Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Hamid Bahrami
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Iran war strategy: Peace through resistance
Three weeks into the war, Donald Trump finds himself trapped in a conflict of his own making. What was framed as a campaign of rapid coercion—measured in hours and ultimatums—is now unfolding on a timeline defined not in Washington, but in Tehran. For years, the conventional wisdom in Washington and…
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Iran protests: The tipping point that wasn’t
The January 2026 protests in Iran did not erupt from nowhere, and they did not come from the margins. They grew out of a long, layered accumulation of frustration: public anger over corruption among officials and affiliated oligarchs, a sense of economic incompetence, and the grinding experience of watching the…
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Iran’s buck-passing strategy in the Middle East
For much of the past decade, Iran’s regional strategy looked like a blunt answer to a simple question: how do you deter Israel and U.S.-aligned pressure without fighting a direct war you cannot control? The answer was to build depth, cultivate partners, and keep escalation ambiguous. That model is now…
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Diplomacy as deception: The West’s war on Iran was pre-planned
As bombs rain down on Iranian cities and missiles arc across the skies of the Middle East, we must speak plainly: this is not merely a war between Israel and Iran. It is a war against sovereignty, waged by an Israeli-Western coalition that has long sought to dismantle any state…
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Will Trump push Iran towards nuclear deterrence and the East, or open door to diplomacy?
As Iran confronts an evolving global order, marked by increasing Western pressure and shifting power dynamics, it faces some critical decision-making. To safeguard its security and interests, Iran seeks to recalibrate its foreign policy, pursuing its own nuclear deterrent and strategic alliances with China and Russia. These steps are not…
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Israel lost escalation dominance: What comes next?
Israel’s strategic position in the Middle East is under unprecedented strain following Iran’s ballistic missile attack on 1 October. The missile barrage, which followed Israel’s assassination of key Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) figures, demonstrates Tehran’s shifting strategy and its attempt to regain escalation dominance in the region.…
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Israel’s tactical gains, strategic losses and the security black hole
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, coupled with the war ostensibly against Hamas in Gaza, presents a complex battlefield where tactical victories mask growing strategic vulnerabilities. While Israel has achieved key military successes, such as the assassination of prominent Hezbollah and Hamas leaders and the destruction of critical infrastructure,…
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Geopolitical fault lines in the South Caucasus reveal a complex struggle for influence and control
As the war in Ukraine reshapes global geopolitics, the South Caucasus has emerged as a critical theatre in the broader contest between Russia and the West. The United States and the European Union have intensified efforts to reshape the region, countering Moscow’s influence and securing strategic gains. With recent developments…
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Why did Israel kill Ismail Haniyeh, and what could be the repercussions?
The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran has attracted significant international attention, highlighting the complexities of Iran’s internal and regional security dynamics. The killing underscores a potential deterioration in Iran’s internal security situation and signals a shift in the regional power balance. Israel’s manoeuvres, including the assassination of senior resistance…
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What does Iran’s Nuclear Policy look like with the new president?
As Iran stands on the brink of electing a new president, the future of its nuclear policy hangs in the balance. The collapse of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) following the United States’ abrupt withdrawal in 2018 has left a profound impact on Iran’s political landscape. The agreement,…
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Analysis: The strategic shift in Iranian public opinion on nuclear weapons
The recent surge in Iranian public support for nuclear weapons, as revealed by the IranPoll survey, can be significantly attributed to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the perceived actions of Israel. Many Iranians believe that, in a hypothetical war scenario between Iran and Israel, Israel would retaliate for battlefield…
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Reassessing US strategy in the Middle East: the rise of Iran and the overshadowed threat of China
In the complex tapestry of global geopolitics, the recent missile attack by Iran against Israeli targets marks a critical shift in the Middle East’s security paradigm. This event, far from being a deterrent act, signifies a new security balance in the region, heavily skewed in favour of Iran. This shift…