Mordechai Kedar


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

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.

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

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

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


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

The road to normalization runs through Israel - opinion

With President Donald Trump in the White House, Azerbaijan hopes for a shift in American policy through stronger integration with Israel.

 TURKEY’S President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Istanbul last week. Syria has effectively became a Turkish proxy; now Israel and Turkey share a de facto border, turning a diplomatic rift into one with potential for military confrontation, the writer warns.

Azerbaijan, Israel likely to further expand cooperation in energy - opinion

Azerbaijan and Israel’s cooperation continues to grow, both through SOCAR’s purchase of a 10% stake in the Tamar field and its activities in gas exploration in Israel’s economic waters.

 ENERGY MINISTER Eli Cohen attends a Knesset Economic Affairs Committee meeting in December.