... converge. The Persian Gulf has become a focal point of international interest and attention since the
Arab Spring
uprisings broke out in 2011.
Recent events suggest that tides are changing. Attacks against Qatar, first by
Iran
in June and then by
Israel
this month, indicate a significant change in the region's security landscape. The attacks have called into question the fundamental strategic presumptions that have served as the foundation for Gulf Arab state security doctrines for the past fifty ...
... war" dynamic
The tension between Iran and Azerbaijan has gone beyond a mere diplomatic spat—it has become a reflection of deeper shifts in the geopolitical balance across the South Caucasus. Tehran has accused its northern neighbor of allowing Israel to use Azerbaijani territory to launch attacks deep inside Iran, an allegation that resurfaced during the recent twelve-day escalation. Despite repeated denials from Baku, the relationship between the two countries has become increasingly strained ...
The actions of Israel and the US are reviving the narrative that some states have the right to develop nuclear weapons and use force only because they consider themselves civilized
His heart is as firm as a stone; Yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
When ...
The European stance seems to be split between three objectives: cooperating with the US without sacrificing strategic independence, backing Israel without condoning escalation, and restricting Iran without isolating it
After weeks of intense disagreements over the Gaza situation, which resulted in threats of economic sanctions, the
imposition
of sanctions on high-ranking Israeli officials,...
... the Key Events of the 12-Day War
Andrey Kortunov:
The Middle East Escalation: a View From Moscow
The conflict in Iran began amid escalating tensions between Tehran and certain regional and transregional actors in the months leading up to it. First: Israel aimed to eliminate command networks, nuclear facilities, missile capabilities, and incite unrest in Iran. However, the results were quite the opposite; new commanders with a more operational approach were swiftly appointed, the nuclear facilities ...
Strategically, Russia has little to gain and a lot to lose in case the crisis goes deeper
In the early morning of June 24 US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after twelve days of intense airstrikes. The United States itself actively participated in this escalation cycle by hitting three major Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan on June 22. Though the American leader claimed ...
A moment of “mutual deterrence” within a fragile balance
Following President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel, many questions remain about the durability of such an arrangement after years of proxy conflict—culminating recently in a direct 12-day aerial exchange of fire.
The nature of the agreement itself remains shrouded in ambiguity. Trump has yet ...
... tools while encouraging regional actors to pursue local agreements, ultimately aimed at reducing the need for direct U.S. military engagement. A prime example is the Abraham Accords, through which the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco normalized relations with Israel. Similarly, the concept of an “Arab NATO,” a collective regional security framework involving Israel and aimed at containing Iran, fit within Washington’s broader strategy of acting as a broker and moderator while shifting greater responsibility ...
Tehran will continue to be sanctioned, pummeled, and subjected to targeted assassinations until strategic deterrence is attained
Just hours after Israel launched its strikes on Iran in the early hours of Friday, June 13, US President Donald J. Trump declared that it was
“not too late”
for Tehran to return to the negotiating table over its nuclear program. The level of delusion displayed by ...
On June 19, 2025, the Izvestia Information Center hosted the RIAC roundtable titled “The Iran-Israel Conflict: Current Situation and Possible Dynamics”
On June 19, 2025, the Izvestia Information Center hosted the RIAC roundtable titled “The Iran-Israel Conflict: Current Situation and Possible Dynamics”. Experts discussed the causes of ...