... what we witnessed at the beginning of this year exceeded all expectations. Following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and the imposition of stringent measures against Cuba, the United States and Israel initiated military action against Iran on February 28, 2026. Among Russian and foreign experts, opinions differ on the rationale for these actions. In our view, the primary driving force, as with earlier measures against Chinese firms in the Panama Canal Zone and elsewhere, is the intensifying ...
... 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 Guard Corps (IRGC)'s
statement
...
... are less sensitive to crises; asymmetry of potential is hardly an obstacle to resistance; a lack of allies is a problem; but being a junior partner can lead to being held hostage to a major player’s game
The US-Israeli military campaign against Iran has reached its first critical juncture. It can be characterised as an attempt at a crushing, disarming strike. The targets included the country’s spiritual, political, and military leadership, as well as its industrial, nuclear, and infrastructure ...
... illustrate the widening gap between tactical achievements and long-term political outcomes. They also raise deeper questions about international law, global legitimacy, and the fragility of an already strained world order.
Zamir Ahmed Awan:
Attack on Iran: A Gamble that U.S. Cannot Afford
Tactical Gains, Strategic Costs
The current conflict in Gaza, triggered by the October 2023 attacks carried out by Hamas, evolved into one of the most destructive campaigns in the region’s history. Israel’s ...
The situation surrounding Iran fosters a kind of fatalism among all parties—a mind-set that risks defining the geopolitical climate for years to come
The massive Israeli and US airstrikes on Iran hardly came as a complete surprise. For several months, the US-Israeli strike ...
Five Potential Possibilities for Iraq’s Government Amid Iran-US Tensions
Three days after former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was selected by the "coordination framework" to form a new government on January 24, 2026, US President Donald Trump
posted
a tweet on TruthSocial denouncing al-Maliki's ...
Apparently, the most rational course of action for the United States may be a "hit and see" approach
The concentration of US military forces in the Persian Gulf has sparked discussions about the possibility of a new military operation against Iran. International relations are difficult to predict. However, the development of the situation can be viewed as a set of alternative scenarios. A military operation is one of them.
Zamir Ahmed Awan:
Attack on Iran: A Gamble that U.S. Cannot Afford ...
An attack on Iran would not bring security to the Middle East; it would bring chaos
For the past several weeks, the possibility of a military attack on Iran has dominated political debate, media coverage, and strategic calculations across West Asia. Whether such ...
... expensive. Given the relative stability of Iraqi Kurdistan in comparison to the rest of Iraq and its historical ties to Washington, Erbil seems to be the
preferred U.S. choice
in the present scenario. Whether in the fight against ISIS or in balancing Iran's expanding influence in Iraq, the Kurdish region has continuously proven to be a dependable friend at pivotal moments.
Kurdish Leadership Welcomes U.S. Consulate Amid Regional Challenges
During the inaugural ceremony, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State ...
... the entire region.
Debate over the causes of the new military phase of the YC spans a broad spectrum of interpretations: from assertions that Houthi actions pose threats to maritime security in the Red Sea and that the “Axis of Resistance” led by Iran endangers Israel’s security, to the opposite accusations directed at the United States and Israel, of aggressive policies and the obstruction of a lawful settlement in Gaza. For the purposes of studying the anatomy of the Yemeni crisis, it is important to emphasize another aspect of this issue: chronic ...