New Eastern Politics

My comments for the Russian Lenta online newspaper, where I have argued that the closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would have significant, though indirect, consequences for the U.S. As a critical maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, its disruption would force global shipping, including oil and goods bound for Europe, to reroute around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope—raising transportation costs, delaying supply chains, and increasing global energy prices. While the U.S...

Today, #Iran has used a new type of missile or warhead in its latest attack on Tel Aviv, #Israel. It reportedly launched a single missile carrying 3-4 bombs, each weighing around 100 kg, causing significant damage to at least three buildings, according to Israeli officials. #MiddleEast

The longstanding Greater Israel plan is now being openly discussed for Lebanon where it's not about a "buffer zone" to push back attacks (technically unworkable anyway no matter the illegality or ultimate obtuseness), but instead it's about new settlements. Clarity: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-890444

The IRGC published a video of an American F-35 being hit by fire from an Iranian air defense system. This is the first time Iran has hit a manned aircraft and the first combat damage to an F-35 in the world. According to CNN, the aircraft withstood the hit and made an emergency landing at a US base.

#Iran's retaliation to #Israel was heavy tonight. Missiles targeted #Dimona (Where Israel's nuclear facilities are located) and Arad. According to Israeli media, hundreds of casualties have been recorded. Every time #Trump announces his victory over Tehran, Iran responds. #MiddleEast

The United States now faces an impending world system from which it once sought to isolate itself: a multipolar order it cannot dominate. Thomas Graham assesses US engagement in a multipolar world: https://go.iiss.org/402G4kt

My comments for Sputnik Globe on the attack on the South Pars Gas Field. I argued that the strike is not happening in isolation. In the past weeks, U.S.–Israeli operations largely focused on military targets, but now energy facilities have been explicitly added to the target set, signaling a shift toward economic warfare. The intention is to cause an economic crisis in Iran to push the people to rebel against the Iranian state. Continued economic warfare on both sides will trigger a global energ...

The United States is seeking to end Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, roiling global oil markets, but Britain’s Telegraph reports the greatest threat to shipping may be Tehran’s Ghadir-class midget submarines, built for stealth attacks in shallow waters https://bit.ly/4t0G40X #Iran #Hormuz #TinySubmarines #BigThreat #ynetGlobal #War

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/exclusive-how-hezbollah-rebuilt-while-enemies-declared-dead

Excellent analysis by @SamriddhiVij on why regime change in Iran is difficult. Samriddhi argues that the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February 2026, amid an unprecedented escalation of US-Israeli military strikes, prompted wide-ranging speculations regarding regime change. The assumption was that the fall of the Islamic Republic’s paramount authority would inevitably precipitate the collapse of the regime itself. Yet, as of mid-March 2026, the Iranian state has not f...