The recent Oman talks reflect a remarkable shift in Iran’s negotiating behavior, with acceptance of expanding the scope of negotiations to include non-nuclear files that were previously considered red lines. This shift is due to the escalation of the US military threat, the decline of Iranian regional influence, and the …

As commendable as it may be that US President Donald J. Trump is apparently hoping that he can turn “swords into ploughshares,” the inclusion of avowedly pro-Islamist, pro-terrorist countries such as Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan in his so-called “Board of Peace” has all the potential thoroughly to undermine the American …

In August 2025, Vladimir Putin abolished the president’s office for cultural relations with foreign countries, which promoted “soft power” (and in fact, espionage), and instead created the presidential office for strategic partnership and cooperation (USPS). As The Insider found out, the structure and tasks of the new management are almost …

The file of northeastern Syria, defined by negotiations and clashes between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), is nearing a decisive stage, following a military operation that led to broad control by the Syrian army, backed by Arab tribes, across eastern Syria. While the war is being …

The U.S. is using diplomatic and economic carrots to project influence in a region that Russia has long regarded as its backyard. Vice President JD Vance visited Armenia and Azerbaijan from February 9 to 11, making him the highest-level U.S. official to visit either country. The trip signaled a sharper …

Damascus witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Chevron and the Qatar-based company Power International Holding on February 4. The goal of the new agreement is to push forward with the “development of the country’s first offshore oil and gas field,” Syrian state media SANA said. US special …

More than 2,000 Britons served in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) during the Gaza genocide, it can be revealed. The information was obtained by Declassified via a Freedom of Information request issued to the IDF by lawyer Elad Man from the NGO Hatzlacha. The data outlines the number of people …

Making the remarks on Monday, Jabbar-Ali Zakeri pointed to the increase in the number of the Chinese trains passing through Iran, and emphasized the need to reduce transportation costs between Iran and China in order to boost exports. A strategic economic imperative The emphasis on cost reduction comes at a …

The US National Defense Strategy published on January 23, 2026 (the 2026 NDS), demonstrates noticeable differences in how key national security challenges are defined compared to the document released just two months earlier. These discrepancies deserve close attention. No Taiwan Issue in the 2026 National Defense Strategy It is significant …

China is receiving a wave of high-profile visits by world leaders lately. At least five world leaders have visited Beijing in January alone. And the momentum continues on February. When The Guardian reported on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recently concluded China trip, it stated, “Starmer hopes his China trip …