis or Iran-related issues.
Dr. Rahman Ghahramanpour – Senior Middle East Researcher
Strategic Council Online: The Syrian dossier has reached a crucial and decisive stage this year. The widespread security crisis imposed on Syria by the crisis generating regional and international actors since 2011, with the aim of overthrowing the Syrian state and disturbing the balance of power in the region to the disadvantage of the Resistance, has reached its final stages thanks to the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance Forces as well as Russia’s assistance. Therefore, the year 2018 could be called the year of shifting the Syrian dossier into the political phase.
Ahmad Zarean – University Lecturer & Senior Expert on Strategic Affairs
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
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: Former Middle East Director-General of the IRI Foreign Ministry believes that after the recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the authorities in Riyadh have concluded that the crisis is getting out of control.
Strategic Council Online: The US wants to somehow continue its relative support for Kurdish groups in northern Syria, which is not very pleasing to Turkey, so although at the current juncture it seems that the US support for Turkey’s military presence in Syria would remain within the limits of the agreements between the parties, the trend of these developments in the long-term will depend on the conditions Syria would face.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Turkish local elections were held on March 31st, the first local election in the presidential system in Turkey, and held in the form of a coalition for the first time since the start of the local elections in 1948.
Sadegh Maleki – Strategist and Senior Political Analyst
Strategic Council Online: Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) secured the highest number of votes in the local elections on March 31 throughout the country but did not win in key cities. The interesting point is that the Turkish president, for the first time in his political life, is tasting defeat and maybe this is the beginning of the end of the authority of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the undisputed leader of the Justice and Development Party and the Turkish president.
Firouz Dawlat Abadi – Former IRI Ambassador to Turkey and Expert on Regional Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Generally speaking, municipal elections, despite the relative success of the Justice & Development Party, exposed challenges between political parties and groups in Turkey.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: At Sochi Conference, not only arrangements were made to deal seriously with the remnants of the terrorist groups in Adlib, but also thanks to the efforts of Iran and Russia points were included in the final statement which will prevent any misuse of the vacuum resulting from the withdrawal of American forces.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The recent agreement between Turkey and Russia with an aim to improve the situation in Syria could help conceive an Iranian-Turkish-Russian triangle to solve the Syrian crisis.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: One of the contingencies and scenarios discussed for the future dialogue between the Kurds and the Syrian government, is for a part of the American troops to stay in the northern regions of Syria, in which case the Kurdish tribes will face a new dilemma: To continue cooperation with the United States or forge new cooperation with the Syrian government. The existence of this dilemma can further create disparities within the Kurdish groups and prevent them from pursuing the right path.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The new changes in the Saudi cabinet will not be very deep and widespread and we should not expect a tangible turn in Saudi foreign policy vis-à-vis the Yemeni crisis or Iran-related issues.
Dr. Rahman Ghahramanpour – Senior Middle East Researcher
Strategic Council Online: The Syrian dossier has reached a crucial and decisive stage this year. The widespread security crisis imposed on Syria by the crisis generating regional and international actors since 2011, with the aim of overthrowing the Syrian state and disturbing the balance of power in the region to the disadvantage of the Resistance, has reached its final stages thanks to the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance Forces as well as Russia’s assistance. Therefore, the year 2018 could be called the year of shifting the Syrian dossier into the political phase.
Ahmad Zarean – University Lecturer & Senior Expert on Strategic Affairs
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
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: Former Middle East Director-General of the IRI Foreign Ministry believes that after the recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, the authorities in Riyadh have concluded that the crisis is getting out of control.
Strategic Council Online: The US wants to somehow continue its relative support for Kurdish groups in northern Syria, which is not very pleasing to Turkey, so although at the current juncture it seems that the US support for Turkey’s military presence in Syria would remain within the limits of the agreements between the parties, the trend of these developments in the long-term will depend on the conditions Syria would face.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Turkish local elections were held on March 31st, the first local election in the presidential system in Turkey, and held in the form of a coalition for the first time since the start of the local elections in 1948.
Sadegh Maleki – Strategist and Senior Political Analyst
Strategic Council Online: Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) secured the highest number of votes in the local elections on March 31 throughout the country but did not win in key cities. The interesting point is that the Turkish president, for the first time in his political life, is tasting defeat and maybe this is the beginning of the end of the authority of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the undisputed leader of the Justice and Development Party and the Turkish president.
Firouz Dawlat Abadi – Former IRI Ambassador to Turkey and Expert on Regional Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Generally speaking, municipal elections, despite the relative success of the Justice & Development Party, exposed challenges between political parties and groups in Turkey.
Siamak Kakai – Turkish Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: At Sochi Conference, not only arrangements were made to deal seriously with the remnants of the terrorist groups in Adlib, but also thanks to the efforts of Iran and Russia points were included in the final statement which will prevent any misuse of the vacuum resulting from the withdrawal of American forces.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The recent agreement between Turkey and Russia with an aim to improve the situation in Syria could help conceive an Iranian-Turkish-Russian triangle to solve the Syrian crisis.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: One of the contingencies and scenarios discussed for the future dialogue between the Kurds and the Syrian government, is for a part of the American troops to stay in the northern regions of Syria, in which case the Kurdish tribes will face a new dilemma: To continue cooperation with the United States or forge new cooperation with the Syrian government. The existence of this dilemma can further create disparities within the Kurdish groups and prevent them from pursuing the right path.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East expert
Strategic Council Online: The new changes in the Saudi cabinet will not be very deep and widespread and we should not expect a tangible turn in Saudi foreign policy vis-à-vis the Yemeni crisis or Iran-related issues.
Dr. Rahman Ghahramanpour – Senior Middle East Researcher
Strategic Council Online: The Syrian dossier has reached a crucial and decisive stage this year. The widespread security crisis imposed on Syria by the crisis generating regional and international actors since 2011, with the aim of overthrowing the Syrian state and disturbing the balance of power in the region to the disadvantage of the Resistance, has reached its final stages thanks to the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance Forces as well as Russia’s assistance. Therefore, the year 2018 could be called the year of shifting the Syrian dossier into the political phase.
Ahmad Zarean – University Lecturer & Senior Expert on Strategic Affairs
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
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.