537 results found
New Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's emphasis on political moderation and ending Iran's isolation is drawing attention to the potential reconciliation between Tehran and some of its Arab Gulf neighbours. He has also raised hopes for a productive engagement between Tehran and the West.
Mohammad bin Salman's ascent to the second most important position in the kingdom will reinforce Saudi Arabia's newly assertive foreign policy.
Amidst the growing distrust of the US and the absence of domestic capabilities to confront a rising Iran, the Saudis are determined to strengthen their regional alliances, especially the historic partnership with Pakistan.
The SCO is critical for India to advance its priorities for peace and prosperity in its northern periphery and broader Eurasia.
Moscow is interested in continuing the SCO's expansion — primarily by making Iran a member.
Iran has indicated that it is willing to call it quits, but will respond strongly if Israel retaliates
US wants out and so, the attraction for a Chinese presence in the region has been growing
In a constantly-evolving discourse and a politically and economically disruptive world, new ideas will demand a greater control over Modi’s actions.
A consignment of over 100 tonnes of explosives, carried in six shipping containers. The ship was bound for Bander Abbas in Iran where the consignment was to be unlaoded and moved overland from Iran to Jaranz in Afghanistan since Pakistan does not permit such cargo to be sent from India over its territory. The consigment was of commercial grade explosives meant for use by Border Road Organization (BRO) for road construction.
Both internal as well as external skepticism about the Rajapaksa government's warmth towards 'hard-line' countries like Pakistan, China and Iran is bound to grow with the impending visit of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmedinejad.
News and analyses from South Asia this week.
The self-goal could have been avoided, but the ruling party saw the emerging warning signals with eyes wide shut. Some party sections clearly felt they were clever enough to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, and that religious polarisation in domestic politics could work to electoral advantage even as the PM and his diplomats wooed the Muslim nations of the Gulf. Perhaps, they don’t recognise that we live in an interconnected world, w
As a follow-up to the impeachment motion passed by Parliament by a two-thirds majority, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has sacked the nation's Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake.
In the heat and dust kicked off by issues such as the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, Sri Lanka missed what could well have emerged as a national discourse on an issue of equal, if not greater import.
This return to business as usual is reflective of the wariness on both sides to escalate the crisis further and prevent it from metastasising into a new front of conflict.
The TAPI pipeline is not merely about economics. Geo-political concerns have played a crucial role in pushing the project, especially the deteriorating US-Iran relationship, amongst others. Two US companies have evinced also keen interest.
The existing stalemate between Iran and the US is not going to last forever. The situation is probably going to get far worse, before it gets better.
The U.S. and Iran are muddying the waters with accusations and counter-accusations
Saeed Naqvi, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, traveled to Bahrain, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, Baghdad, Najaf, Amman, Cairo, Jerusalem and Ramallah after the Arab Spring broke out. Earlier, he visited Tunisia, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Western Sahara and Libya. In this paper, he shares his first-hand experiences and discussions with leaders and diplomats, many of whom have requested anonymity. This paper follows
What is the future of the India-backed port at Chabahar in Iran?
While West Asia is volatile, the Chinese are beginning to get more active in Afghanistan, retain their pre-eminence in Pakistan and strengthen ties with Iran. In fact, Iran is the third leg of China?s policy in our immediate western neighbourhood. The Chinese are obviously making preparations for the time when peace returns to the Arab world, which might leave a stronger Iran.
Many in the Chinese strategic circles believe that although West Asia is significant for China, it should lay low and let US get embroiled in the regi
The inner circle ensconced inside Trump Tower is either in chaos, or making good on its promise to smash the entrenched system to pieces.
In the past, India has managed a successful balancing act in a tripolar West Asia. Now, the restructuring of West Asia’s geopolitical landscape has
Closer home, the Great Power Game will be played in the unstable fields of Ayatollahs' Iran, a Talibanised Afghanistan, whose leaders have their own world view, and a Sunni radicalised nuclearised Pakistan. The main contestants will be China and the US and our strategic planners may have to start planning for an uncertain future.
The I2U2 grouping could be a game-changer in the region as it provides a platform for all the member states to outline new areas of cooperation.
The interesting thing is that almost all the current crop of leaders who enjoy connect with their people at the regional level are prime ministerial aspirants in 2014. Everyone is positioning himself or herself in subtle ways already.
Major global powers like Russia and China and regional powers like Iran are now ready to embrace the Taliban — in their own interest, but ostensibly
Given the complexity of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, Russia will most likely expand its diplomatic efforts to bring the tensions to
The ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict demands a delicate balance from Tokyo, as it navigates its relationships in the Middle East alongside its internatio
The growing influence of non-state militant actors in the global order needs to be scrutinised
It has become fashionable to forget the support that Hamas received from Israel during its formative years in the 1980s.
The threat posed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy to the Strait of Hormuz is real, but exaggerated. Its advantages in open, asymmetric warfare wo
Tunisia, Eygpt, Syria?events may seem to be following a pattern but the changing dynamics in West Asia point to far more complex political and strategic games being played: The US role, Saudi phobia, Israeli and Iranian intrigues. Oil. And, to top it all, the Shia-Sunni face-off. Is Turkey being lured in as a possible Joker in the pack? Welcome to another Great Game.
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to be complimented for her candour. Her press conference in Moscow with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov unavoidably focussed on Iran's nuclear plans and Mr. Lavrov said Iran had the right under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) to the nuclear fuel cycle. Dr. Rice said, "this is not a question of rights but whether or not the fuel cycle can be trusted in Iran."
A great power scramble for the Red Sea region is witnessed as recent geopolitical events have boosted the strategic relevance of the region.
