No Real Alliance for Iran and “Stans”: Iran’s Post-Soviet and Islamic Neighbors to the North-East Refuse to Join Its Confrontational Agenda

As tensions escalate between Iran and Israel, the regional implications extend beyond the immediate theater of conflict. This report examines the strategic calculus of Muslim-majority states bordering Iran to the northeast—particularly in Central and South Asia—which have thus far resisted alignment with Tehran’s most confrontational positions. Focusing on Pakistan's response, the analysis explores the geopolitical, sectarian, and domestic constraints shaping these countries' cautious stance toward Iran’s regional ambitions.

Russian Views on Israel’s Decision on Striking Iran’s Nuclear Program

The current article provides a glimpse into Russia’s reaction and comprehension of the 12-day war in the Middle East. Israel and the United States targeted Iran’s nuclear program to reduce the threat to the nuclear nonproliferation regime. However, Russian experts believe that this approach also carries the risk of favoring military force over diplomatic solutions.

Moscow’s Weakness Behind the Crisis With Baku

The events of June 27, in Yekaterinburg signify not just a mishandled law enforcement operation —they mark a potential turning point in post-Soviet regional order. The deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijani brothers during Russian police raids have exposed the limits of Moscow's traditional tools of influence and highlighted the growing assertiveness of its former allies.

Antisemitic Pogrom at Makhachkala Airport: 20 Months Later

On October 29, 2023, around 1,500 men carried out an antisemitic pogrom at Makhachkala’s Uytash Airport, storming the terminal and airfield, attacking property, and searching for Jews after a flight from Tel Aviv landed. Police failed to stop the violence, and twenty people were injured. In the months since, investigations have revealed more about the causes, actors, and implications of the incident, highlighting ongoing risks of antisemitic violence in the region.

Moldova’s Path to the EU: Accession or Integration? Part II. Transnistria: “Winter Is Coming”

The Moldovan government initiated a process—long anticipated by experts—to nationalize key energy assets of the republic, which until recently belonged to another state—Russia—not even a neighboring one.

BESA Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Digest No. 21 (June 2025)

In June 2025, the PSCR program published analytical papers on the political and economic developments in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Ukraine, and Russia.

Spontaneous Protests in Dagestan: Potential for Resistance or a Safety Valve?

Dagestan is one of the few Russian regions where grassroots protest activity remains persistent and visible, despite increasing pressure from the central government. These protests are driven by local grievances ranging from failing infrastructure to unresolved land disputes, and are typically fragmented, spontaneous, and low in impact. However, as this report demonstrates, under certain conditions, they can expose deeper systemic weaknesses and even catalyze broader unrest.

The Nuclear Dimensions of the War in Ukraine

Public "nuclear" fears associated with the war in Ukraine are largely related to the threat of tactical nuclear weapons use by Russia. However, the less visible "nuclear" dimension of the war—with more tangible impact—is the effect of the conflict on nuclear sites in Ukraine. This report explores how the conflict has placed Ukraine’s nuclear facilities at the center of a uniquely perilous dimension of modern warfare.

Reflection and Use of the Iran-Israel War in the South Caucasus

Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Israel have made it clear where the two main rivals in the South Caucasus — Azerbaijan and Armenia — stand. Monitoring of media and social networks in both countries shows that Baku immediately adopted a neutral position, merely expressing concern over the consequences of military actions. In contrast, Armenian state-affiliated outlets, parties, and diaspora organizations worldwide took a clearly pro-Iranian stance.

Russia-Ukraine War Did Not Stop. What Next?

Despite President Trump’s promise to quickly end the Russia–Ukraine war, the conflict continues, with Western support shifting toward enabling Russia’s defeat rather than just defending Ukraine. Ukrainian elites increasingly see the disintegration of Russia as a strategic goal, while the West begins to consider supporting decolonization movements alongside the traditional liberal opposition. Emerging risks include future instability from nationalist or Islamist-led post-Russian states, prompting a need for nuanced Western policy.

PSCRP