... persuade its allies to make some concessions. This will require the efforts of the Iranian Republican Guard Corps to intervene when ordered.
Thus, three main focal points... ... domestic politics; the influence of regional power struggles on unresolved conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Libya. In many ways, these dynamics are interconnected and feed into one another. However, evidence of increased contact with Russia by countries like Egypt and Jordan should be taken in the context of the US disengagement...
... like it or not, the West, including Europe, are on the losing side of the conflict in Syria and this automatically limits leverage
During the 11
th
EU–Russia Expert Network on Foreign Policy (EUREN)
meeting
, Andrea Dessì,
Senior Fellow... ... he expects from the Syrian constitution talks, how the U.S. is exerting pressure on Iran via sanctions and what the EU and Russia have in common when it comes to the Middle... ... stable and predictable foreign policy towards the region.
On October 26, 2019, the Iraqi-born leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi...
... and are supplied both to major regional players and to Russia’s less influential partners. Moscow has been involved in the exploitation of large hydrocarbon deposits and the construction of the related infrastructure in Egypt [
17
], Turkey [
18
], Syria [
19
], Iraq [
20
], and Iran [
21
] since late 2015. What is more, Russia works with the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to stabilise oil prices [
22
].
China has become the largest investor in the Middle East, surpassing the United States [
23
]. At present, Middle Eastern countries continue ...
... including those based on Shiite ideology, are bound to fail. Moscow is already working to uphold Syria’s statehood and strengthen that country’s armed forces;one recent example was the
formation
of the Fifth Assault Corps).However, the success of the Russian approach depends on the international settlement talks and the reconciliation process within Syria. As for Iraq, the optimal solution would be to legitimize the pro-Iranian forces by incorporating them into the governmental security system, while preserving the country’s secular status, lest the Sunni population become radicalized. Whether this approach sits well with Tehran is a controversial question.
***
Tactically,...
... and Europeans find ways to better coordinate their strategy with Russia, Syria and Iran — and seek out a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran? Can Turkey and other states help mediate the Syrian conflict while ultimately bringing the Syrians, Iranians and Saudis into a peace accord?
How should the U.S., Russia, and Europeans deal with the conflict between Turkey, Syria and the Kurds, and between Iraq and the Kurds, given Turkish, Syrian, and Iraqi option to the possibility that the Kurds might use the Syrian conflict to achieve independence in differing regions? Can a loose Kurdish confederation — that does not challenge existing borders — ...
... Trends for Russian Foreign Policy You Need
to Know
Russian activism in Syria may have for it both positive and negative consequences. Political gains may proceed from demonstration of determination, increased international role and responsibility of the Russian Federation, its ability to cooperate under crisis with a variety of powers - the US, EU, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Israel, Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia, the Syrian leadership, part of the Syrian opposition (although with different degree of success). A significant contribution of the Russian Federation to the collective efforts to achieve a settlement could engender international trust, so much needed at ...
... major energy players to gain access to Iran’s hydrocarbons.
Hence, Russia's assessment of the emerging environment in Iran should not be simplistic. On the one hand, a strong Tehran appears a promising ally in countering the Islamic threat in Syria and Iraq, but on the other, Western appetites for Iranian oil and gas may result in the emergence of a weighty rival in the European gas market.
Hence, Russia is in a position to offer Iran multifaceted military support with the prior coordination of steps with its Western partners who also want to see the Islamic State destroyed. If expanded bilateral cooperation is approved by the international community,...
