SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An economic affairs expert said, “Chabahar is Iran’s only port in the Indian Ocean that can create a new geostrategic balance in the region and solidify Iran’s position as a central player in the regional economy.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: The crisis of legitimacy of the Israeli regime, both internationally and domestically, has become one of its main challenges during the two years of relentless crime in Gaza. The Zionist regime, once considered a strategic ally of the West and particularly the United States, has now clearly lost its legitimacy due to committing unprecedented massacres, escalating settlement activities, and racist behavior. This trend has led Arab and Islamic countries, and even some former allies, to view the Zionist regime as the leading cause of regional instability and to level widespread criticism against its policies.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior West Asia affairs analyst stated that recent developments in West Asia indicate that the region’s security equations have entered a new stage. The Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, as a security shock, has made the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf aware of new vulnerabilities and forced them to reconsider their defense strategies. Now, relying on American security guarantees no longer seems sufficient, because emerging regional threats have become more complex and multi-layered than in the past. In this context, Pakistan, with its special position as the only atomic power in the Islamic world, has quickly found a strategic place in the security calculations of the Arab countries. The signing of the strategic defense agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad, followed by a military cooperation meeting between Bahrain and Pakistan in Manama, indicates an increasing trend in security convergence. These cooperations are defined not only to strengthen joint deterrence and counter potential threats, especially from the Israeli regime, but also indicate a shift in the balance of power in the region. Pakistan’s entry into the West Asian equations could have broader implications; on the one hand, it could reduce America’s monopoly on providing regional security, and on the other hand, it could create new axes of cooperation among Islamic powers. Thus, by moving closer to Islamabad, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are seeking to develop an indigenous defense shield which, in addition to guaranteeing their own security, sends a clear message to regional rivals: the power equations are being rewritten and new actors have entered the scene.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the ‘Indus Waters Treaty’, along with climate data indicating the depletion of freshwater resources in various parts of the world, show that transboundary water resources in the 21st century are rapidly transforming from a technical and developmental issue into a strategic and even security variable.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior international relations analyst stated that the recent visit of Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, to New Delhi is not merely a routine diplomatic meeting; rather, it represents a decisive point in the geopolitical equations of South Asia and even the new global order. After four years of tension and distrust stemming from deadly border clashes in Ladakh and Beijing’s full-throated support for Islamabad during the four-day India-Pakistan war, Beijing and New Delhi are now moving towards economic and political reconciliation under circumstances where external variables, including Trump’s tariff pressures and India’s closeness to Russia, have complicated the equation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent visit of the President of Iran to Islamabad, which went beyond a conventional diplomatic meeting, is regarded as a fundamental step towards deepening and expanding bilateral strategic relations as well as influencing the regional balance of power. This visit took place at a time when the region and the world are witnessing rapid and complex developments, and Iran seeks to redefine and strengthen its axes of cooperation with its traditional and regional partners.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior analyst on South Asian affairs stated that after a period of escalating tensions, which led to the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and a downgrade in diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul, the two sides have strategically resumed relations at the ambassador level. This development, which followed high-level consultations and coincided with an informal trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China in Beijing, signals a shared willingness to rebuild trust and deepen security and economic cooperation. This diplomatic shift must be understood as the result of intersecting security, economic, and geopolitical factors.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The U.S. stance on the tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi was based on urging restraint from both sides, as the United States fears Pakistan may grow closer to China and act as a strategic pivot in anti-American equations.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On April 25, 2025, a terrorist incident occurred in the Pahalgam region of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government immediately blamed Pakistan-backed Kashmiri groups for the incident.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An economic affairs expert said, “Chabahar is Iran’s only port in the Indian Ocean that can create a new geostrategic balance in the region and solidify Iran’s position as a central player in the regional economy.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: The crisis of legitimacy of the Israeli regime, both internationally and domestically, has become one of its main challenges during the two years of relentless crime in Gaza. The Zionist regime, once considered a strategic ally of the West and particularly the United States, has now clearly lost its legitimacy due to committing unprecedented massacres, escalating settlement activities, and racist behavior. This trend has led Arab and Islamic countries, and even some former allies, to view the Zionist regime as the leading cause of regional instability and to level widespread criticism against its policies.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior West Asia affairs analyst stated that recent developments in West Asia indicate that the region’s security equations have entered a new stage. The Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, as a security shock, has made the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf aware of new vulnerabilities and forced them to reconsider their defense strategies. Now, relying on American security guarantees no longer seems sufficient, because emerging regional threats have become more complex and multi-layered than in the past. In this context, Pakistan, with its special position as the only atomic power in the Islamic world, has quickly found a strategic place in the security calculations of the Arab countries. The signing of the strategic defense agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad, followed by a military cooperation meeting between Bahrain and Pakistan in Manama, indicates an increasing trend in security convergence. These cooperations are defined not only to strengthen joint deterrence and counter potential threats, especially from the Israeli regime, but also indicate a shift in the balance of power in the region. Pakistan’s entry into the West Asian equations could have broader implications; on the one hand, it could reduce America’s monopoly on providing regional security, and on the other hand, it could create new axes of cooperation among Islamic powers. Thus, by moving closer to Islamabad, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are seeking to develop an indigenous defense shield which, in addition to guaranteeing their own security, sends a clear message to regional rivals: the power equations are being rewritten and new actors have entered the scene.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the ‘Indus Waters Treaty’, along with climate data indicating the depletion of freshwater resources in various parts of the world, show that transboundary water resources in the 21st century are rapidly transforming from a technical and developmental issue into a strategic and even security variable.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior international relations analyst stated that the recent visit of Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, to New Delhi is not merely a routine diplomatic meeting; rather, it represents a decisive point in the geopolitical equations of South Asia and even the new global order. After four years of tension and distrust stemming from deadly border clashes in Ladakh and Beijing’s full-throated support for Islamabad during the four-day India-Pakistan war, Beijing and New Delhi are now moving towards economic and political reconciliation under circumstances where external variables, including Trump’s tariff pressures and India’s closeness to Russia, have complicated the equation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent visit of the President of Iran to Islamabad, which went beyond a conventional diplomatic meeting, is regarded as a fundamental step towards deepening and expanding bilateral strategic relations as well as influencing the regional balance of power. This visit took place at a time when the region and the world are witnessing rapid and complex developments, and Iran seeks to redefine and strengthen its axes of cooperation with its traditional and regional partners.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior analyst on South Asian affairs stated that after a period of escalating tensions, which led to the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and a downgrade in diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul, the two sides have strategically resumed relations at the ambassador level. This development, which followed high-level consultations and coincided with an informal trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China in Beijing, signals a shared willingness to rebuild trust and deepen security and economic cooperation. This diplomatic shift must be understood as the result of intersecting security, economic, and geopolitical factors.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The U.S. stance on the tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi was based on urging restraint from both sides, as the United States fears Pakistan may grow closer to China and act as a strategic pivot in anti-American equations.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On April 25, 2025, a terrorist incident occurred in the Pahalgam region of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government immediately blamed Pakistan-backed Kashmiri groups for the incident.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An economic affairs expert said, “Chabahar is Iran’s only port in the Indian Ocean that can create a new geostrategic balance in the region and solidify Iran’s position as a central player in the regional economy.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: The crisis of legitimacy of the Israeli regime, both internationally and domestically, has become one of its main challenges during the two years of relentless crime in Gaza. The Zionist regime, once considered a strategic ally of the West and particularly the United States, has now clearly lost its legitimacy due to committing unprecedented massacres, escalating settlement activities, and racist behavior. This trend has led Arab and Islamic countries, and even some former allies, to view the Zionist regime as the leading cause of regional instability and to level widespread criticism against its policies.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior West Asia affairs analyst stated that recent developments in West Asia indicate that the region’s security equations have entered a new stage. The Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, as a security shock, has made the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf aware of new vulnerabilities and forced them to reconsider their defense strategies. Now, relying on American security guarantees no longer seems sufficient, because emerging regional threats have become more complex and multi-layered than in the past. In this context, Pakistan, with its special position as the only atomic power in the Islamic world, has quickly found a strategic place in the security calculations of the Arab countries. The signing of the strategic defense agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad, followed by a military cooperation meeting between Bahrain and Pakistan in Manama, indicates an increasing trend in security convergence. These cooperations are defined not only to strengthen joint deterrence and counter potential threats, especially from the Israeli regime, but also indicate a shift in the balance of power in the region. Pakistan’s entry into the West Asian equations could have broader implications; on the one hand, it could reduce America’s monopoly on providing regional security, and on the other hand, it could create new axes of cooperation among Islamic powers. Thus, by moving closer to Islamabad, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are seeking to develop an indigenous defense shield which, in addition to guaranteeing their own security, sends a clear message to regional rivals: the power equations are being rewritten and new actors have entered the scene.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the ‘Indus Waters Treaty’, along with climate data indicating the depletion of freshwater resources in various parts of the world, show that transboundary water resources in the 21st century are rapidly transforming from a technical and developmental issue into a strategic and even security variable.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior international relations analyst stated that the recent visit of Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, to New Delhi is not merely a routine diplomatic meeting; rather, it represents a decisive point in the geopolitical equations of South Asia and even the new global order. After four years of tension and distrust stemming from deadly border clashes in Ladakh and Beijing’s full-throated support for Islamabad during the four-day India-Pakistan war, Beijing and New Delhi are now moving towards economic and political reconciliation under circumstances where external variables, including Trump’s tariff pressures and India’s closeness to Russia, have complicated the equation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent visit of the President of Iran to Islamabad, which went beyond a conventional diplomatic meeting, is regarded as a fundamental step towards deepening and expanding bilateral strategic relations as well as influencing the regional balance of power. This visit took place at a time when the region and the world are witnessing rapid and complex developments, and Iran seeks to redefine and strengthen its axes of cooperation with its traditional and regional partners.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior analyst on South Asian affairs stated that after a period of escalating tensions, which led to the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and a downgrade in diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul, the two sides have strategically resumed relations at the ambassador level. This development, which followed high-level consultations and coincided with an informal trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China in Beijing, signals a shared willingness to rebuild trust and deepen security and economic cooperation. This diplomatic shift must be understood as the result of intersecting security, economic, and geopolitical factors.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The U.S. stance on the tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi was based on urging restraint from both sides, as the United States fears Pakistan may grow closer to China and act as a strategic pivot in anti-American equations.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On April 25, 2025, a terrorist incident occurred in the Pahalgam region of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government immediately blamed Pakistan-backed Kashmiri groups for the incident.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An economic affairs expert said, “Chabahar is Iran’s only port in the Indian Ocean that can create a new geostrategic balance in the region and solidify Iran’s position as a central player in the regional economy.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: The crisis of legitimacy of the Israeli regime, both internationally and domestically, has become one of its main challenges during the two years of relentless crime in Gaza. The Zionist regime, once considered a strategic ally of the West and particularly the United States, has now clearly lost its legitimacy due to committing unprecedented massacres, escalating settlement activities, and racist behavior. This trend has led Arab and Islamic countries, and even some former allies, to view the Zionist regime as the leading cause of regional instability and to level widespread criticism against its policies.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior West Asia affairs analyst stated that recent developments in West Asia indicate that the region’s security equations have entered a new stage. The Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, as a security shock, has made the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf aware of new vulnerabilities and forced them to reconsider their defense strategies. Now, relying on American security guarantees no longer seems sufficient, because emerging regional threats have become more complex and multi-layered than in the past. In this context, Pakistan, with its special position as the only atomic power in the Islamic world, has quickly found a strategic place in the security calculations of the Arab countries. The signing of the strategic defense agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad, followed by a military cooperation meeting between Bahrain and Pakistan in Manama, indicates an increasing trend in security convergence. These cooperations are defined not only to strengthen joint deterrence and counter potential threats, especially from the Israeli regime, but also indicate a shift in the balance of power in the region. Pakistan’s entry into the West Asian equations could have broader implications; on the one hand, it could reduce America’s monopoly on providing regional security, and on the other hand, it could create new axes of cooperation among Islamic powers. Thus, by moving closer to Islamabad, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are seeking to develop an indigenous defense shield which, in addition to guaranteeing their own security, sends a clear message to regional rivals: the power equations are being rewritten and new actors have entered the scene.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the ‘Indus Waters Treaty’, along with climate data indicating the depletion of freshwater resources in various parts of the world, show that transboundary water resources in the 21st century are rapidly transforming from a technical and developmental issue into a strategic and even security variable.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior international relations analyst stated that the recent visit of Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, to New Delhi is not merely a routine diplomatic meeting; rather, it represents a decisive point in the geopolitical equations of South Asia and even the new global order. After four years of tension and distrust stemming from deadly border clashes in Ladakh and Beijing’s full-throated support for Islamabad during the four-day India-Pakistan war, Beijing and New Delhi are now moving towards economic and political reconciliation under circumstances where external variables, including Trump’s tariff pressures and India’s closeness to Russia, have complicated the equation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent visit of the President of Iran to Islamabad, which went beyond a conventional diplomatic meeting, is regarded as a fundamental step towards deepening and expanding bilateral strategic relations as well as influencing the regional balance of power. This visit took place at a time when the region and the world are witnessing rapid and complex developments, and Iran seeks to redefine and strengthen its axes of cooperation with its traditional and regional partners.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior analyst on South Asian affairs stated that after a period of escalating tensions, which led to the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and a downgrade in diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul, the two sides have strategically resumed relations at the ambassador level. This development, which followed high-level consultations and coincided with an informal trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China in Beijing, signals a shared willingness to rebuild trust and deepen security and economic cooperation. This diplomatic shift must be understood as the result of intersecting security, economic, and geopolitical factors.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The U.S. stance on the tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi was based on urging restraint from both sides, as the United States fears Pakistan may grow closer to China and act as a strategic pivot in anti-American equations.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On April 25, 2025, a terrorist incident occurred in the Pahalgam region of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government immediately blamed Pakistan-backed Kashmiri groups for the incident.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An economic affairs expert said, “Chabahar is Iran’s only port in the Indian Ocean that can create a new geostrategic balance in the region and solidify Iran’s position as a central player in the regional economy.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: The crisis of legitimacy of the Israeli regime, both internationally and domestically, has become one of its main challenges during the two years of relentless crime in Gaza. The Zionist regime, once considered a strategic ally of the West and particularly the United States, has now clearly lost its legitimacy due to committing unprecedented massacres, escalating settlement activities, and racist behavior. This trend has led Arab and Islamic countries, and even some former allies, to view the Zionist regime as the leading cause of regional instability and to level widespread criticism against its policies.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior West Asia affairs analyst stated that recent developments in West Asia indicate that the region’s security equations have entered a new stage. The Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, as a security shock, has made the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf aware of new vulnerabilities and forced them to reconsider their defense strategies. Now, relying on American security guarantees no longer seems sufficient, because emerging regional threats have become more complex and multi-layered than in the past. In this context, Pakistan, with its special position as the only atomic power in the Islamic world, has quickly found a strategic place in the security calculations of the Arab countries. The signing of the strategic defense agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad, followed by a military cooperation meeting between Bahrain and Pakistan in Manama, indicates an increasing trend in security convergence. These cooperations are defined not only to strengthen joint deterrence and counter potential threats, especially from the Israeli regime, but also indicate a shift in the balance of power in the region. Pakistan’s entry into the West Asian equations could have broader implications; on the one hand, it could reduce America’s monopoly on providing regional security, and on the other hand, it could create new axes of cooperation among Islamic powers. Thus, by moving closer to Islamabad, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are seeking to develop an indigenous defense shield which, in addition to guaranteeing their own security, sends a clear message to regional rivals: the power equations are being rewritten and new actors have entered the scene.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the ‘Indus Waters Treaty’, along with climate data indicating the depletion of freshwater resources in various parts of the world, show that transboundary water resources in the 21st century are rapidly transforming from a technical and developmental issue into a strategic and even security variable.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior international relations analyst stated that the recent visit of Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, to New Delhi is not merely a routine diplomatic meeting; rather, it represents a decisive point in the geopolitical equations of South Asia and even the new global order. After four years of tension and distrust stemming from deadly border clashes in Ladakh and Beijing’s full-throated support for Islamabad during the four-day India-Pakistan war, Beijing and New Delhi are now moving towards economic and political reconciliation under circumstances where external variables, including Trump’s tariff pressures and India’s closeness to Russia, have complicated the equation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent visit of the President of Iran to Islamabad, which went beyond a conventional diplomatic meeting, is regarded as a fundamental step towards deepening and expanding bilateral strategic relations as well as influencing the regional balance of power. This visit took place at a time when the region and the world are witnessing rapid and complex developments, and Iran seeks to redefine and strengthen its axes of cooperation with its traditional and regional partners.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior analyst on South Asian affairs stated that after a period of escalating tensions, which led to the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and a downgrade in diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul, the two sides have strategically resumed relations at the ambassador level. This development, which followed high-level consultations and coincided with an informal trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China in Beijing, signals a shared willingness to rebuild trust and deepen security and economic cooperation. This diplomatic shift must be understood as the result of intersecting security, economic, and geopolitical factors.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The U.S. stance on the tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi was based on urging restraint from both sides, as the United States fears Pakistan may grow closer to China and act as a strategic pivot in anti-American equations.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On April 25, 2025, a terrorist incident occurred in the Pahalgam region of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government immediately blamed Pakistan-backed Kashmiri groups for the incident.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An economic affairs expert said, “Chabahar is Iran’s only port in the Indian Ocean that can create a new geostrategic balance in the region and solidify Iran’s position as a central player in the regional economy.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: The crisis of legitimacy of the Israeli regime, both internationally and domestically, has become one of its main challenges during the two years of relentless crime in Gaza. The Zionist regime, once considered a strategic ally of the West and particularly the United States, has now clearly lost its legitimacy due to committing unprecedented massacres, escalating settlement activities, and racist behavior. This trend has led Arab and Islamic countries, and even some former allies, to view the Zionist regime as the leading cause of regional instability and to level widespread criticism against its policies.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior West Asia affairs analyst stated that recent developments in West Asia indicate that the region’s security equations have entered a new stage. The Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, as a security shock, has made the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf aware of new vulnerabilities and forced them to reconsider their defense strategies. Now, relying on American security guarantees no longer seems sufficient, because emerging regional threats have become more complex and multi-layered than in the past. In this context, Pakistan, with its special position as the only atomic power in the Islamic world, has quickly found a strategic place in the security calculations of the Arab countries. The signing of the strategic defense agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad, followed by a military cooperation meeting between Bahrain and Pakistan in Manama, indicates an increasing trend in security convergence. These cooperations are defined not only to strengthen joint deterrence and counter potential threats, especially from the Israeli regime, but also indicate a shift in the balance of power in the region. Pakistan’s entry into the West Asian equations could have broader implications; on the one hand, it could reduce America’s monopoly on providing regional security, and on the other hand, it could create new axes of cooperation among Islamic powers. Thus, by moving closer to Islamabad, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are seeking to develop an indigenous defense shield which, in addition to guaranteeing their own security, sends a clear message to regional rivals: the power equations are being rewritten and new actors have entered the scene.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the ‘Indus Waters Treaty’, along with climate data indicating the depletion of freshwater resources in various parts of the world, show that transboundary water resources in the 21st century are rapidly transforming from a technical and developmental issue into a strategic and even security variable.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior international relations analyst stated that the recent visit of Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, to New Delhi is not merely a routine diplomatic meeting; rather, it represents a decisive point in the geopolitical equations of South Asia and even the new global order. After four years of tension and distrust stemming from deadly border clashes in Ladakh and Beijing’s full-throated support for Islamabad during the four-day India-Pakistan war, Beijing and New Delhi are now moving towards economic and political reconciliation under circumstances where external variables, including Trump’s tariff pressures and India’s closeness to Russia, have complicated the equation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent visit of the President of Iran to Islamabad, which went beyond a conventional diplomatic meeting, is regarded as a fundamental step towards deepening and expanding bilateral strategic relations as well as influencing the regional balance of power. This visit took place at a time when the region and the world are witnessing rapid and complex developments, and Iran seeks to redefine and strengthen its axes of cooperation with its traditional and regional partners.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior analyst on South Asian affairs stated that after a period of escalating tensions, which led to the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and a downgrade in diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul, the two sides have strategically resumed relations at the ambassador level. This development, which followed high-level consultations and coincided with an informal trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China in Beijing, signals a shared willingness to rebuild trust and deepen security and economic cooperation. This diplomatic shift must be understood as the result of intersecting security, economic, and geopolitical factors.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The U.S. stance on the tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi was based on urging restraint from both sides, as the United States fears Pakistan may grow closer to China and act as a strategic pivot in anti-American equations.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On April 25, 2025, a terrorist incident occurred in the Pahalgam region of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government immediately blamed Pakistan-backed Kashmiri groups for the incident.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An economic affairs expert said, “Chabahar is Iran’s only port in the Indian Ocean that can create a new geostrategic balance in the region and solidify Iran’s position as a central player in the regional economy.”
Online Strategic Council – Interview: The crisis of legitimacy of the Israeli regime, both internationally and domestically, has become one of its main challenges during the two years of relentless crime in Gaza. The Zionist regime, once considered a strategic ally of the West and particularly the United States, has now clearly lost its legitimacy due to committing unprecedented massacres, escalating settlement activities, and racist behavior. This trend has led Arab and Islamic countries, and even some former allies, to view the Zionist regime as the leading cause of regional instability and to level widespread criticism against its policies.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior West Asia affairs analyst stated that recent developments in West Asia indicate that the region’s security equations have entered a new stage. The Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, as a security shock, has made the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf aware of new vulnerabilities and forced them to reconsider their defense strategies. Now, relying on American security guarantees no longer seems sufficient, because emerging regional threats have become more complex and multi-layered than in the past. In this context, Pakistan, with its special position as the only atomic power in the Islamic world, has quickly found a strategic place in the security calculations of the Arab countries. The signing of the strategic defense agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad, followed by a military cooperation meeting between Bahrain and Pakistan in Manama, indicates an increasing trend in security convergence. These cooperations are defined not only to strengthen joint deterrence and counter potential threats, especially from the Israeli regime, but also indicate a shift in the balance of power in the region. Pakistan’s entry into the West Asian equations could have broader implications; on the one hand, it could reduce America’s monopoly on providing regional security, and on the other hand, it could create new axes of cooperation among Islamic powers. Thus, by moving closer to Islamabad, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are seeking to develop an indigenous defense shield which, in addition to guaranteeing their own security, sends a clear message to regional rivals: the power equations are being rewritten and new actors have entered the scene.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the ‘Indus Waters Treaty’, along with climate data indicating the depletion of freshwater resources in various parts of the world, show that transboundary water resources in the 21st century are rapidly transforming from a technical and developmental issue into a strategic and even security variable.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A senior international relations analyst stated that the recent visit of Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, to New Delhi is not merely a routine diplomatic meeting; rather, it represents a decisive point in the geopolitical equations of South Asia and even the new global order. After four years of tension and distrust stemming from deadly border clashes in Ladakh and Beijing’s full-throated support for Islamabad during the four-day India-Pakistan war, Beijing and New Delhi are now moving towards economic and political reconciliation under circumstances where external variables, including Trump’s tariff pressures and India’s closeness to Russia, have complicated the equation.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The recent visit of the President of Iran to Islamabad, which went beyond a conventional diplomatic meeting, is regarded as a fundamental step towards deepening and expanding bilateral strategic relations as well as influencing the regional balance of power. This visit took place at a time when the region and the world are witnessing rapid and complex developments, and Iran seeks to redefine and strengthen its axes of cooperation with its traditional and regional partners.
Strategic Council Online– Interview: A senior analyst on South Asian affairs stated that after a period of escalating tensions, which led to the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and a downgrade in diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul, the two sides have strategically resumed relations at the ambassador level. This development, which followed high-level consultations and coincided with an informal trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China in Beijing, signals a shared willingness to rebuild trust and deepen security and economic cooperation. This diplomatic shift must be understood as the result of intersecting security, economic, and geopolitical factors.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The U.S. stance on the tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi was based on urging restraint from both sides, as the United States fears Pakistan may grow closer to China and act as a strategic pivot in anti-American equations.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On April 25, 2025, a terrorist incident occurred in the Pahalgam region of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government immediately blamed Pakistan-backed Kashmiri groups for the incident.
SCFR Online – Interview: The signing of the Makkah agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey has raised questions about the future of the region’s security structure and the position of these countries in West Asian equations. Can this agreement become a genuine collective defense mechanism, or does it have more of a political and deterrent function than creating new military capacity?
SCFR Online – Opinion: The continuation of the US war against Iran, in addition to increasing operational costs, has called into question the actual capacity of the American arsenal to simultaneously fulfill security commitments on multiple fronts; an issue that affects deterrence, defense production capacity, and Washington’s resource prioritization.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Russia-Ukraine war and the war of the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran have been formed with different objectives and actors, but field and political developments indicate that they are not entirely separate from one another.
SCFR Online – Opinion: On Friday, August 7, the heads of state of three countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – signed a text under the title “Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.”
Strategic Council Online – Note: The initiative to revive the Hejaz Railway, beyond being a transportation project, constitutes an attempt to redefine geopolitics, the economy, and Turkey’s regional position; however, its realization appears to face significant financial, security, and institutional challenges.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The Strait of Hormuz crisis is no longer merely the consequence of a military confrontation, but rather a sign of the transition from the US-centered maritime order to a new energy security structure involving the participation of emerging and influential powers.
SCFR Online – Opinion: Iran’s active deterrence strategy, while increasing the costs of US intervention, has increasingly exposed the hidden rifts between Washington’s interests and those of the Israeli regime.
SCFR Online – Opinion: The escalation of verbal and strategic tensions between Turkey and the Israeli regime, although not increasing the likelihood of direct war, indicates the formation of a new order in West Asian geopolitical rivalries.