... established a machinery to drain untold billions of dollars from Tehran via capital flight.
Ivan Bocharov:
Persian Lessons: How Middle East War Will Change Gulf Monarchies
The 7,000‑Year Threshold
None of the above, however, captures the deepest layer ... ... April 22, but it will sooner rather than later be consigned to the dustbin of history.
Ironically, the latest war began with accusations over nuclear weapons, yet the only nation ever to have threatened the United States with nuclear or “unconventional ...
... the global media, and there is a kind of fatigue from this issue. It cannot be constantly on the agenda. And this Iranian campaign, accelerated this process. Ukraine is not number one in the US foreign policy agenda, as it used to be under Biden. Now Middle East re- emerged as a major topic in the list. Of course, the allies in the Gulf will demand more supplies of equipment, and I'm pretty sure that the US will be able to satisfy these demands. However, Ukraine for some time may suffer from deficits....
Dmitriy Trenin: Trump’s announcement of a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, following the failure of the first round of negotiations, amounted to a case of complete strategic incoherence
For a long time, when speaking of how European countries had, over the course of 75 years of U.S. hegemony, lost the ability to think and act strategically, it still assumed that such capabilities remained inherent to the hegemon—the United States of America. The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran calls this assumption...
... agreements may be temporary, it is already possible to recap interim outcomes including for the Gulf monarchies which managed to wait out the hot phase of the confrontation and avoid direct involvement in the hostilities.
The current conflict in the Middle East is significantly different from the 12-Day War of last year, with a bigger number of killings among Iran’s political and military leadership, strikes against the Islamic Republic’s energy infrastructure, and a number of other distinctive ...
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 ...
... serious disruption on global trade and energy flows.
This last point is critical. Iran’s geographic position gives it leverage that few countries possess. Even limited escalation could threaten shipping routes and economic stability far beyond the Middle East, directly affecting the interests of the United States and its allies. That reality alone complicates any attempt at a quick, clean victory.
Moreover, the political context is very different from past US interventions. The current display ...
... class minesweepers
, dedicated for operations in the Persian Gulf, have been retired earlier this year. Two
Independence class LCS
, configured for minesweeping, were supposed to fill the gap but both vessels are currently stationed in Malaysia thousands of miles away. Although the
USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship
, with 2,200 marines and dedicated air-wing, is currently heading towards Iran to supplement U.S. forces, its ability to penetrate the Iranian asymmetric defenses and launch amphibious ...
... Speak
A survey of global leaders’ reactions reveals a consistent pattern: skepticism toward the war’s timing, rationale, and potential consequences.
Leaders in Turkey have openly criticized the escalation, framing it as destabilizing for the broader Middle East.
Officials in Pakistan have emphasized the need for diplomacy and warned against actions that could trigger wider regional conflict.
China has called for restraint and reiterated its support for negotiated solutions, positioning itself as ...
... strikes of Operation Epic Fury, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his advisor and head of the Defence Council Ali Shamkhani, Revolutionary Guard commander General Mohammad Pakapour, Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi.
Ivan Timofeev:
Attack on Iran: A Balance of Results
Following Khamenei's passing, official statements made an effort to highlight the persistence of the Iranian political system's institutions and customs. According to the Iran's Revolutionary ...
