As Türkiye’s election season gains momentum and the primary presidential candidates emerge, Iran – one of Türkiye’s most important neighbors and regional competitors – is closely following this pivotal political event. Iranians from all walks of life, including politicians and policymakers, have been pondering two key questions for weeks: Who will emerge victorious in the forthcoming elections, and which of ...
The reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, mediated by China, reflects a change not only in the Middle East but also across the globe. And it is a vivid example to manifest China’s Global Security Initiative. The disputes between the two influential states of the Islamic world because of “sectarianism” were the most important policy used by the Atlantic forces ...
In a speech in 2016, Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei stated that the term ‘Middle East’ was a result of Western colonialism and that the term ‘West Asia’ should be used instead. The decision of Iran and Saudi Arabia to normalize the relations is, from Khamenei’s perspective, a step that speeds up the Middle East’s becoming West Asia. The impact ...
Western Eurasia is witnessing intensive diplomacy traffic. US Chairman of Chief of Staff, Mike Milley visited the – illegally deployed – US troops on Syrian soil, and the US Secretary of Defense toured West Asia. China has mediated the mutual reopening of the Iranian and Saudi Arabian embassies, while Israel faces domestic turmoil. Again Beijing has taken on the scene ...
By Dr. Yang Chen * Since Donald Trump came to power, the United States has shifted its strategy from war on terror to the great power competition with China and Russia. For the USA, China will be the most important strategic opponent that it needs to confront in a long-term and systematic manner, and positions China as the only country ...
By Dr. Yang Chen * From December 7 to 10, 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the first China-Arab States Summit, the first China-GCC Summit, and also paid a state visit to Saudi Arabia. This is the first trip of Chinese heads of state to the Middle East after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. President ...
Onur Sinan Güzaltan, United World International columnist, asked retired Russian diplomat and Middle East expert Vyacheslav Matuzov about the normalization steps between Türkiye and Syria. Matuzov, who has worked in Arab countries for many years, talked about Russia’s view on Türkiye and its Middle East strategy. Why is Russia mediating the negotiations between Türkiye and Syria? What is Moscow’s political ...
By Orçun Göktürk * In August 2021, in the days when the American troops withdrew from Afghanistan desperately and the 20-year occupation ended with the victory of the Afghan people, Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest arms importing countries, was signing a military cooperation agreement with the Russian Federation in Moscow. The moment when Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Defense Minister ...
By Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yuva * Recall the Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative (BMENA): In the early 1990s, Soviet Russia and the states subordinate to it collapsed. The US strongly penetrated the new states that broke away from the Soviet Union. Washington used the Fethullah Gulen Gladio, NGOs, Saudi funds and educational institutions in Türkiye very effectively to ...
The Ukraine crisis activated the political fault lines all over the world. Even though it is far from the conflict area, the Middle East is also affected by the “low-intensity war” between Russia and the USA taking place in Ukraine. The most visible proof of this situation are day-to-day more tense relations between Russia and Israel. This tension between Russia ...