While long on aspiration and flourish, implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership has seemed short on substance, highlighting China’s long-held strategy of viewing Tehran as an expendable piece in its chess match with Washington.
A revived nuclear deal with Iran would untangle some energy knots while tightening others.
Reopening the U.S. financial system to Iran might be one incentive to offer Tehran in possible follow-on talks, subsequent to a restoration of the JCPOA. Yet, even if offered, this sanctions relief might be difficult to put into practice.
Recent diplomatic outreach shows varying degrees of momentum toward improving relations between Gulf Arab states and Iran. But is the momentum of this Gulf rapprochement dependent on the success of the Vienna nuclear talks?
Iran’s relationship with its eastern neighbors, Afghanistan and Pakistan, has become particularly important since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, which has significantly altered the regional geopolitical landscape.
The security dimension of the recent agreements between Turkey and the UAE shows an acknowledgment of the emerging shared threat perception stemming from the proliferation of pro-Iranian militias in the region.
Iran and the Gulf Arab states may be sincere in their attempts to reduce regional tensions, but the nuclear crisis casts dark clouds over the region’s security dynamics.
Although joining the quadrilateral talks risks upsetting relations with Tehran, New Delhi appears willing to take measured risks to counter what it perceives as its most potent and increasingly belligerent adversary, China.
Recent Iraqi governments have pushed for reintegration with the Arab world, but continuation of that trend depends on the next government.
For Iran’s new president, the acceptance into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an important diplomatic achievement as Raisi tries to bolster his image as a statesman and look toward the East for economic and strategic partnerships.
Learn MoreThrough its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.
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