Interview with Ivan Timofeev for Brasil de Fato and Forum Geopolitica
Despite Pakistan’s leading role in diplomatic mediation efforts between the US and Iran, Russia appears to be playing an important role behind the scenes. The visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (14–15 April) to Beijing—to whom many attribute the real driving force behind the negotiations in Islamabad—was accompanied by numerous telephone calls to his counterparts in Iran, the UAE, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. It could...
“Cold Peace” with Iran and Economic Diversification
The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have concluded a two-week truce. According to U.S. President Donald Trump, the United States has received a 10-point proposal from Iran that could serve as a working basis for negotiations.
Although the conflict cannot yet be considered resolved, and the ceasefire agreements may be temporary, it is already possible to recap interim outcomes including for the Gulf monarchies which managed to wait...
Dmitriy Trenin: Eighty years after the end of the World War II, the main threat of an armed conflict once again emanates for us from Europe
The United States will not leave NATO. The president cannot do this unilaterally, and the Senate would not allow it. Trump is frightening Europeans, but his real goals are to shift the bulk of the financial burden onto Europe and to reduce America's military commitments. The shift is happening—grudgingly, but it is happening.
Europe cannot create its own military...
It is difficult to expect the “golden age” promised by Trump to emerge from the upcoming negotiations
Trump ultimately found a way out of the situation he had created for himself by embarking on the reckless venture of war against Iran. The threat of annihilating an entire civilization appears to have served as a cover for his withdrawal from the battlefield.
Indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, conducted in recent months through intermediaries—primarily Pakistan, and, behind it...
On April 2, 2026, a roundtable “Dynamics of the Middle East Conflict: Scenarios and Forecasts” was held at the Izvestia Multimedia Information Center
On April 2, 2026, a roundtable “Dynamics of the Middle East Conflict: Scenarios and Forecasts” was held at the Izvestia Multimedia Information Center.
During the discussion the experts addressed the current state of the US-Israel war on Iran, possible scenarios and date of its ending. Some uncertainties were also discussed such as the US policy and...
The Hormuz crisis is not merely a regional conflict but a case study in the limits of conventional military power
The escalating conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States has directly impacted the security dynamics of the Strait of Hormuz. The geography of strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz makes it both a vulnerability and a geopolitical leverage. The strait is deep and wide enough to handle the world's largest crude oil tankers, and it is one of the world’s most important chokepoints...
On March 30, 2026, a roundtable “The Middle East War: Regional and Global Dimensions” was held at the International Information Agency “Rossiya Segodnya” press center
On March 30, 2026, a roundtable “The Middle East War: Regional and Global Dimensions” was held at the International Information Agency “Rossiya Segodnya” press center.
During the discussion experts examined the risks of further military escalation of the conflict and its regional and global security implications. Special attention...
The Israeli Polygon versus the Sunni Arc
On the eve of the conflict with Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, Israeli leadership outlined its vision of the shifting bloc architecture in the Middle East and adjacent regions. Six days before the start of the military operation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
announced
the formation of a “hexagonal alliance within or around the Middle East,” whose participants, he stated, would share “common perspectives on the realities, challenges, and objectives...
A War Without a Coalition
In the evolving landscape of international politics, moments arise that redefine power, credibility, and alliances. The recent confrontation involving the United States, Iran, and Israel appears to be one such moment. Far from consolidating American leadership, the conflict has exposed deep fractures in Washington’s global partnerships, raising critical questions about the sustainability of its strategic dominance.
At the center of this unfolding crisis stands Donald Trump...
On March 16, 2026, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a conference “Conflicts in Middle East and North Africa: Escalation Factors and Transformation Tracks”
On March 16, 2026, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a conference “Conflicts in Middle East and North Africa: Escalation Factors and Transformation Tracks”. The meeting was aimed at discussing the contemporary trends of the conflicts in Middle East and North Africa. The RIAC report “
Conflicts in Middle...
