... Iran, and which is an important partner of Iran. At the same time, Russia has good relations with the Gulf monarchies, with Saudi Arabia, with United Arab Emirates. They have never joined the Western sanctions against Russia. They are good friends, and ... ... is a change of power in Iran, we are not sure what would be the outcome for this project.
Ivan Bocharov:
Persian Lessons: How Middle East War Will Change Gulf Monarchies
Same with nuclear programme?
Same with nuclear programme, same with trade, which ...
... with Russia and China has the risk of imposing sanctions and a revision of the military cooperation level with the United States, which remains the main extra-regional ally of the Arab monarchies. Therefore, special attention will be likely paid to the Middle East and South Asia countries.
In September 2025, just a few months after the 12-Day War, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan concluded a defense agreement. Under the treaty, an attack against one party is considered aggression against both countries. Bloomberg, citing its sources, reported that Turkey was considering the possibility of joining this ...
... hub between Asia and Europe, leveraging the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor. However, the primary purpose of the proposed alliance is geopolitical and military: to prevent the emergence of a counterpart to the “Shiite axis” in the Middle East.
Over the course of more than a year, Israeli leadership has increasingly come to view Turkey as the nucleus of a gradually forming potential “Sunni bloc,” which includes Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and—less explicitly—Egypt and Qatar. Within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, there is a belief that this alliance could challenge Israel’s regional influence and constrain its strategic options. Israeli ...
... Yemen: Ideology, Ambitions, and Security,” published by the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) in Saudi Arabia
[3]
. Most of the articles in the volume were written by prominent representatives of various Western schools of ... ... the roots of Houthism lie both in Yemen’s history and traditions and in the bleak contemporary political situation in the Middle East following the attacks of September 11, a situation which—according to Sayyid Hussein al-Houthi and his successor,...
Nobody wanted to fight
When the Israeli–Palestinian conflict escalated dramatically in early October 2023, many observers jumped to a grim conclusion that, from then onward, the Middle East was hurtling at an ever-increasing speed toward another major regional conflict. The military operation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip was to be followed by fierce hostilities in the West Bank, then by a large-scale border ...
... promoting liberal democracy. To these countries, Washington is not the “city upon a hill” and the U.S. is not the “light of the world”. Perhaps Pax Americana has brought peace and prosperity to the rest of the world, yet it has only seen the Middle East consistently set ablaze.
Regional powers such as Saudi Arabia continue to strike Faustian bargain with the U.S., as it is the only country in the world both capable and willing to guarantee the continued survival of the government. However, a “wind of change” is blowing across the region, and we ...
... ties with China. Although Kuwait has joined the One Belt, One Road initiative and counts on Chinese investment in the Silk City project, it is not keen on developing military cooperation with Beijing. The same is true for Bahrain.
China and U.S. in the Middle East
The rapid development of ties between China and the Gulf states is of considerable concern to the United States. Especially when it comes to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The leaders of these nations have to keep the U.S. reaction in mind every time they intend to develop joint projects with China, as was evident, for example, in the issue of the KSA’s accession to BRICS. As Chinese experts point out, countries ...
... gradual replacement of religious ultra-conservatism with a moderate version of Islam, combined with local nationalism and openness to the outside world. Such policies, as follows from opinion polls, are in step with the sentiments of the youth majority in Saudi Arabia and the entire region.
Ivan Bocharov:
The Middle East: Impact of Afghanistan and Ukraine Crises on Key Regional Trends
In our opinion, consistent evolutionary top-to-bottom reforms are one of the options for development along the path toward a modernized system of public administration that encourages ...
China has effectively coped with its role of facilitator, but now the country will have to enforce the agreements reached
In March 2023, seven years after diplomatic relations were severed, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) have agreed to reopen their embassies. This decision opens up the possibility of reducing tensions in the Gulf and, in the long term, in the entire region of the Middle East. Notably, both sides have stated the need to respect sovereignty, not interfering in the internal affairs of other states. This may entail not only the reopening of diplomatic representative offices but also a willingness to restore mutual ...
... assistance of The Shaikh Group political consultancy, the ordinary virtual expert meeting on security issues in the regions of the Middle East and North Africa took place.
Experts from Russia, the USA, a number of European countries, China, and India took part ... ... discussion focused on the consequences of the implementation of the agreement on restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, reached through the mediation of China, in particular, possible progress in resolving civil conflicts in Yemen, ...
