Iran and Central Asian Countries: New Partners in Iranian Policy (part 2)

The revolutionary rhetoric and practices corresponding to the “second stage of the Islamic Revolution” proclaimed by IRI leaders two decades ago have in some cases proved unproductive in building Tehran’s bilateral relations with a number of Muslim states. This includes post-Soviet Central Asia.

Iran in Post-Soviet Central Asia (part 1)

Iran has been an active player in Central Asia for more than three decades, arguing for its special role in the development of the post-Soviet states of this sub-region — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. For Iran, the existence of ties with Central Asian states is a continuation of centuries-old traditions of historical and cultural relations interrupted during the Soviet era.

The Caucasus: Regional Security Crossroads at the Beginning of 2024

The policies of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, as well as their foreign policy orientations, play a key role in shaping regional security and stability in the region. The problem is that the South Caucasus has never been a unified geopolitical space throughout its modern history.

Hungarian Irredentism in Transcarpathia

At this point, it appears that tensions between Ukraine and Hungary related to the situation of the Hungarian ethnic minority in Transcarpathia are by no means over. It seems that it could be significantly eased if Ukraine is accepted by the EU with the opening of borders and harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with EU norms concerning the rights of linguistic and ethnic minorities.

Complex Equation: Positions of Central Asian States and Societies in the Gaza Conflict

Israel is perceived as an important part of the Western, American-centric world. Consequently, relations with Israel are seen as a component of an intricate set of strategies in the multi-vector foreign policy of Central Asian governments. This policy aims to maintain a delicate balance, primarily in the triangle of relations among the three key powers in Eurasia: China, Russia and the West.

BESA Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Digest No. 5 (February 2024)

In February 2024, the materials prepared by the Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Program at BESA covered a wide array of countries and sub-regions, including Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, Armenia, and Central Asian states, focusing on both internal and external aspects of political development.

French Policy in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe vs Israeli interests

It is likely that France does not have enough resources to prioritize both Ukraine and Armenia at the same time. Concentrating on two tracks at once, especially when resources are scarce, may lead to their inefficient allocation across both tracks.

Casus Belli: The Reaction in Post-Soviet Countries to Putin’s Interview with Carlson

In his interview with Tucker Carlson, President Vladimir Putin provided justification for his policy toward Ukraine. In particular, considerable attention was paid to Putin's interpretation of history. It is quite obvious that Putin's interpretation of the events in Ukraine was enthusiastically supported by the official Russian press. In Ukraine itself it was received extremely negatively. The perception of this interview in other post-Soviet countries is somewhat more complicated.

Concerning the Law “On the Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine”: the Inevitable Conflict After the War

The interests of the Crimean Tatar national movement, which seeks to establish a full-fledged national-territorial autonomy, and Ukraine as a unitary state do not coincide. After the return of Crimea to Ukrainian control, a conflict between them is inevitable,

Balancing Policy: Official Positions of the Central Asian States on the Gaza War

The countries of Central Asia cooperate closely with Israel, primarily in the economic sphere. Following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, all Central Asian countries issued statements expressing “concern” about the escalation around the Gaza Strip. At the United Nations, the Central Asian countries, albeit cautiously, joined the majority that did not support Israel. On December 12, Central Asian countries (except Turkmenistan yet again) supported a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for humanitarian purposes. Israel's representative at the UN deemed this resolution hypocritical as it did not mention the Hamas attack on Israel.

PSCRP