... which Israel deems as a threat to its current security, seek the destruction of the State of Israel, which is a threat to its existential security. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) feels that deterrence is the best strategy to discourage states (such as Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc.) and substate actors (such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic State [Da’esh], Jabhat Fatah al-Sham [al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra], etc.) from attacking its country. The IDF will not change ...
... discussions between the sided (Q&A). Timur Makhmutov, RIAC Deputy Director of Programs, and Davood Kiani, IRAS President, moderated the meeting.
On February 6 Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held a video conference with the Institute for Iran-Eurasia Studies (IRAS) on Russia’s and Iran’s positions in the Middle East in post-ISIS period.
The video conference consisted of two sessions: the presentations made by the speakers and the following discussions between the sided (Q&A). Timur ...
Iran’s Experience and Russia’s Approach
The problem of non-governmental and irregular armed groups in the Middle East is becoming increasingly relevant in the context of discussions about post-conflict settlement and the role of these groups in ...
The latest anti-government protests in Iran are solely a result of another round of domestic infighting between reformists and radical conservatives
This year's Dey month (the first day of winter in the Iranian calendar, beginning in December and ending in January) proved to be a hot one ...
... A peace process in Syria is gaining momentum, and ISIS’ defeat is getting closer. However, Middle Eastern problems remain massive. Among them we have selected three main issues, which are also interconnected: the hostility between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Sunni and Shia; the stabilisation of oil prices, which are now rising but remain — as always — difficult to predict; the presence of terrorism, which, despite ISIS’ decline, is still a problem well beyond the region.
Starting with the geopolitics,...
... Asian investors continue to increase direct investments in the EAEU. During the monitoring period (2008–2016), FDI stock originating from 12 Asian countries (China, Japan, Turkey, India, Israel, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Singapore, and Vietnam) has increased from $32 billion in 2008 to $75.6 billion in the beginning of 2017.
China continues to expand its economic presence in EAEU countries and other CIS states, retaining its leadership among Asian countries in terms ...
... in Astana process. Are these not better descriptions of the summit, especially when seen through the eyes of other parties of the Astana “trio”?
Andrey Kortunov:
From Astana to Geneva with a Stop in Sochi?
Back to Geneva
The joint statement of Iran, Russia and Turkey appears to show that all three parties place great value on the Astana process, which, as the parties stressed at the November 22 meeting, had achieved what other mediators and Geneva process participants had failed to achieve....
... monarchies, which are closely linked to the United States and are now starting to court Israel. Jordan, which is living through difficult times of its own, appears to be in a particularly difficult situation.
Trump’s decision strengthens the positions of Iran, the exact opposite to what the President of the United States wants. We are reminded of 2003, when the United States’ invasion of Iraq made Iran the most influential external force in that country.
Vitaly Naumkin:
Qatar Сrisis: What’s Next?...
... Yemen for three weeks by the time the resolution was adopted (since March 25) was conveniently omitted from the document.
One month after the killing of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Saudis might intensify the “southern dimension” of their deterrence of Iran.
Clearly, the Houthi missile launched towards the Saudi capital in November 2017 gave the Saudis yet another reason to demand compliance with the Security Council resolution. At the time, the incident led, among other things, to the Saudis intensifying ...
Now it is Lebanon’s Turn to Become the Stage for Saudi Arabia to Resolve its Regional Issues
On November 4, 2017, Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri announced his resignation on Saudi television. In his speech, Hariri
accused Iran
of spreading discord in the region, motivated by hatred for Arabs, and called Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement “Iran’s arm in Lebanon and other Arab countries” (meaning, of course, Syria).
The Lebanese politician, who holds Saudi citizenship ...
