Strategic Council Online – Opinion: American-Zionist objectives in the region are not limited to weakening Hezbollah. Efforts to disarm Iraqi resistance groups such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces are also part of their subsequent plans.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: While Washington’s new strategic documents focus on competition with China and Russia, they also seek to transform West Asia into an arena for containing Iran through regional powers and asymmetric deterrence.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The agreement being formed between the European Union and India, aimed at creating a vast two-billion-person trade zone, will have geopolitical and economic consequences extending beyond mere trade.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: With a people-centric, low-cost model, India has opened a new path in artificial intelligence development that could inspire developing countries.
Strategic Council Online – Report: While the second phase of the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire has begun, the establishment of the “Peace Board” chaired by Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos meeting (22 January 2026) has become more than a technical mechanism for reconstruction and has turned into a test for the future of the international order.
Despite the signing of the charter by 22 out of 60 invited countries, the limited presence of global leaders at the Davos ceremony and the non-acceptance of this body by the European Union and key Western countries indicate a deep divide in global perceptions of the legitimacy of this mechanism.
In this report, drawing on the analysis of Hadi Borhani, a regional affairs expert, and international data, three strategic questions are addressed: Is the Peace Board an instrument for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 or a substitute for the United Nations? How does the hierarchical architecture of this committee intensify executive challenges in Gaza? And finally, can this body create sustainable peace without the cooperation of Palestinians and with the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual?
Online Strategic Council – Memoir: The swift selection of Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership constitutes a new phase in Iraq’s political sphere. Multiple factors have played a role in this process, the most important being the prevailing situation in Iraq and the region. Under such circumstances, Iraq requires a powerful and experienced prime minister who can keep the country away from the dangers of wars and crises.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Relations between some countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and Japan or China and Australia, which were previously relatively normal, are trending towards deterioration, and the primary reason for this is the aggressive policies of the United States of America.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the decline of the liberal international order began in 2008. Although the liberal international order still governs international relations, an order is emerging to replace it, based on competition among major powers.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional security researcher said: If the security of the Persian Gulf becomes an area of cooperation among governments, many political and security misunderstandings will also be eliminated.
Strategic Council Online– Opinion: Erdogan’s strategic visit to the Persian Gulf creates an opportunity to strengthen Turkey’s regional role, alongside the economic consequences.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An expert on Persian Gulf regional issues stated: The White House recently announced that Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The order states that U.S. policy is to deter and respond to any external attack on Qatar’s security and territorial integrity.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior Egyptian affairs analyst stated that Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with the Zionist regime in 1979, has now adopted a new strategy due to concerns about the regime’s expansionist policies. The developments following the 2023 Gaza war revealed that Tel Aviv, with the unconditional support of the United States, seeks to alter the balance of power in West Asia —a matter that has compelled Cairo to expand its relations with Iran and Turkey, two significant regional powers. By holding joint military exercises with Turkey, mediating in Iran’s nuclear dossier, and seeking military and technological cooperation, Egypt is trying to prevent the Zionists’ hegemony in the region. Although the formation of a trilateral military alliance seems unlikely for now, Cairo’s rapprochement with Tehran and Ankara is considered a potential threat to the Israeli regime. In fact, in the face of regional pressures and border crises, Egypt is seeking to create a strategic balance to curb Tel Aviv’s influence and enhance its own position in the West Asian equations.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional affairs expert stated that Europe has taken no action to increase political, economic, and security pressure on the Israeli regime to counter its genocide in Gaza, and it is unlikely to take any action in this regard in the future, although even at this level, support for Palestine and opposition to the crimes and genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza are unprecedented in Europe.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Contrary to the Trump administration’s claim that it was unaware of and had no role in the Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, the reality is that the Zionist regime, with the U.S. green light, targeted a country that was a pioneer in normalizing relations with this regime. It is a given that the Zionist regime, especially regarding military and security actions against a U.S. ally, takes no action without coordination with the U.S. government.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: The United Nations Security Council recently, in an emergency meeting, condemned the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha and, in a joint statement, called for an immediate cessation of tensions and full respect for Qatar’s national sovereignty. This statement, issued by consensus of all 15 Security Council members, while declaring solidarity with Qatar and speaking about the victimization of civilians and the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza, did not mention the Israeli regime by name; a silence that itself carries contradictory messages. In other words, this statement was more of a political message to Tel Aviv than a legally binding instrument against the Israeli regime, stating that the international community considers attacking peace mediators a red line. However, currently, there is no will to exert practical pressure on this regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the Israeli regime’s airstrike on Qatar, under the pretext of targeting Hamas leaders, could be a turning point in the security and diplomatic equations of the Persian Gulf. This action not only challenged Qatar’s sovereignty but also raised questions about the security of the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council. Given that the Israeli regime is considered a close ally of the United States, this aggression has heightened sensitivities and increased doubts about Washington’s commitment to ensuring the security and protection of its regional partners. Under such circumstances, Iran can pursue regional dialogues and cooperation in the Persian Gulf, considering the Arab countries’ concerns about the ineffectiveness of American security guarantees. On the other hand, the Israeli regime’s aggression against Qatar has practically endangered normalization agreements, including the Abraham Accords, and reduced the chances of developing cooperation between Tel Aviv and some Arab countries. Internal pressure on the UAE and Bahrain to reconsider their relations with this regime has increased. Thus, the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha has not only complicated the security equations but also plunged the region’s political and diplomatic prospects into a complex phase, indicating that regional actors must reconsider traditional approaches dependent on extra-regional powers.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: American-Zionist objectives in the region are not limited to weakening Hezbollah. Efforts to disarm Iraqi resistance groups such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces are also part of their subsequent plans.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: While Washington’s new strategic documents focus on competition with China and Russia, they also seek to transform West Asia into an arena for containing Iran through regional powers and asymmetric deterrence.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The agreement being formed between the European Union and India, aimed at creating a vast two-billion-person trade zone, will have geopolitical and economic consequences extending beyond mere trade.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: With a people-centric, low-cost model, India has opened a new path in artificial intelligence development that could inspire developing countries.
Strategic Council Online – Report: While the second phase of the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire has begun, the establishment of the “Peace Board” chaired by Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos meeting (22 January 2026) has become more than a technical mechanism for reconstruction and has turned into a test for the future of the international order.
Despite the signing of the charter by 22 out of 60 invited countries, the limited presence of global leaders at the Davos ceremony and the non-acceptance of this body by the European Union and key Western countries indicate a deep divide in global perceptions of the legitimacy of this mechanism.
In this report, drawing on the analysis of Hadi Borhani, a regional affairs expert, and international data, three strategic questions are addressed: Is the Peace Board an instrument for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 or a substitute for the United Nations? How does the hierarchical architecture of this committee intensify executive challenges in Gaza? And finally, can this body create sustainable peace without the cooperation of Palestinians and with the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual?
Online Strategic Council – Memoir: The swift selection of Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership constitutes a new phase in Iraq’s political sphere. Multiple factors have played a role in this process, the most important being the prevailing situation in Iraq and the region. Under such circumstances, Iraq requires a powerful and experienced prime minister who can keep the country away from the dangers of wars and crises.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Relations between some countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and Japan or China and Australia, which were previously relatively normal, are trending towards deterioration, and the primary reason for this is the aggressive policies of the United States of America.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the decline of the liberal international order began in 2008. Although the liberal international order still governs international relations, an order is emerging to replace it, based on competition among major powers.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional security researcher said: If the security of the Persian Gulf becomes an area of cooperation among governments, many political and security misunderstandings will also be eliminated.
Strategic Council Online– Opinion: Erdogan’s strategic visit to the Persian Gulf creates an opportunity to strengthen Turkey’s regional role, alongside the economic consequences.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An expert on Persian Gulf regional issues stated: The White House recently announced that Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The order states that U.S. policy is to deter and respond to any external attack on Qatar’s security and territorial integrity.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior Egyptian affairs analyst stated that Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with the Zionist regime in 1979, has now adopted a new strategy due to concerns about the regime’s expansionist policies. The developments following the 2023 Gaza war revealed that Tel Aviv, with the unconditional support of the United States, seeks to alter the balance of power in West Asia —a matter that has compelled Cairo to expand its relations with Iran and Turkey, two significant regional powers. By holding joint military exercises with Turkey, mediating in Iran’s nuclear dossier, and seeking military and technological cooperation, Egypt is trying to prevent the Zionists’ hegemony in the region. Although the formation of a trilateral military alliance seems unlikely for now, Cairo’s rapprochement with Tehran and Ankara is considered a potential threat to the Israeli regime. In fact, in the face of regional pressures and border crises, Egypt is seeking to create a strategic balance to curb Tel Aviv’s influence and enhance its own position in the West Asian equations.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional affairs expert stated that Europe has taken no action to increase political, economic, and security pressure on the Israeli regime to counter its genocide in Gaza, and it is unlikely to take any action in this regard in the future, although even at this level, support for Palestine and opposition to the crimes and genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza are unprecedented in Europe.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Contrary to the Trump administration’s claim that it was unaware of and had no role in the Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, the reality is that the Zionist regime, with the U.S. green light, targeted a country that was a pioneer in normalizing relations with this regime. It is a given that the Zionist regime, especially regarding military and security actions against a U.S. ally, takes no action without coordination with the U.S. government.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: The United Nations Security Council recently, in an emergency meeting, condemned the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha and, in a joint statement, called for an immediate cessation of tensions and full respect for Qatar’s national sovereignty. This statement, issued by consensus of all 15 Security Council members, while declaring solidarity with Qatar and speaking about the victimization of civilians and the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza, did not mention the Israeli regime by name; a silence that itself carries contradictory messages. In other words, this statement was more of a political message to Tel Aviv than a legally binding instrument against the Israeli regime, stating that the international community considers attacking peace mediators a red line. However, currently, there is no will to exert practical pressure on this regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the Israeli regime’s airstrike on Qatar, under the pretext of targeting Hamas leaders, could be a turning point in the security and diplomatic equations of the Persian Gulf. This action not only challenged Qatar’s sovereignty but also raised questions about the security of the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council. Given that the Israeli regime is considered a close ally of the United States, this aggression has heightened sensitivities and increased doubts about Washington’s commitment to ensuring the security and protection of its regional partners. Under such circumstances, Iran can pursue regional dialogues and cooperation in the Persian Gulf, considering the Arab countries’ concerns about the ineffectiveness of American security guarantees. On the other hand, the Israeli regime’s aggression against Qatar has practically endangered normalization agreements, including the Abraham Accords, and reduced the chances of developing cooperation between Tel Aviv and some Arab countries. Internal pressure on the UAE and Bahrain to reconsider their relations with this regime has increased. Thus, the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha has not only complicated the security equations but also plunged the region’s political and diplomatic prospects into a complex phase, indicating that regional actors must reconsider traditional approaches dependent on extra-regional powers.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional security researcher said: If the security of the Persian Gulf becomes an area of cooperation among governments, many political and security misunderstandings will also be eliminated.
Strategic Council Online– Opinion: Erdogan’s strategic visit to the Persian Gulf creates an opportunity to strengthen Turkey’s regional role, alongside the economic consequences.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An expert on Persian Gulf regional issues stated: The White House recently announced that Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The order states that U.S. policy is to deter and respond to any external attack on Qatar’s security and territorial integrity.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior Egyptian affairs analyst stated that Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with the Zionist regime in 1979, has now adopted a new strategy due to concerns about the regime’s expansionist policies. The developments following the 2023 Gaza war revealed that Tel Aviv, with the unconditional support of the United States, seeks to alter the balance of power in West Asia —a matter that has compelled Cairo to expand its relations with Iran and Turkey, two significant regional powers. By holding joint military exercises with Turkey, mediating in Iran’s nuclear dossier, and seeking military and technological cooperation, Egypt is trying to prevent the Zionists’ hegemony in the region. Although the formation of a trilateral military alliance seems unlikely for now, Cairo’s rapprochement with Tehran and Ankara is considered a potential threat to the Israeli regime. In fact, in the face of regional pressures and border crises, Egypt is seeking to create a strategic balance to curb Tel Aviv’s influence and enhance its own position in the West Asian equations.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional affairs expert stated that Europe has taken no action to increase political, economic, and security pressure on the Israeli regime to counter its genocide in Gaza, and it is unlikely to take any action in this regard in the future, although even at this level, support for Palestine and opposition to the crimes and genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza are unprecedented in Europe.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Contrary to the Trump administration’s claim that it was unaware of and had no role in the Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, the reality is that the Zionist regime, with the U.S. green light, targeted a country that was a pioneer in normalizing relations with this regime. It is a given that the Zionist regime, especially regarding military and security actions against a U.S. ally, takes no action without coordination with the U.S. government.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: The United Nations Security Council recently, in an emergency meeting, condemned the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha and, in a joint statement, called for an immediate cessation of tensions and full respect for Qatar’s national sovereignty. This statement, issued by consensus of all 15 Security Council members, while declaring solidarity with Qatar and speaking about the victimization of civilians and the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza, did not mention the Israeli regime by name; a silence that itself carries contradictory messages. In other words, this statement was more of a political message to Tel Aviv than a legally binding instrument against the Israeli regime, stating that the international community considers attacking peace mediators a red line. However, currently, there is no will to exert practical pressure on this regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the Israeli regime’s airstrike on Qatar, under the pretext of targeting Hamas leaders, could be a turning point in the security and diplomatic equations of the Persian Gulf. This action not only challenged Qatar’s sovereignty but also raised questions about the security of the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council. Given that the Israeli regime is considered a close ally of the United States, this aggression has heightened sensitivities and increased doubts about Washington’s commitment to ensuring the security and protection of its regional partners. Under such circumstances, Iran can pursue regional dialogues and cooperation in the Persian Gulf, considering the Arab countries’ concerns about the ineffectiveness of American security guarantees. On the other hand, the Israeli regime’s aggression against Qatar has practically endangered normalization agreements, including the Abraham Accords, and reduced the chances of developing cooperation between Tel Aviv and some Arab countries. Internal pressure on the UAE and Bahrain to reconsider their relations with this regime has increased. Thus, the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha has not only complicated the security equations but also plunged the region’s political and diplomatic prospects into a complex phase, indicating that regional actors must reconsider traditional approaches dependent on extra-regional powers.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: American-Zionist objectives in the region are not limited to weakening Hezbollah. Efforts to disarm Iraqi resistance groups such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces are also part of their subsequent plans.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: While Washington’s new strategic documents focus on competition with China and Russia, they also seek to transform West Asia into an arena for containing Iran through regional powers and asymmetric deterrence.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The agreement being formed between the European Union and India, aimed at creating a vast two-billion-person trade zone, will have geopolitical and economic consequences extending beyond mere trade.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: With a people-centric, low-cost model, India has opened a new path in artificial intelligence development that could inspire developing countries.
Strategic Council Online – Report: While the second phase of the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire has begun, the establishment of the “Peace Board” chaired by Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos meeting (22 January 2026) has become more than a technical mechanism for reconstruction and has turned into a test for the future of the international order.
Despite the signing of the charter by 22 out of 60 invited countries, the limited presence of global leaders at the Davos ceremony and the non-acceptance of this body by the European Union and key Western countries indicate a deep divide in global perceptions of the legitimacy of this mechanism.
In this report, drawing on the analysis of Hadi Borhani, a regional affairs expert, and international data, three strategic questions are addressed: Is the Peace Board an instrument for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 or a substitute for the United Nations? How does the hierarchical architecture of this committee intensify executive challenges in Gaza? And finally, can this body create sustainable peace without the cooperation of Palestinians and with the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual?
Online Strategic Council – Memoir: The swift selection of Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership constitutes a new phase in Iraq’s political sphere. Multiple factors have played a role in this process, the most important being the prevailing situation in Iraq and the region. Under such circumstances, Iraq requires a powerful and experienced prime minister who can keep the country away from the dangers of wars and crises.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Relations between some countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and Japan or China and Australia, which were previously relatively normal, are trending towards deterioration, and the primary reason for this is the aggressive policies of the United States of America.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the decline of the liberal international order began in 2008. Although the liberal international order still governs international relations, an order is emerging to replace it, based on competition among major powers.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional security researcher said: If the security of the Persian Gulf becomes an area of cooperation among governments, many political and security misunderstandings will also be eliminated.
Strategic Council Online– Opinion: Erdogan’s strategic visit to the Persian Gulf creates an opportunity to strengthen Turkey’s regional role, alongside the economic consequences.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An expert on Persian Gulf regional issues stated: The White House recently announced that Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The order states that U.S. policy is to deter and respond to any external attack on Qatar’s security and territorial integrity.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior Egyptian affairs analyst stated that Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with the Zionist regime in 1979, has now adopted a new strategy due to concerns about the regime’s expansionist policies. The developments following the 2023 Gaza war revealed that Tel Aviv, with the unconditional support of the United States, seeks to alter the balance of power in West Asia —a matter that has compelled Cairo to expand its relations with Iran and Turkey, two significant regional powers. By holding joint military exercises with Turkey, mediating in Iran’s nuclear dossier, and seeking military and technological cooperation, Egypt is trying to prevent the Zionists’ hegemony in the region. Although the formation of a trilateral military alliance seems unlikely for now, Cairo’s rapprochement with Tehran and Ankara is considered a potential threat to the Israeli regime. In fact, in the face of regional pressures and border crises, Egypt is seeking to create a strategic balance to curb Tel Aviv’s influence and enhance its own position in the West Asian equations.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional affairs expert stated that Europe has taken no action to increase political, economic, and security pressure on the Israeli regime to counter its genocide in Gaza, and it is unlikely to take any action in this regard in the future, although even at this level, support for Palestine and opposition to the crimes and genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza are unprecedented in Europe.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Contrary to the Trump administration’s claim that it was unaware of and had no role in the Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, the reality is that the Zionist regime, with the U.S. green light, targeted a country that was a pioneer in normalizing relations with this regime. It is a given that the Zionist regime, especially regarding military and security actions against a U.S. ally, takes no action without coordination with the U.S. government.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: The United Nations Security Council recently, in an emergency meeting, condemned the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha and, in a joint statement, called for an immediate cessation of tensions and full respect for Qatar’s national sovereignty. This statement, issued by consensus of all 15 Security Council members, while declaring solidarity with Qatar and speaking about the victimization of civilians and the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza, did not mention the Israeli regime by name; a silence that itself carries contradictory messages. In other words, this statement was more of a political message to Tel Aviv than a legally binding instrument against the Israeli regime, stating that the international community considers attacking peace mediators a red line. However, currently, there is no will to exert practical pressure on this regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the Israeli regime’s airstrike on Qatar, under the pretext of targeting Hamas leaders, could be a turning point in the security and diplomatic equations of the Persian Gulf. This action not only challenged Qatar’s sovereignty but also raised questions about the security of the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council. Given that the Israeli regime is considered a close ally of the United States, this aggression has heightened sensitivities and increased doubts about Washington’s commitment to ensuring the security and protection of its regional partners. Under such circumstances, Iran can pursue regional dialogues and cooperation in the Persian Gulf, considering the Arab countries’ concerns about the ineffectiveness of American security guarantees. On the other hand, the Israeli regime’s aggression against Qatar has practically endangered normalization agreements, including the Abraham Accords, and reduced the chances of developing cooperation between Tel Aviv and some Arab countries. Internal pressure on the UAE and Bahrain to reconsider their relations with this regime has increased. Thus, the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha has not only complicated the security equations but also plunged the region’s political and diplomatic prospects into a complex phase, indicating that regional actors must reconsider traditional approaches dependent on extra-regional powers.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: American-Zionist objectives in the region are not limited to weakening Hezbollah. Efforts to disarm Iraqi resistance groups such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces are also part of their subsequent plans.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: While Washington’s new strategic documents focus on competition with China and Russia, they also seek to transform West Asia into an arena for containing Iran through regional powers and asymmetric deterrence.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The agreement being formed between the European Union and India, aimed at creating a vast two-billion-person trade zone, will have geopolitical and economic consequences extending beyond mere trade.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: With a people-centric, low-cost model, India has opened a new path in artificial intelligence development that could inspire developing countries.
Strategic Council Online – Report: While the second phase of the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire has begun, the establishment of the “Peace Board” chaired by Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos meeting (22 January 2026) has become more than a technical mechanism for reconstruction and has turned into a test for the future of the international order.
Despite the signing of the charter by 22 out of 60 invited countries, the limited presence of global leaders at the Davos ceremony and the non-acceptance of this body by the European Union and key Western countries indicate a deep divide in global perceptions of the legitimacy of this mechanism.
In this report, drawing on the analysis of Hadi Borhani, a regional affairs expert, and international data, three strategic questions are addressed: Is the Peace Board an instrument for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 or a substitute for the United Nations? How does the hierarchical architecture of this committee intensify executive challenges in Gaza? And finally, can this body create sustainable peace without the cooperation of Palestinians and with the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual?
Online Strategic Council – Memoir: The swift selection of Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership constitutes a new phase in Iraq’s political sphere. Multiple factors have played a role in this process, the most important being the prevailing situation in Iraq and the region. Under such circumstances, Iraq requires a powerful and experienced prime minister who can keep the country away from the dangers of wars and crises.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Relations between some countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and Japan or China and Australia, which were previously relatively normal, are trending towards deterioration, and the primary reason for this is the aggressive policies of the United States of America.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the decline of the liberal international order began in 2008. Although the liberal international order still governs international relations, an order is emerging to replace it, based on competition among major powers.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional security researcher said: If the security of the Persian Gulf becomes an area of cooperation among governments, many political and security misunderstandings will also be eliminated.
Strategic Council Online– Opinion: Erdogan’s strategic visit to the Persian Gulf creates an opportunity to strengthen Turkey’s regional role, alongside the economic consequences.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An expert on Persian Gulf regional issues stated: The White House recently announced that Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The order states that U.S. policy is to deter and respond to any external attack on Qatar’s security and territorial integrity.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior Egyptian affairs analyst stated that Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with the Zionist regime in 1979, has now adopted a new strategy due to concerns about the regime’s expansionist policies. The developments following the 2023 Gaza war revealed that Tel Aviv, with the unconditional support of the United States, seeks to alter the balance of power in West Asia —a matter that has compelled Cairo to expand its relations with Iran and Turkey, two significant regional powers. By holding joint military exercises with Turkey, mediating in Iran’s nuclear dossier, and seeking military and technological cooperation, Egypt is trying to prevent the Zionists’ hegemony in the region. Although the formation of a trilateral military alliance seems unlikely for now, Cairo’s rapprochement with Tehran and Ankara is considered a potential threat to the Israeli regime. In fact, in the face of regional pressures and border crises, Egypt is seeking to create a strategic balance to curb Tel Aviv’s influence and enhance its own position in the West Asian equations.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional affairs expert stated that Europe has taken no action to increase political, economic, and security pressure on the Israeli regime to counter its genocide in Gaza, and it is unlikely to take any action in this regard in the future, although even at this level, support for Palestine and opposition to the crimes and genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza are unprecedented in Europe.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Contrary to the Trump administration’s claim that it was unaware of and had no role in the Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, the reality is that the Zionist regime, with the U.S. green light, targeted a country that was a pioneer in normalizing relations with this regime. It is a given that the Zionist regime, especially regarding military and security actions against a U.S. ally, takes no action without coordination with the U.S. government.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: The United Nations Security Council recently, in an emergency meeting, condemned the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha and, in a joint statement, called for an immediate cessation of tensions and full respect for Qatar’s national sovereignty. This statement, issued by consensus of all 15 Security Council members, while declaring solidarity with Qatar and speaking about the victimization of civilians and the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza, did not mention the Israeli regime by name; a silence that itself carries contradictory messages. In other words, this statement was more of a political message to Tel Aviv than a legally binding instrument against the Israeli regime, stating that the international community considers attacking peace mediators a red line. However, currently, there is no will to exert practical pressure on this regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the Israeli regime’s airstrike on Qatar, under the pretext of targeting Hamas leaders, could be a turning point in the security and diplomatic equations of the Persian Gulf. This action not only challenged Qatar’s sovereignty but also raised questions about the security of the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council. Given that the Israeli regime is considered a close ally of the United States, this aggression has heightened sensitivities and increased doubts about Washington’s commitment to ensuring the security and protection of its regional partners. Under such circumstances, Iran can pursue regional dialogues and cooperation in the Persian Gulf, considering the Arab countries’ concerns about the ineffectiveness of American security guarantees. On the other hand, the Israeli regime’s aggression against Qatar has practically endangered normalization agreements, including the Abraham Accords, and reduced the chances of developing cooperation between Tel Aviv and some Arab countries. Internal pressure on the UAE and Bahrain to reconsider their relations with this regime has increased. Thus, the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha has not only complicated the security equations but also plunged the region’s political and diplomatic prospects into a complex phase, indicating that regional actors must reconsider traditional approaches dependent on extra-regional powers.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: American-Zionist objectives in the region are not limited to weakening Hezbollah. Efforts to disarm Iraqi resistance groups such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces are also part of their subsequent plans.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: While Washington’s new strategic documents focus on competition with China and Russia, they also seek to transform West Asia into an arena for containing Iran through regional powers and asymmetric deterrence.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The agreement being formed between the European Union and India, aimed at creating a vast two-billion-person trade zone, will have geopolitical and economic consequences extending beyond mere trade.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: With a people-centric, low-cost model, India has opened a new path in artificial intelligence development that could inspire developing countries.
Strategic Council Online – Report: While the second phase of the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire has begun, the establishment of the “Peace Board” chaired by Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos meeting (22 January 2026) has become more than a technical mechanism for reconstruction and has turned into a test for the future of the international order.
Despite the signing of the charter by 22 out of 60 invited countries, the limited presence of global leaders at the Davos ceremony and the non-acceptance of this body by the European Union and key Western countries indicate a deep divide in global perceptions of the legitimacy of this mechanism.
In this report, drawing on the analysis of Hadi Borhani, a regional affairs expert, and international data, three strategic questions are addressed: Is the Peace Board an instrument for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 or a substitute for the United Nations? How does the hierarchical architecture of this committee intensify executive challenges in Gaza? And finally, can this body create sustainable peace without the cooperation of Palestinians and with the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual?
Online Strategic Council – Memoir: The swift selection of Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership constitutes a new phase in Iraq’s political sphere. Multiple factors have played a role in this process, the most important being the prevailing situation in Iraq and the region. Under such circumstances, Iraq requires a powerful and experienced prime minister who can keep the country away from the dangers of wars and crises.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Relations between some countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and Japan or China and Australia, which were previously relatively normal, are trending towards deterioration, and the primary reason for this is the aggressive policies of the United States of America.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the decline of the liberal international order began in 2008. Although the liberal international order still governs international relations, an order is emerging to replace it, based on competition among major powers.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional security researcher said: If the security of the Persian Gulf becomes an area of cooperation among governments, many political and security misunderstandings will also be eliminated.
Strategic Council Online– Opinion: Erdogan’s strategic visit to the Persian Gulf creates an opportunity to strengthen Turkey’s regional role, alongside the economic consequences.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An expert on Persian Gulf regional issues stated: The White House recently announced that Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The order states that U.S. policy is to deter and respond to any external attack on Qatar’s security and territorial integrity.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior Egyptian affairs analyst stated that Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with the Zionist regime in 1979, has now adopted a new strategy due to concerns about the regime’s expansionist policies. The developments following the 2023 Gaza war revealed that Tel Aviv, with the unconditional support of the United States, seeks to alter the balance of power in West Asia —a matter that has compelled Cairo to expand its relations with Iran and Turkey, two significant regional powers. By holding joint military exercises with Turkey, mediating in Iran’s nuclear dossier, and seeking military and technological cooperation, Egypt is trying to prevent the Zionists’ hegemony in the region. Although the formation of a trilateral military alliance seems unlikely for now, Cairo’s rapprochement with Tehran and Ankara is considered a potential threat to the Israeli regime. In fact, in the face of regional pressures and border crises, Egypt is seeking to create a strategic balance to curb Tel Aviv’s influence and enhance its own position in the West Asian equations.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional affairs expert stated that Europe has taken no action to increase political, economic, and security pressure on the Israeli regime to counter its genocide in Gaza, and it is unlikely to take any action in this regard in the future, although even at this level, support for Palestine and opposition to the crimes and genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza are unprecedented in Europe.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Contrary to the Trump administration’s claim that it was unaware of and had no role in the Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, the reality is that the Zionist regime, with the U.S. green light, targeted a country that was a pioneer in normalizing relations with this regime. It is a given that the Zionist regime, especially regarding military and security actions against a U.S. ally, takes no action without coordination with the U.S. government.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: The United Nations Security Council recently, in an emergency meeting, condemned the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha and, in a joint statement, called for an immediate cessation of tensions and full respect for Qatar’s national sovereignty. This statement, issued by consensus of all 15 Security Council members, while declaring solidarity with Qatar and speaking about the victimization of civilians and the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza, did not mention the Israeli regime by name; a silence that itself carries contradictory messages. In other words, this statement was more of a political message to Tel Aviv than a legally binding instrument against the Israeli regime, stating that the international community considers attacking peace mediators a red line. However, currently, there is no will to exert practical pressure on this regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the Israeli regime’s airstrike on Qatar, under the pretext of targeting Hamas leaders, could be a turning point in the security and diplomatic equations of the Persian Gulf. This action not only challenged Qatar’s sovereignty but also raised questions about the security of the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council. Given that the Israeli regime is considered a close ally of the United States, this aggression has heightened sensitivities and increased doubts about Washington’s commitment to ensuring the security and protection of its regional partners. Under such circumstances, Iran can pursue regional dialogues and cooperation in the Persian Gulf, considering the Arab countries’ concerns about the ineffectiveness of American security guarantees. On the other hand, the Israeli regime’s aggression against Qatar has practically endangered normalization agreements, including the Abraham Accords, and reduced the chances of developing cooperation between Tel Aviv and some Arab countries. Internal pressure on the UAE and Bahrain to reconsider their relations with this regime has increased. Thus, the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha has not only complicated the security equations but also plunged the region’s political and diplomatic prospects into a complex phase, indicating that regional actors must reconsider traditional approaches dependent on extra-regional powers.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: American-Zionist objectives in the region are not limited to weakening Hezbollah. Efforts to disarm Iraqi resistance groups such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces are also part of their subsequent plans.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: While Washington’s new strategic documents focus on competition with China and Russia, they also seek to transform West Asia into an arena for containing Iran through regional powers and asymmetric deterrence.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The agreement being formed between the European Union and India, aimed at creating a vast two-billion-person trade zone, will have geopolitical and economic consequences extending beyond mere trade.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: With a people-centric, low-cost model, India has opened a new path in artificial intelligence development that could inspire developing countries.
Strategic Council Online – Report: While the second phase of the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire has begun, the establishment of the “Peace Board” chaired by Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos meeting (22 January 2026) has become more than a technical mechanism for reconstruction and has turned into a test for the future of the international order.
Despite the signing of the charter by 22 out of 60 invited countries, the limited presence of global leaders at the Davos ceremony and the non-acceptance of this body by the European Union and key Western countries indicate a deep divide in global perceptions of the legitimacy of this mechanism.
In this report, drawing on the analysis of Hadi Borhani, a regional affairs expert, and international data, three strategic questions are addressed: Is the Peace Board an instrument for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 or a substitute for the United Nations? How does the hierarchical architecture of this committee intensify executive challenges in Gaza? And finally, can this body create sustainable peace without the cooperation of Palestinians and with the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual?
Online Strategic Council – Memoir: The swift selection of Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership constitutes a new phase in Iraq’s political sphere. Multiple factors have played a role in this process, the most important being the prevailing situation in Iraq and the region. Under such circumstances, Iraq requires a powerful and experienced prime minister who can keep the country away from the dangers of wars and crises.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Relations between some countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and Japan or China and Australia, which were previously relatively normal, are trending towards deterioration, and the primary reason for this is the aggressive policies of the United States of America.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the decline of the liberal international order began in 2008. Although the liberal international order still governs international relations, an order is emerging to replace it, based on competition among major powers.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional security researcher said: If the security of the Persian Gulf becomes an area of cooperation among governments, many political and security misunderstandings will also be eliminated.
Strategic Council Online– Opinion: Erdogan’s strategic visit to the Persian Gulf creates an opportunity to strengthen Turkey’s regional role, alongside the economic consequences.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: An expert on Persian Gulf regional issues stated: The White House recently announced that Trump signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatar’s security. The order states that U.S. policy is to deter and respond to any external attack on Qatar’s security and territorial integrity.
Online Strategic Council – Interview: A senior Egyptian affairs analyst stated that Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with the Zionist regime in 1979, has now adopted a new strategy due to concerns about the regime’s expansionist policies. The developments following the 2023 Gaza war revealed that Tel Aviv, with the unconditional support of the United States, seeks to alter the balance of power in West Asia —a matter that has compelled Cairo to expand its relations with Iran and Turkey, two significant regional powers. By holding joint military exercises with Turkey, mediating in Iran’s nuclear dossier, and seeking military and technological cooperation, Egypt is trying to prevent the Zionists’ hegemony in the region. Although the formation of a trilateral military alliance seems unlikely for now, Cairo’s rapprochement with Tehran and Ankara is considered a potential threat to the Israeli regime. In fact, in the face of regional pressures and border crises, Egypt is seeking to create a strategic balance to curb Tel Aviv’s influence and enhance its own position in the West Asian equations.
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.
Online Strategic Council – Dialogue: After October 7, 2023, and the start of the cycle of killing and aggression by the Israeli regime, the equations of the Middle East entered a new and more complex stage. This development not only altered the security and diplomatic balances but also impacted the region’s geopolitical structure, and over the past two years, has led to the emergence of a new regional architecture. Today, the Middle East has become a multi-layered arena with changing conflicts and alliances.
The Gaza crisis and the reaction of public opinion in the region’s countries have also altered the internal calculations of governments and put their foreign policies under pressure from public opinion. The wave of official recognition of the state of Palestine, along with the experience of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran and Tehran’s decisive response, has made the current situation completely different from the past. It appears that in the near future, the new regional architecture will require multilateral interactions and a redefinition of power relations beyond traditional equations.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: A regional affairs expert stated that Europe has taken no action to increase political, economic, and security pressure on the Israeli regime to counter its genocide in Gaza, and it is unlikely to take any action in this regard in the future, although even at this level, support for Palestine and opposition to the crimes and genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza are unprecedented in Europe.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Contrary to the Trump administration’s claim that it was unaware of and had no role in the Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar, the reality is that the Zionist regime, with the U.S. green light, targeted a country that was a pioneer in normalizing relations with this regime. It is a given that the Zionist regime, especially regarding military and security actions against a U.S. ally, takes no action without coordination with the U.S. government.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated: The United Nations Security Council recently, in an emergency meeting, condemned the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha and, in a joint statement, called for an immediate cessation of tensions and full respect for Qatar’s national sovereignty. This statement, issued by consensus of all 15 Security Council members, while declaring solidarity with Qatar and speaking about the victimization of civilians and the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza, did not mention the Israeli regime by name; a silence that itself carries contradictory messages. In other words, this statement was more of a political message to Tel Aviv than a legally binding instrument against the Israeli regime, stating that the international community considers attacking peace mediators a red line. However, currently, there is no will to exert practical pressure on this regime.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs analyst stated that the Israeli regime’s airstrike on Qatar, under the pretext of targeting Hamas leaders, could be a turning point in the security and diplomatic equations of the Persian Gulf. This action not only challenged Qatar’s sovereignty but also raised questions about the security of the member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council. Given that the Israeli regime is considered a close ally of the United States, this aggression has heightened sensitivities and increased doubts about Washington’s commitment to ensuring the security and protection of its regional partners. Under such circumstances, Iran can pursue regional dialogues and cooperation in the Persian Gulf, considering the Arab countries’ concerns about the ineffectiveness of American security guarantees. On the other hand, the Israeli regime’s aggression against Qatar has practically endangered normalization agreements, including the Abraham Accords, and reduced the chances of developing cooperation between Tel Aviv and some Arab countries. Internal pressure on the UAE and Bahrain to reconsider their relations with this regime has increased. Thus, the Israeli regime’s attack on Doha has not only complicated the security equations but also plunged the region’s political and diplomatic prospects into a complex phase, indicating that regional actors must reconsider traditional approaches dependent on extra-regional powers.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: American-Zionist objectives in the region are not limited to weakening Hezbollah. Efforts to disarm Iraqi resistance groups such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces are also part of their subsequent plans.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: While Washington’s new strategic documents focus on competition with China and Russia, they also seek to transform West Asia into an arena for containing Iran through regional powers and asymmetric deterrence.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The agreement being formed between the European Union and India, aimed at creating a vast two-billion-person trade zone, will have geopolitical and economic consequences extending beyond mere trade.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: With a people-centric, low-cost model, India has opened a new path in artificial intelligence development that could inspire developing countries.
Strategic Council Online – Report: While the second phase of the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire has begun, the establishment of the “Peace Board” chaired by Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos meeting (22 January 2026) has become more than a technical mechanism for reconstruction and has turned into a test for the future of the international order.
Despite the signing of the charter by 22 out of 60 invited countries, the limited presence of global leaders at the Davos ceremony and the non-acceptance of this body by the European Union and key Western countries indicate a deep divide in global perceptions of the legitimacy of this mechanism.
In this report, drawing on the analysis of Hadi Borhani, a regional affairs expert, and international data, three strategic questions are addressed: Is the Peace Board an instrument for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 or a substitute for the United Nations? How does the hierarchical architecture of this committee intensify executive challenges in Gaza? And finally, can this body create sustainable peace without the cooperation of Palestinians and with the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual?
Online Strategic Council – Memoir: The swift selection of Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership constitutes a new phase in Iraq’s political sphere. Multiple factors have played a role in this process, the most important being the prevailing situation in Iraq and the region. Under such circumstances, Iraq requires a powerful and experienced prime minister who can keep the country away from the dangers of wars and crises.
Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Relations between some countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and Japan or China and Australia, which were previously relatively normal, are trending towards deterioration, and the primary reason for this is the aggressive policies of the United States of America.
Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert stated that the decline of the liberal international order began in 2008. Although the liberal international order still governs international relations, an order is emerging to replace it, based on competition among major powers.