Strategic Council Online – Due to the geographical constraints of the Occupied Territories and the vulnerability of the Zionist regime its officials are reluctant to enter into a classic war against Lebanon and other Resistance countries, as they are well aware that any military action by this regime will sooner or later face the reaction of the Resistance Axis states.
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Expert
Strategic Council Online – Yemen is now facing major developments that will extend beyond the land borders of Yemen and neighboring countries. With the recent threats posed by the Yemeni army and popular committees, it seems that in the coming days there will be changes in the depths of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and it will not even be far from expected that Ansarullah may consider hitting targets in the Zionist regime.
Reza Mirabian – Expert on Developments in Persian Gulf
Strategic Council Online – If President Donald Trump is re-elected in November 2020, given the current process, it can be predicted that the United States will refrain from extending the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in February 2021, and if this scenario is implemented the world can be expected to face a new arms race and all current nuclear restrictions on the United States would be lifted.
Seyed Reza Mirtaher – Expert on Military and Strategic Issues
Strategic Council Online – Today Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Force) and the forces under its command in addition to their efforts to counter ISIS’s new harassment activities have to monitor and render ineffective the ISIS-based political activities favored by the United States aimed at throwing obstacles in the way of the Hashd al-Shaabi.
Jafar Qannadbashi – Expert on Middle East Issues
Strategic Council Online – Developments in recent years in the South China Sea, namely China’s efforts to increase its maritime territory by building artificial islands and claiming ownership of some islands in the sea that have caused some controversy with neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and the like has led the United States, along with its allies Australia and Britain, to increase its military presence in the South China Sea.
Reza Mirtaher – American Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online – Prince Vladimir’s submarine, which joined the Russian Navy on June 12, 2020 on the occasion of the Russia Day celebrations is the fourth generation of nuclear submarines with significant capabilities. The submarine, capable of launching 20 nuclear warhead missiles at the same time, is equipped with advanced deep manoeuvring systems and the use of modern weapons. Prince Vladimir’s submarine can go 400 meters deep into the ocean to evade radars.
Dr. Shoaib Bahman – Expert on Russian Affairs
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations referring to the US scenarios to block revocation of Iran’s arms embargo in compliance with Iran Nuclear Agreement, said: “With this action no reason would remain for Iran to stay committed to the agreement, also known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).” But the Europeans and China and Russia are reluctant to take any steps towards the collapse of the JCPOA. The Europeans do not want JCPOA’s remaining shell to collapse.
Strategic Council Online: A university professor on geopolitical issues says the United States is withdrawing its Patriot missiles and troops from Saudi Arabia to earn more money from Riyadh. “Economic pressures have prompted Americans to try to test the Saudis to see how much they can help provide funding,” he said. However, the decision does not appear to be final, and it remains to be seen what the Saudis could do to keep Trump satisfied.”
Strategic Council Online: It seems that India and China will continue arms purchases in the coming years, but countries such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia or some European states whose economies have been hurt by the corona outbreak are forced to adapt to the new conditions and turn a blind eye to the US pressures to buy weapons in the last few months to the US presidential election.
Abdolreza Farajirad – Geopolitical Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Given the economic and social implications of the coronavirus in the United States, maybe it would be more attractive if Trump was defeated by his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. However, even if this would be the case given the US governing structure in practice, it is unlikely for Biden to be able to make effective changes in the US strategy towards the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Saeed Shokouhi – Faculty Member of Allameh Tabatabai University
Strategic Council Online: A West Asian affairs analyst said that Canada’s decision to resume arms sales to Saudi Arabia in open violation of human rights laws in the country, originates from the severe economic recession faced by the Ottawa government. “Human rights claims by Western democracies are used as showoff tools to influence the behaviour of certain statesmen,” he said.
Strategic Council Online: The issue of engaging the Iraqi popular mobilization forces and resistance groups against ISIS could be a ploy to draw the attention of these groups to the confrontation with terrorists rather than to the United States.
Seyed Reza Qazvini Gharabi – Journalist and Senior Analyst of Iraqi Affairs
Strategic Council Online: Analyzing the US decision-making process to respond to the attack on Iraq’s al-Taji base, a university professor stressed that Americans are trying to restore the containment policy against Iran. There are people who have come to the conclusion that the policy of maximum pressure on Iran has failed and they want to encourage Trump to take military action, but Trump will not accept these views in the US presidential election year.
Strategic Council Online: An expert on Asian affairs said that the Trump administration’s pressure on North Korea has not been effective, adding that Pyongyang’s efforts to achieve definitive results in negotiations and lack of proper response from the United States have made North Korea mistrustful towards the US and the negotiation table more than the past. Pyongyang also considers diplomacy an ineffective way to restore peace.
Strategic Council Online: Contrary to existing perceptions, Ansarullah faces a limitation in choosing a scenario for the end of the Yemeni crisis that is limited to the display of military power and boosting it. Of course, the Yemeni people in different scenes have shown their ability to execute such a scenario well, and they are fully in line with Ansarullah, which is one of the important parameters in determining the outcome of this brutal war.
Jafar Ghanadbashi – Middle East affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: Former Iranian ambassador to Romania and Hungary says Emmanuel Macron intends to reduce or take over the US role in the West Asian region. “Whether France is powerful enough to accomplish this task or whether it has the tools to do so will be decided in the future,” he said.
Strategic Council Online: Turkey believes if Idlib is liberated Ankara’s role in the next political process in Syria will decline and the Syrian government may in future seek to oust Turkish forces from other areas, such as Afrin.
Siamak Kakai – Turkey affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: An expert on Middle East affairs said Turkey was in a state of unprecedented strategic confusion, especially in Idlib, adding that if Ankara fails to use these tools and is unable to come out of the strategic confusion in Idlib and gain field achievements there would remain no other way for Erdogan than negotiation.
Strategic Council Online: The presence of US troops in Africa is in line with efforts by Washington and some other Western capitals to create the southern branch of the NATO military alliance.
Jafar Ghanadbashi- Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A faculty member of the Shahid Beheshti University outlining the most important issues at the Munich Security Conference described the current state of world security as extremely shaky and noted that the Conference could not accomplish any important results.
