SCFR Online – Opinion: In the war between Iran and the United States, the main battlefield was not defined solely in the military domain; rather, the battle of narratives in cyberspace—particularly through memes—reached a decisive level.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Only one month after the beginning of the Ramadan War, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz decreased dramatically, with Bloomberg announcing a reduction of 103 vessels; Brent oil prices rose by more than 50 percent, and gasoline prices in the United States increased by 31.4 percent. Additionally, benchmark gas prices in Europe showed a 73.4 percent increase.
SCFR Online – Note: After approximately five months of political deadlock and institutional confusion, Ali al-Zaydi has finally been selected as Iraq’s Prime Minister. Al-Zaydi’s selection as Prime Minister represents a positive sign of the completion of the government formation process and the beginning of a new phase in Iraqi politics and governance. The emergence of a young, technocratic figure from the third generation of politicians—in a context where the country has been administered by traditional figures for decades—revives hope that Iraq may perhaps distance itself from the repetitive cycle of crises and experience a new path of stability, efficiency, and regional convergence.
SCFR Online – Note: Europe’s refusal to align with the United States in the war against Iran is not a temporary tactic, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and a move toward forced autonomy.
SCFR Online – Note: The militarization of artificial intelligence has eroded the boundaries of ethics and responsibility in warfare, transforming contemporary conflicts into arenas where human decision-making has become increasingly marginalized.
SCFR Online – Note: Over recent decades, support for the Zionist regime has been one of the few issues commanding bipartisan consensus in US foreign policy. Since the Cold War era, Republicans and Democrats have generally agreed on the necessity of preserving the security and survival of the Zionist regime as Washington’s most strategic ally in West Asia—and indeed, globally. However, developments in recent years—particularly the Gaza war, escalating regional conflicts, the expansion of tensions into Lebanon, and this regime’s recent warmongering against Iran—have caused this traditional consensus, especially within the Democratic Party, to face significant fractures.
SCFR Online – Note: Following the resumption of the US and Israeli regime’s war against Iran on February 28, certain divisions have emerged within the United States regarding this issue, both among the public and among political factions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The internal situation of the Israeli regime during the 40-day war can be analyzed from several perspectives. The popularity levels of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party, and the ruling coalition led by Netanyahu until February 28, 2026, remained approximately the same as during the preceding year. The most recent factor that had somewhat increased Netanyahu’s popularity was the advancement of the 2024 war with Hezbollah Lebanon. Subsequently, his popularity temporarily increased during the 12-day war with Iran, but after the war, it returned to its previous state.
Strategic Council Online: Given the recent divergence in Saudi political power system and the opposition of some influential Saudi princes to Mohammed bin Salman’s military strategies, the prolongation of the Yemeni war could intensify competition within the kingdom.
Davoud Ahmadzadeh – Middle East affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: Russia’s creeping penetration in OPEC as a mate to OPEC and its non-cooperation with OPEC in its latest bid to avert further damage to member states shows that OPEC’s monopoly power in the oil market before being defeated by America’s growing power in production and extraction of Shale oil is struck by the double standards strategy and unilateralism of its members with non-member allies.
Reza Majidzadeh – Researcher in Political Economy of Development
Strategic Council Online: It looks like eventually US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul, will intervene in the current governance process in Afghanistan and bring Abdullah Abdullah to the negotiating table: A situation similar to what happened when John Kerry was in office; that is today a new government will be formed with some differences. In this new government, space will also be opened for the Taliban, and Zalmay will probably succeed in bringing the three currents – Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah and Taliban to the negotiating table to pull Afghanistan out of the current situation.
Pir Mohammad Molazehi – Indian Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Given that Kashmir is considered one of the main red lines of the Pakistani government and people, Saudi Arabia has essentially adopted a thoughtful silence in this regard, which has become a challenge in relations between the two countries.
Mohammad Reza Asgari Moroudi – Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations, explaining the reasons for Europe’s and America’s disagreement over the “West’s decline”, said Europe believes Britain’s departure from the EU would add to the transatlantic burden, undermining Europe’s role. They are worried that the United States and Britain will abandon Europe more than before, so what the Europeans see as the decline of the West is not so irrational.
Strategic Council Online: In the future, Palestine will witness bloody demonstrations and clashes between the Palestinians and the Zionist regime, and even the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may dissolve the PA and become a Palestinian militant organization to formally and effectively oppose the Deal of the Century. Then the US and the Zionist regime can no longer negotiate with a Palestinian official. In addition, the rising tide of opposition in the world to the plan, especially by Palestinian groups, has led us to see some kind of retreat from Washington as the US ambassador to the United Nations said at a special Security Council session: The United States peace plan is not a program to be imposed on the parties to the conflict, they have a choice to accept or reject it.”
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A Middle East affairs analyst says Saudi Arabia seeks an opportunity to return to the Syrian scene, adding however that the role played by certain Arab states against Syria cannot be erased from the memory of Syrian nation and government.
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations says the new Lebanese government and the changes considered are in line with the demands of the people and protesters and stressed: “In the current situation, returning security and stability to Lebanon is very difficult.”
Strategic Council Online: An international affairs analyst said that if the US pullout from international institutions and agreements continues, it could weaken these accords. “If Trump’s withdrawal from these accords had a tangible achievement for Americans and if this could change America’s relative advantage compared to certain countries, such as China and Russia, the policy is likely to find supporters among other countries and even the Democrats prompting them to continue this trend.”
Strategic Council Online: An analyst on African and West Asian affairs, referring to Algeria’s presidential election and the subsequent unrests, said the opposition’s capacity was not big enough to accomplish their goals behind the protest rallies; so it seems that the government would eventually succeed in forcing the opposition to stop their demonstrations first by giving them promises and then by threatening them.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the war between Iran and the United States, the main battlefield was not defined solely in the military domain; rather, the battle of narratives in cyberspace—particularly through memes—reached a decisive level.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Only one month after the beginning of the Ramadan War, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz decreased dramatically, with Bloomberg announcing a reduction of 103 vessels; Brent oil prices rose by more than 50 percent, and gasoline prices in the United States increased by 31.4 percent. Additionally, benchmark gas prices in Europe showed a 73.4 percent increase.
SCFR Online – Note: After approximately five months of political deadlock and institutional confusion, Ali al-Zaydi has finally been selected as Iraq’s Prime Minister. Al-Zaydi’s selection as Prime Minister represents a positive sign of the completion of the government formation process and the beginning of a new phase in Iraqi politics and governance. The emergence of a young, technocratic figure from the third generation of politicians—in a context where the country has been administered by traditional figures for decades—revives hope that Iraq may perhaps distance itself from the repetitive cycle of crises and experience a new path of stability, efficiency, and regional convergence.
SCFR Online – Note: Europe’s refusal to align with the United States in the war against Iran is not a temporary tactic, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and a move toward forced autonomy.
SCFR Online – Note: The militarization of artificial intelligence has eroded the boundaries of ethics and responsibility in warfare, transforming contemporary conflicts into arenas where human decision-making has become increasingly marginalized.
SCFR Online – Note: Over recent decades, support for the Zionist regime has been one of the few issues commanding bipartisan consensus in US foreign policy. Since the Cold War era, Republicans and Democrats have generally agreed on the necessity of preserving the security and survival of the Zionist regime as Washington’s most strategic ally in West Asia—and indeed, globally. However, developments in recent years—particularly the Gaza war, escalating regional conflicts, the expansion of tensions into Lebanon, and this regime’s recent warmongering against Iran—have caused this traditional consensus, especially within the Democratic Party, to face significant fractures.
SCFR Online – Note: Following the resumption of the US and Israeli regime’s war against Iran on February 28, certain divisions have emerged within the United States regarding this issue, both among the public and among political factions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The internal situation of the Israeli regime during the 40-day war can be analyzed from several perspectives. The popularity levels of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party, and the ruling coalition led by Netanyahu until February 28, 2026, remained approximately the same as during the preceding year. The most recent factor that had somewhat increased Netanyahu’s popularity was the advancement of the 2024 war with Hezbollah Lebanon. Subsequently, his popularity temporarily increased during the 12-day war with Iran, but after the war, it returned to its previous state.
Strategic Council Online: Given the recent divergence in Saudi political power system and the opposition of some influential Saudi princes to Mohammed bin Salman’s military strategies, the prolongation of the Yemeni war could intensify competition within the kingdom.
Davoud Ahmadzadeh – Middle East affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: Russia’s creeping penetration in OPEC as a mate to OPEC and its non-cooperation with OPEC in its latest bid to avert further damage to member states shows that OPEC’s monopoly power in the oil market before being defeated by America’s growing power in production and extraction of Shale oil is struck by the double standards strategy and unilateralism of its members with non-member allies.
Reza Majidzadeh – Researcher in Political Economy of Development
Strategic Council Online: It looks like eventually US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul, will intervene in the current governance process in Afghanistan and bring Abdullah Abdullah to the negotiating table: A situation similar to what happened when John Kerry was in office; that is today a new government will be formed with some differences. In this new government, space will also be opened for the Taliban, and Zalmay will probably succeed in bringing the three currents – Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah and Taliban to the negotiating table to pull Afghanistan out of the current situation.
Pir Mohammad Molazehi – Indian Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Given that Kashmir is considered one of the main red lines of the Pakistani government and people, Saudi Arabia has essentially adopted a thoughtful silence in this regard, which has become a challenge in relations between the two countries.
Mohammad Reza Asgari Moroudi – Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations, explaining the reasons for Europe’s and America’s disagreement over the “West’s decline”, said Europe believes Britain’s departure from the EU would add to the transatlantic burden, undermining Europe’s role. They are worried that the United States and Britain will abandon Europe more than before, so what the Europeans see as the decline of the West is not so irrational.
Strategic Council Online: In the future, Palestine will witness bloody demonstrations and clashes between the Palestinians and the Zionist regime, and even the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may dissolve the PA and become a Palestinian militant organization to formally and effectively oppose the Deal of the Century. Then the US and the Zionist regime can no longer negotiate with a Palestinian official. In addition, the rising tide of opposition in the world to the plan, especially by Palestinian groups, has led us to see some kind of retreat from Washington as the US ambassador to the United Nations said at a special Security Council session: The United States peace plan is not a program to be imposed on the parties to the conflict, they have a choice to accept or reject it.”
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A Middle East affairs analyst says Saudi Arabia seeks an opportunity to return to the Syrian scene, adding however that the role played by certain Arab states against Syria cannot be erased from the memory of Syrian nation and government.
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations says the new Lebanese government and the changes considered are in line with the demands of the people and protesters and stressed: “In the current situation, returning security and stability to Lebanon is very difficult.”
Strategic Council Online: An international affairs analyst said that if the US pullout from international institutions and agreements continues, it could weaken these accords. “If Trump’s withdrawal from these accords had a tangible achievement for Americans and if this could change America’s relative advantage compared to certain countries, such as China and Russia, the policy is likely to find supporters among other countries and even the Democrats prompting them to continue this trend.”
Strategic Council Online: An analyst on African and West Asian affairs, referring to Algeria’s presidential election and the subsequent unrests, said the opposition’s capacity was not big enough to accomplish their goals behind the protest rallies; so it seems that the government would eventually succeed in forcing the opposition to stop their demonstrations first by giving them promises and then by threatening them.
Strategic Council Online: Given the recent divergence in Saudi political power system and the opposition of some influential Saudi princes to Mohammed bin Salman’s military strategies, the prolongation of the Yemeni war could intensify competition within the kingdom.
Davoud Ahmadzadeh – Middle East affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: Russia’s creeping penetration in OPEC as a mate to OPEC and its non-cooperation with OPEC in its latest bid to avert further damage to member states shows that OPEC’s monopoly power in the oil market before being defeated by America’s growing power in production and extraction of Shale oil is struck by the double standards strategy and unilateralism of its members with non-member allies.
Reza Majidzadeh – Researcher in Political Economy of Development
Strategic Council Online: It looks like eventually US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul, will intervene in the current governance process in Afghanistan and bring Abdullah Abdullah to the negotiating table: A situation similar to what happened when John Kerry was in office; that is today a new government will be formed with some differences. In this new government, space will also be opened for the Taliban, and Zalmay will probably succeed in bringing the three currents – Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah and Taliban to the negotiating table to pull Afghanistan out of the current situation.
Pir Mohammad Molazehi – Indian Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Given that Kashmir is considered one of the main red lines of the Pakistani government and people, Saudi Arabia has essentially adopted a thoughtful silence in this regard, which has become a challenge in relations between the two countries.
Mohammad Reza Asgari Moroudi – Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations, explaining the reasons for Europe’s and America’s disagreement over the “West’s decline”, said Europe believes Britain’s departure from the EU would add to the transatlantic burden, undermining Europe’s role. They are worried that the United States and Britain will abandon Europe more than before, so what the Europeans see as the decline of the West is not so irrational.
Strategic Council Online: In the future, Palestine will witness bloody demonstrations and clashes between the Palestinians and the Zionist regime, and even the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may dissolve the PA and become a Palestinian militant organization to formally and effectively oppose the Deal of the Century. Then the US and the Zionist regime can no longer negotiate with a Palestinian official. In addition, the rising tide of opposition in the world to the plan, especially by Palestinian groups, has led us to see some kind of retreat from Washington as the US ambassador to the United Nations said at a special Security Council session: The United States peace plan is not a program to be imposed on the parties to the conflict, they have a choice to accept or reject it.”
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A Middle East affairs analyst says Saudi Arabia seeks an opportunity to return to the Syrian scene, adding however that the role played by certain Arab states against Syria cannot be erased from the memory of Syrian nation and government.
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations says the new Lebanese government and the changes considered are in line with the demands of the people and protesters and stressed: “In the current situation, returning security and stability to Lebanon is very difficult.”
Strategic Council Online: An international affairs analyst said that if the US pullout from international institutions and agreements continues, it could weaken these accords. “If Trump’s withdrawal from these accords had a tangible achievement for Americans and if this could change America’s relative advantage compared to certain countries, such as China and Russia, the policy is likely to find supporters among other countries and even the Democrats prompting them to continue this trend.”
Strategic Council Online: An analyst on African and West Asian affairs, referring to Algeria’s presidential election and the subsequent unrests, said the opposition’s capacity was not big enough to accomplish their goals behind the protest rallies; so it seems that the government would eventually succeed in forcing the opposition to stop their demonstrations first by giving them promises and then by threatening them.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the war between Iran and the United States, the main battlefield was not defined solely in the military domain; rather, the battle of narratives in cyberspace—particularly through memes—reached a decisive level.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Only one month after the beginning of the Ramadan War, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz decreased dramatically, with Bloomberg announcing a reduction of 103 vessels; Brent oil prices rose by more than 50 percent, and gasoline prices in the United States increased by 31.4 percent. Additionally, benchmark gas prices in Europe showed a 73.4 percent increase.
SCFR Online – Note: After approximately five months of political deadlock and institutional confusion, Ali al-Zaydi has finally been selected as Iraq’s Prime Minister. Al-Zaydi’s selection as Prime Minister represents a positive sign of the completion of the government formation process and the beginning of a new phase in Iraqi politics and governance. The emergence of a young, technocratic figure from the third generation of politicians—in a context where the country has been administered by traditional figures for decades—revives hope that Iraq may perhaps distance itself from the repetitive cycle of crises and experience a new path of stability, efficiency, and regional convergence.
SCFR Online – Note: Europe’s refusal to align with the United States in the war against Iran is not a temporary tactic, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and a move toward forced autonomy.
SCFR Online – Note: The militarization of artificial intelligence has eroded the boundaries of ethics and responsibility in warfare, transforming contemporary conflicts into arenas where human decision-making has become increasingly marginalized.
SCFR Online – Note: Over recent decades, support for the Zionist regime has been one of the few issues commanding bipartisan consensus in US foreign policy. Since the Cold War era, Republicans and Democrats have generally agreed on the necessity of preserving the security and survival of the Zionist regime as Washington’s most strategic ally in West Asia—and indeed, globally. However, developments in recent years—particularly the Gaza war, escalating regional conflicts, the expansion of tensions into Lebanon, and this regime’s recent warmongering against Iran—have caused this traditional consensus, especially within the Democratic Party, to face significant fractures.
SCFR Online – Note: Following the resumption of the US and Israeli regime’s war against Iran on February 28, certain divisions have emerged within the United States regarding this issue, both among the public and among political factions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The internal situation of the Israeli regime during the 40-day war can be analyzed from several perspectives. The popularity levels of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party, and the ruling coalition led by Netanyahu until February 28, 2026, remained approximately the same as during the preceding year. The most recent factor that had somewhat increased Netanyahu’s popularity was the advancement of the 2024 war with Hezbollah Lebanon. Subsequently, his popularity temporarily increased during the 12-day war with Iran, but after the war, it returned to its previous state.
Strategic Council Online: Given the recent divergence in Saudi political power system and the opposition of some influential Saudi princes to Mohammed bin Salman’s military strategies, the prolongation of the Yemeni war could intensify competition within the kingdom.
Davoud Ahmadzadeh – Middle East affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: Russia’s creeping penetration in OPEC as a mate to OPEC and its non-cooperation with OPEC in its latest bid to avert further damage to member states shows that OPEC’s monopoly power in the oil market before being defeated by America’s growing power in production and extraction of Shale oil is struck by the double standards strategy and unilateralism of its members with non-member allies.
Reza Majidzadeh – Researcher in Political Economy of Development
Strategic Council Online: It looks like eventually US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul, will intervene in the current governance process in Afghanistan and bring Abdullah Abdullah to the negotiating table: A situation similar to what happened when John Kerry was in office; that is today a new government will be formed with some differences. In this new government, space will also be opened for the Taliban, and Zalmay will probably succeed in bringing the three currents – Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah and Taliban to the negotiating table to pull Afghanistan out of the current situation.
Pir Mohammad Molazehi – Indian Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Given that Kashmir is considered one of the main red lines of the Pakistani government and people, Saudi Arabia has essentially adopted a thoughtful silence in this regard, which has become a challenge in relations between the two countries.
Mohammad Reza Asgari Moroudi – Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations, explaining the reasons for Europe’s and America’s disagreement over the “West’s decline”, said Europe believes Britain’s departure from the EU would add to the transatlantic burden, undermining Europe’s role. They are worried that the United States and Britain will abandon Europe more than before, so what the Europeans see as the decline of the West is not so irrational.
Strategic Council Online: In the future, Palestine will witness bloody demonstrations and clashes between the Palestinians and the Zionist regime, and even the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may dissolve the PA and become a Palestinian militant organization to formally and effectively oppose the Deal of the Century. Then the US and the Zionist regime can no longer negotiate with a Palestinian official. In addition, the rising tide of opposition in the world to the plan, especially by Palestinian groups, has led us to see some kind of retreat from Washington as the US ambassador to the United Nations said at a special Security Council session: The United States peace plan is not a program to be imposed on the parties to the conflict, they have a choice to accept or reject it.”
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A Middle East affairs analyst says Saudi Arabia seeks an opportunity to return to the Syrian scene, adding however that the role played by certain Arab states against Syria cannot be erased from the memory of Syrian nation and government.
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations says the new Lebanese government and the changes considered are in line with the demands of the people and protesters and stressed: “In the current situation, returning security and stability to Lebanon is very difficult.”
Strategic Council Online: An international affairs analyst said that if the US pullout from international institutions and agreements continues, it could weaken these accords. “If Trump’s withdrawal from these accords had a tangible achievement for Americans and if this could change America’s relative advantage compared to certain countries, such as China and Russia, the policy is likely to find supporters among other countries and even the Democrats prompting them to continue this trend.”
Strategic Council Online: An analyst on African and West Asian affairs, referring to Algeria’s presidential election and the subsequent unrests, said the opposition’s capacity was not big enough to accomplish their goals behind the protest rallies; so it seems that the government would eventually succeed in forcing the opposition to stop their demonstrations first by giving them promises and then by threatening them.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the war between Iran and the United States, the main battlefield was not defined solely in the military domain; rather, the battle of narratives in cyberspace—particularly through memes—reached a decisive level.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Only one month after the beginning of the Ramadan War, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz decreased dramatically, with Bloomberg announcing a reduction of 103 vessels; Brent oil prices rose by more than 50 percent, and gasoline prices in the United States increased by 31.4 percent. Additionally, benchmark gas prices in Europe showed a 73.4 percent increase.
SCFR Online – Note: After approximately five months of political deadlock and institutional confusion, Ali al-Zaydi has finally been selected as Iraq’s Prime Minister. Al-Zaydi’s selection as Prime Minister represents a positive sign of the completion of the government formation process and the beginning of a new phase in Iraqi politics and governance. The emergence of a young, technocratic figure from the third generation of politicians—in a context where the country has been administered by traditional figures for decades—revives hope that Iraq may perhaps distance itself from the repetitive cycle of crises and experience a new path of stability, efficiency, and regional convergence.
SCFR Online – Note: Europe’s refusal to align with the United States in the war against Iran is not a temporary tactic, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and a move toward forced autonomy.
SCFR Online – Note: The militarization of artificial intelligence has eroded the boundaries of ethics and responsibility in warfare, transforming contemporary conflicts into arenas where human decision-making has become increasingly marginalized.
SCFR Online – Note: Over recent decades, support for the Zionist regime has been one of the few issues commanding bipartisan consensus in US foreign policy. Since the Cold War era, Republicans and Democrats have generally agreed on the necessity of preserving the security and survival of the Zionist regime as Washington’s most strategic ally in West Asia—and indeed, globally. However, developments in recent years—particularly the Gaza war, escalating regional conflicts, the expansion of tensions into Lebanon, and this regime’s recent warmongering against Iran—have caused this traditional consensus, especially within the Democratic Party, to face significant fractures.
SCFR Online – Note: Following the resumption of the US and Israeli regime’s war against Iran on February 28, certain divisions have emerged within the United States regarding this issue, both among the public and among political factions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The internal situation of the Israeli regime during the 40-day war can be analyzed from several perspectives. The popularity levels of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party, and the ruling coalition led by Netanyahu until February 28, 2026, remained approximately the same as during the preceding year. The most recent factor that had somewhat increased Netanyahu’s popularity was the advancement of the 2024 war with Hezbollah Lebanon. Subsequently, his popularity temporarily increased during the 12-day war with Iran, but after the war, it returned to its previous state.
Strategic Council Online: Given the recent divergence in Saudi political power system and the opposition of some influential Saudi princes to Mohammed bin Salman’s military strategies, the prolongation of the Yemeni war could intensify competition within the kingdom.
Davoud Ahmadzadeh – Middle East affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: Russia’s creeping penetration in OPEC as a mate to OPEC and its non-cooperation with OPEC in its latest bid to avert further damage to member states shows that OPEC’s monopoly power in the oil market before being defeated by America’s growing power in production and extraction of Shale oil is struck by the double standards strategy and unilateralism of its members with non-member allies.
Reza Majidzadeh – Researcher in Political Economy of Development
Strategic Council Online: It looks like eventually US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul, will intervene in the current governance process in Afghanistan and bring Abdullah Abdullah to the negotiating table: A situation similar to what happened when John Kerry was in office; that is today a new government will be formed with some differences. In this new government, space will also be opened for the Taliban, and Zalmay will probably succeed in bringing the three currents – Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah and Taliban to the negotiating table to pull Afghanistan out of the current situation.
Pir Mohammad Molazehi – Indian Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Given that Kashmir is considered one of the main red lines of the Pakistani government and people, Saudi Arabia has essentially adopted a thoughtful silence in this regard, which has become a challenge in relations between the two countries.
Mohammad Reza Asgari Moroudi – Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations, explaining the reasons for Europe’s and America’s disagreement over the “West’s decline”, said Europe believes Britain’s departure from the EU would add to the transatlantic burden, undermining Europe’s role. They are worried that the United States and Britain will abandon Europe more than before, so what the Europeans see as the decline of the West is not so irrational.
Strategic Council Online: In the future, Palestine will witness bloody demonstrations and clashes between the Palestinians and the Zionist regime, and even the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may dissolve the PA and become a Palestinian militant organization to formally and effectively oppose the Deal of the Century. Then the US and the Zionist regime can no longer negotiate with a Palestinian official. In addition, the rising tide of opposition in the world to the plan, especially by Palestinian groups, has led us to see some kind of retreat from Washington as the US ambassador to the United Nations said at a special Security Council session: The United States peace plan is not a program to be imposed on the parties to the conflict, they have a choice to accept or reject it.”
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A Middle East affairs analyst says Saudi Arabia seeks an opportunity to return to the Syrian scene, adding however that the role played by certain Arab states against Syria cannot be erased from the memory of Syrian nation and government.
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations says the new Lebanese government and the changes considered are in line with the demands of the people and protesters and stressed: “In the current situation, returning security and stability to Lebanon is very difficult.”
Strategic Council Online: An international affairs analyst said that if the US pullout from international institutions and agreements continues, it could weaken these accords. “If Trump’s withdrawal from these accords had a tangible achievement for Americans and if this could change America’s relative advantage compared to certain countries, such as China and Russia, the policy is likely to find supporters among other countries and even the Democrats prompting them to continue this trend.”
Strategic Council Online: An analyst on African and West Asian affairs, referring to Algeria’s presidential election and the subsequent unrests, said the opposition’s capacity was not big enough to accomplish their goals behind the protest rallies; so it seems that the government would eventually succeed in forcing the opposition to stop their demonstrations first by giving them promises and then by threatening them.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the war between Iran and the United States, the main battlefield was not defined solely in the military domain; rather, the battle of narratives in cyberspace—particularly through memes—reached a decisive level.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Only one month after the beginning of the Ramadan War, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz decreased dramatically, with Bloomberg announcing a reduction of 103 vessels; Brent oil prices rose by more than 50 percent, and gasoline prices in the United States increased by 31.4 percent. Additionally, benchmark gas prices in Europe showed a 73.4 percent increase.
SCFR Online – Note: After approximately five months of political deadlock and institutional confusion, Ali al-Zaydi has finally been selected as Iraq’s Prime Minister. Al-Zaydi’s selection as Prime Minister represents a positive sign of the completion of the government formation process and the beginning of a new phase in Iraqi politics and governance. The emergence of a young, technocratic figure from the third generation of politicians—in a context where the country has been administered by traditional figures for decades—revives hope that Iraq may perhaps distance itself from the repetitive cycle of crises and experience a new path of stability, efficiency, and regional convergence.
SCFR Online – Note: Europe’s refusal to align with the United States in the war against Iran is not a temporary tactic, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and a move toward forced autonomy.
SCFR Online – Note: The militarization of artificial intelligence has eroded the boundaries of ethics and responsibility in warfare, transforming contemporary conflicts into arenas where human decision-making has become increasingly marginalized.
SCFR Online – Note: Over recent decades, support for the Zionist regime has been one of the few issues commanding bipartisan consensus in US foreign policy. Since the Cold War era, Republicans and Democrats have generally agreed on the necessity of preserving the security and survival of the Zionist regime as Washington’s most strategic ally in West Asia—and indeed, globally. However, developments in recent years—particularly the Gaza war, escalating regional conflicts, the expansion of tensions into Lebanon, and this regime’s recent warmongering against Iran—have caused this traditional consensus, especially within the Democratic Party, to face significant fractures.
SCFR Online – Note: Following the resumption of the US and Israeli regime’s war against Iran on February 28, certain divisions have emerged within the United States regarding this issue, both among the public and among political factions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The internal situation of the Israeli regime during the 40-day war can be analyzed from several perspectives. The popularity levels of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party, and the ruling coalition led by Netanyahu until February 28, 2026, remained approximately the same as during the preceding year. The most recent factor that had somewhat increased Netanyahu’s popularity was the advancement of the 2024 war with Hezbollah Lebanon. Subsequently, his popularity temporarily increased during the 12-day war with Iran, but after the war, it returned to its previous state.
Strategic Council Online: Given the recent divergence in Saudi political power system and the opposition of some influential Saudi princes to Mohammed bin Salman’s military strategies, the prolongation of the Yemeni war could intensify competition within the kingdom.
Davoud Ahmadzadeh – Middle East affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: Russia’s creeping penetration in OPEC as a mate to OPEC and its non-cooperation with OPEC in its latest bid to avert further damage to member states shows that OPEC’s monopoly power in the oil market before being defeated by America’s growing power in production and extraction of Shale oil is struck by the double standards strategy and unilateralism of its members with non-member allies.
Reza Majidzadeh – Researcher in Political Economy of Development
Strategic Council Online: It looks like eventually US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul, will intervene in the current governance process in Afghanistan and bring Abdullah Abdullah to the negotiating table: A situation similar to what happened when John Kerry was in office; that is today a new government will be formed with some differences. In this new government, space will also be opened for the Taliban, and Zalmay will probably succeed in bringing the three currents – Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah and Taliban to the negotiating table to pull Afghanistan out of the current situation.
Pir Mohammad Molazehi – Indian Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Given that Kashmir is considered one of the main red lines of the Pakistani government and people, Saudi Arabia has essentially adopted a thoughtful silence in this regard, which has become a challenge in relations between the two countries.
Mohammad Reza Asgari Moroudi – Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations, explaining the reasons for Europe’s and America’s disagreement over the “West’s decline”, said Europe believes Britain’s departure from the EU would add to the transatlantic burden, undermining Europe’s role. They are worried that the United States and Britain will abandon Europe more than before, so what the Europeans see as the decline of the West is not so irrational.
Strategic Council Online: In the future, Palestine will witness bloody demonstrations and clashes between the Palestinians and the Zionist regime, and even the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may dissolve the PA and become a Palestinian militant organization to formally and effectively oppose the Deal of the Century. Then the US and the Zionist regime can no longer negotiate with a Palestinian official. In addition, the rising tide of opposition in the world to the plan, especially by Palestinian groups, has led us to see some kind of retreat from Washington as the US ambassador to the United Nations said at a special Security Council session: The United States peace plan is not a program to be imposed on the parties to the conflict, they have a choice to accept or reject it.”
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A Middle East affairs analyst says Saudi Arabia seeks an opportunity to return to the Syrian scene, adding however that the role played by certain Arab states against Syria cannot be erased from the memory of Syrian nation and government.
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations says the new Lebanese government and the changes considered are in line with the demands of the people and protesters and stressed: “In the current situation, returning security and stability to Lebanon is very difficult.”
Strategic Council Online: An international affairs analyst said that if the US pullout from international institutions and agreements continues, it could weaken these accords. “If Trump’s withdrawal from these accords had a tangible achievement for Americans and if this could change America’s relative advantage compared to certain countries, such as China and Russia, the policy is likely to find supporters among other countries and even the Democrats prompting them to continue this trend.”
Strategic Council Online: An analyst on African and West Asian affairs, referring to Algeria’s presidential election and the subsequent unrests, said the opposition’s capacity was not big enough to accomplish their goals behind the protest rallies; so it seems that the government would eventually succeed in forcing the opposition to stop their demonstrations first by giving them promises and then by threatening them.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the war between Iran and the United States, the main battlefield was not defined solely in the military domain; rather, the battle of narratives in cyberspace—particularly through memes—reached a decisive level.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Only one month after the beginning of the Ramadan War, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz decreased dramatically, with Bloomberg announcing a reduction of 103 vessels; Brent oil prices rose by more than 50 percent, and gasoline prices in the United States increased by 31.4 percent. Additionally, benchmark gas prices in Europe showed a 73.4 percent increase.
SCFR Online – Note: After approximately five months of political deadlock and institutional confusion, Ali al-Zaydi has finally been selected as Iraq’s Prime Minister. Al-Zaydi’s selection as Prime Minister represents a positive sign of the completion of the government formation process and the beginning of a new phase in Iraqi politics and governance. The emergence of a young, technocratic figure from the third generation of politicians—in a context where the country has been administered by traditional figures for decades—revives hope that Iraq may perhaps distance itself from the repetitive cycle of crises and experience a new path of stability, efficiency, and regional convergence.
SCFR Online – Note: Europe’s refusal to align with the United States in the war against Iran is not a temporary tactic, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and a move toward forced autonomy.
SCFR Online – Note: The militarization of artificial intelligence has eroded the boundaries of ethics and responsibility in warfare, transforming contemporary conflicts into arenas where human decision-making has become increasingly marginalized.
SCFR Online – Note: Over recent decades, support for the Zionist regime has been one of the few issues commanding bipartisan consensus in US foreign policy. Since the Cold War era, Republicans and Democrats have generally agreed on the necessity of preserving the security and survival of the Zionist regime as Washington’s most strategic ally in West Asia—and indeed, globally. However, developments in recent years—particularly the Gaza war, escalating regional conflicts, the expansion of tensions into Lebanon, and this regime’s recent warmongering against Iran—have caused this traditional consensus, especially within the Democratic Party, to face significant fractures.
SCFR Online – Note: Following the resumption of the US and Israeli regime’s war against Iran on February 28, certain divisions have emerged within the United States regarding this issue, both among the public and among political factions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The internal situation of the Israeli regime during the 40-day war can be analyzed from several perspectives. The popularity levels of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party, and the ruling coalition led by Netanyahu until February 28, 2026, remained approximately the same as during the preceding year. The most recent factor that had somewhat increased Netanyahu’s popularity was the advancement of the 2024 war with Hezbollah Lebanon. Subsequently, his popularity temporarily increased during the 12-day war with Iran, but after the war, it returned to its previous state.
Strategic Council Online: Given the recent divergence in Saudi political power system and the opposition of some influential Saudi princes to Mohammed bin Salman’s military strategies, the prolongation of the Yemeni war could intensify competition within the kingdom.
Davoud Ahmadzadeh – Middle East affairs expert
Strategic Council Online: Russia’s creeping penetration in OPEC as a mate to OPEC and its non-cooperation with OPEC in its latest bid to avert further damage to member states shows that OPEC’s monopoly power in the oil market before being defeated by America’s growing power in production and extraction of Shale oil is struck by the double standards strategy and unilateralism of its members with non-member allies.
Reza Majidzadeh – Researcher in Political Economy of Development
Strategic Council Online: It looks like eventually US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is in Kabul, will intervene in the current governance process in Afghanistan and bring Abdullah Abdullah to the negotiating table: A situation similar to what happened when John Kerry was in office; that is today a new government will be formed with some differences. In this new government, space will also be opened for the Taliban, and Zalmay will probably succeed in bringing the three currents – Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah and Taliban to the negotiating table to pull Afghanistan out of the current situation.
Pir Mohammad Molazehi – Indian Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Given that Kashmir is considered one of the main red lines of the Pakistani government and people, Saudi Arabia has essentially adopted a thoughtful silence in this regard, which has become a challenge in relations between the two countries.
Mohammad Reza Asgari Moroudi – Subcontinent Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations, explaining the reasons for Europe’s and America’s disagreement over the “West’s decline”, said Europe believes Britain’s departure from the EU would add to the transatlantic burden, undermining Europe’s role. They are worried that the United States and Britain will abandon Europe more than before, so what the Europeans see as the decline of the West is not so irrational.
Strategic Council Online: In the future, Palestine will witness bloody demonstrations and clashes between the Palestinians and the Zionist regime, and even the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may dissolve the PA and become a Palestinian militant organization to formally and effectively oppose the Deal of the Century. Then the US and the Zionist regime can no longer negotiate with a Palestinian official. In addition, the rising tide of opposition in the world to the plan, especially by Palestinian groups, has led us to see some kind of retreat from Washington as the US ambassador to the United Nations said at a special Security Council session: The United States peace plan is not a program to be imposed on the parties to the conflict, they have a choice to accept or reject it.”
Hassan Hanizadeh – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: A Middle East affairs analyst says Saudi Arabia seeks an opportunity to return to the Syrian scene, adding however that the role played by certain Arab states against Syria cannot be erased from the memory of Syrian nation and government.
Strategic Council Online: A professor of international relations says the new Lebanese government and the changes considered are in line with the demands of the people and protesters and stressed: “In the current situation, returning security and stability to Lebanon is very difficult.”
Strategic Council Online: An international affairs analyst said that if the US pullout from international institutions and agreements continues, it could weaken these accords. “If Trump’s withdrawal from these accords had a tangible achievement for Americans and if this could change America’s relative advantage compared to certain countries, such as China and Russia, the policy is likely to find supporters among other countries and even the Democrats prompting them to continue this trend.”
Strategic Council Online: An analyst on African and West Asian affairs, referring to Algeria’s presidential election and the subsequent unrests, said the opposition’s capacity was not big enough to accomplish their goals behind the protest rallies; so it seems that the government would eventually succeed in forcing the opposition to stop their demonstrations first by giving them promises and then by threatening them.
SCFR Online – Opinion: In the war between Iran and the United States, the main battlefield was not defined solely in the military domain; rather, the battle of narratives in cyberspace—particularly through memes—reached a decisive level.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Only one month after the beginning of the Ramadan War, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz decreased dramatically, with Bloomberg announcing a reduction of 103 vessels; Brent oil prices rose by more than 50 percent, and gasoline prices in the United States increased by 31.4 percent. Additionally, benchmark gas prices in Europe showed a 73.4 percent increase.
SCFR Online – Note: After approximately five months of political deadlock and institutional confusion, Ali al-Zaydi has finally been selected as Iraq’s Prime Minister. Al-Zaydi’s selection as Prime Minister represents a positive sign of the completion of the government formation process and the beginning of a new phase in Iraqi politics and governance. The emergence of a young, technocratic figure from the third generation of politicians—in a context where the country has been administered by traditional figures for decades—revives hope that Iraq may perhaps distance itself from the repetitive cycle of crises and experience a new path of stability, efficiency, and regional convergence.
SCFR Online – Note: Europe’s refusal to align with the United States in the war against Iran is not a temporary tactic, but rather a sign of strategic divergence and a move toward forced autonomy.
SCFR Online – Note: The militarization of artificial intelligence has eroded the boundaries of ethics and responsibility in warfare, transforming contemporary conflicts into arenas where human decision-making has become increasingly marginalized.
SCFR Online – Note: Over recent decades, support for the Zionist regime has been one of the few issues commanding bipartisan consensus in US foreign policy. Since the Cold War era, Republicans and Democrats have generally agreed on the necessity of preserving the security and survival of the Zionist regime as Washington’s most strategic ally in West Asia—and indeed, globally. However, developments in recent years—particularly the Gaza war, escalating regional conflicts, the expansion of tensions into Lebanon, and this regime’s recent warmongering against Iran—have caused this traditional consensus, especially within the Democratic Party, to face significant fractures.
SCFR Online – Note: Following the resumption of the US and Israeli regime’s war against Iran on February 28, certain divisions have emerged within the United States regarding this issue, both among the public and among political factions.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The internal situation of the Israeli regime during the 40-day war can be analyzed from several perspectives. The popularity levels of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party, and the ruling coalition led by Netanyahu until February 28, 2026, remained approximately the same as during the preceding year. The most recent factor that had somewhat increased Netanyahu’s popularity was the advancement of the 2024 war with Hezbollah Lebanon. Subsequently, his popularity temporarily increased during the 12-day war with Iran, but after the war, it returned to its previous state.