Mordechai Kedar


RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR to the UN Vassily Nebenzia addresses the Security Council last month. Iran will now be allowed to sell weapons and make military purchases from Russia, the writer states.

Dangerous Iranian-Russian ties: An expiring UNSC resolution puts the world at risk - opinion

RUSSIA’S PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin meets with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, China, last month. The bilateral partnership creates uncertainty for neighboring countries, the writer cautions.

From isolation to alliance: Russia and Iran seal a 20-year strategic pact - opinion

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during an interview in Tehran, Iran, August 28, 2025.

Opposition to cautious diplomacy: Iran's shift on the Zangezur Corridor - opinion


Baku's leverage: The Azerbaijani gas corridor and the Russian-Iranian connection - opinion

Azerbaijan’s role in the Russia-Iran gas corridor will be decisive. This initiative is not just an energy project but a strategic choice capable of reshaping the South Caucasus.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin meets Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, China, earlier this month. There’s a deepening Russian-Iranian political alignment, says the writer.

Why is Iran afraid of US influence in South Caucasus? - opinion

The corridor will include highways, railways, energy pipelines, and telecom infrastructure, enabling a direct Azerbaijan–Nakhchivan connection, bypassing Iran.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin meets with Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader near Moscow in 2018.

Armenia-Azerbaijan's agreement and the Zangezur Corridor's role in regional peace - opinion

The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity gives Washington the opportunity to counter Russian and Iranian influence in the South Caucasus.

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (left), and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan pose with their documents during the trilateral signing event at the White House earlier this month.

Azerbaijan, an Israel-Syria bridge of peace - opinion

Azerbaijan’s diplomatic rise is no coincidence. Years of energy-driven partnerships and strategic foresight have transformed Baku into a reliable regional actor.

Flag of Azerbaijan

Can federalism save Syria from collapse? – opinion

As militias tighten their grip and minority communities demand autonomy, federalism emerges not as a theory but as Syria’s last realistic chance to survive.

 The leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces signed a deal on March 11 with Syria’s new president Ahmed al-Sharaa

The Russia-Iran relationship is a fragile alliance of necessity, not conviction - opinion

The Russia-Iran relationship is, at its core, a partnership of convenience, not conviction, which will affect its longevity.

RUSSIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER Sergey Lavrov and Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi meet in Moscow in April. Russia and Iran are reeling under heavy international sanctions; these pressures have driven them into tighter economic and military cooperation, says the writer.

Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran: Redrawing strategic boundaries - opinion

Azerbaijan is helping to rewrite the geopolitical script of the South Caucasus through its evolving foreign policy.

 RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a meeting at the Kremlin last month. Azerbaijan has been redefining its traditional relationships with Russia and Iran, says the writer.

Khamenei’s personal hatred of Azerbaijan - opinion

The Islamic Republic of Iran's animosity toward Azerbaijan, an independent Shi'ite Muslim country, stems directly from its supreme leader.

 IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivers a televised message last month. One could argue that he despises Azerbaijan almost as much as he despises the US, says the writer.

The Iran-Israel war and Azerbaijan: a delicate balancing act - opinion

The Israel-Iran War may not have crossed into Azerbaijan’s borders physically, but its political tremors were deeply felt.

 THE AFTERMATH of an Israeli strike on a building in Tehran, June 2025.

Iran angered by Israel’s Eurovision success - opinion

The Iranian regime was enraged by Azerbaijan’s “douze points” to Israel.

 Yuval Raphael, representing Israel, performs "New Day Will Rise," during the Grand Final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, May 17, 2025