With the US-European alliance gasping for breath, the power structure that attempted to remake the Middle East repeatedly in recent decades is now breaking up. A new power paradigm is taking shape. Backed by Russia’s focused and coherent politics, Iran is emerging from its isolation.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Tehran on November 1, 2017, his visit held greater meaning than merely cementing the Russia-Iran alliance. It was the equivalent of a declaration of yet another ‘new world order’ in the Middle East, one that had little room for the US and would be led by Russia.
A turf war is underway throughout the Middle East. Emerging triumphant from Syria, Russia is hoping to consolidate its new power status in the region with the help of Iran. The US-Israel-Saudi axis is working diligently to counter the new, unwelcome reality, but with Trump’s lack of strategy and faltering US-western alliance, their chances at succeeding are quite dim.
But the fight over the ‘New Middle East’ is just getting started.
[ > Al Jazeera Centre For Studies — November 2017 ]
