Al Sharq Strategic Research

‎"ليس السؤال اليوم ما إذا كان لبنان قد خرج من الحرب، بل ما إذا كان قد دخل فعلًا في مرحلة ما بعدها. فوقف إطلاق النار، في التجربة اللبنانية كما في تجارب المنطقة، لا يُنهي الصراع بقدر ما يعيد تشكيله. هو انتقال من مواجهة مكشوفة إلى صراع مُدار، ومن نار ظاهرة إلى توتر كامن، قابل للانفجار عند أول اختبار."

يمكنكم قراءة مقال الأستاذ خلدون الشريف، المستشار في مركز الحوار الإنساني، كاملا على موقعنا عبر الرابط التالي 👇🏻
‏🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/ar/2026/04/25/%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%86-%d9%87%d8%af%d9%86%d8%a9-%d9%87%d8%b4%d9%91%d8%a9-%d9%88%d8%aa%d9%81%d8%a7%d9%88%d8%b6-%d9%85%d9%84%d8%aa%d8%a8%d8%b3/

STEP’s growing acceptance among Western powers, especially the United States, suggests that the bloc is being seen less as an ideological counterweight and more as a pragmatic regional actor.

That matters in a region where relations between Islamic countries and the West have long been shaped by mistrust and polarization. Whether STEP can sustain this balance may define its broader regional role.

Read the full article in the link below 🔗👇
🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/2026/04/08/step-and-the-us-to-coordinate-for-a-new-regional-security-in-the-gulf/

STEP and the Possibility of a New Regional Bloc in the Middle East

For Moscow, the attack on Iran appears to confirm that confrontation with the United States and Europe is set to deepen rather than recede.

Even where tactical differences emerge within the West, Russia is unlikely to gain a meaningful strategic advantage from them. On the contrary, the crisis may reinforce Western alignment and contribute to an even harder European stance toward Moscow.

Read the full article in the link below 👇
🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/2026/04/08/where-does-russia-stand-in-the-war-imposed-on-iran-by-israel-and-the-us-duo/

Where Does Russia Stand in the War

STEP’s latest effort to broker peace between Iran and the United States is not just diplomacy. It reflects a deeper regional imperative shaped by geography, history, and shared security concerns.

For Iran’s neighbors, a prolonged conflict would carry direct consequences for regional stability, energy security, and sectarian balance.

Read the full article in the link below 👇
🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/2026/04/08/step-and-the-us-to-coordinate-for-a-new-regional-security-in-the-gulf/

STEP and the Possibility of a New Regional Bloc in the Middle East

Russia may be able to provide Iran with limited tactical support, but not at a level that could alter the broader course of the war.

Any such assistance would remain constrained in scale and impact, especially when compared with the collective military backing Ukraine receives from NATO. The gap is not only in weapons, but in the depth of strategic support.

Read the full article in the link below 👇
🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/2026/04/08/where-does-russia-stand-in-the-war-imposed-on-iran-by-israel-and-the-us-duo/

Where Does Russia Stand in the War

Behind closed doors, Russian officials reportedly acknowledge a troubling reality: there is no clear strategy if the war turns into a prolonged campaign of low-intensity strikes against Iran.

Such a scenario would not only deepen uncertainty around the conflict’s trajectory but also expose the limits of Moscow’s ability to shape events on the ground.

Read the full article in the link below. 👇
🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/2026/04/08/where-does-russia-stand-in-the-war-imposed-on-iran-by-israel-and-the-us-duo/

Where Does Russia Stand in the War

Moscow’s approach appears to be shifting from symbolic diplomacy to more tangible support for Tehran.

As the war deepens, Russia may seek to strengthen its position by aligning with Iran’s rising power centers and benefiting from shifting energy dynamics. Yet claims about the scale of this support still require careful scrutiny.

Read the full article in the link below 👇
🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/2026/04/08/where-does-russia-stand-in-the-war-imposed-on-iran-by-israel-and-the-us-duo/

Where Does Russia Stand

🚨 Last call to join!
📩 Send your CV and cover letter to: [email protected]

Tomorrow is the final deadline to apply for the Al Sharq Strategic Research Internship Program.

If you are passionate about research and interested in the MENA region, this is your chance to join a dynamic in-person program and gain valuable experience with Al Sharq Strategic Research.

📍 Location: Istanbul, Türkiye
📅 Application Deadline: Tomorrow — 20 April 2026
📩 Please send your CV and cover letter to: [email protected]

Submit your application before the deadline closes.

🇷🇺 روسيا والحرب على إيران: مكاسب تكتيكية أم مأزق استراتيجي!
📖 مقال للمحلل الروسي أنطون مارداسوف 🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/ar/2026/04/16/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d9%82%d9%81-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%b3%d9%8a-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%b1%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b3/

مع تصاعد الحرب الأمريكية–الإسرائيلية على إيران، تتحرك موسكو في مساحة معقدة بين دعم طهران والسعي لتحقيق مكاسب سياسية واقتصادية، دون الانزلاق إلى مواجهة مباشرة.

ورغم ما يبدو من فرص لصالح روسيا، مثل ارتفاع أسعار الطاقة وتحويل الانتباه عن أوكرانيا، إلا أن المشهد يحمل تحديات عميقة:
• محدودية فهم موسكو لديناميكيات القرار داخل إيران
• مخاطر تآكل علاقاتها مع الدول العربية
• غياب استراتيجية واضحة في حال تحوّل الحرب إلى استنزاف طويل

كما تكشف الحرب عن مفارقة أساسية:
➡️ دعم روسي متزايد لإيران
➡️ مقابل قدرة محدودة على التأثير في مسار الصراع

في المحصلة، تبدو روسيا أمام واقع مزدوج:
مكاسب قصيرة المدى… مقابل ضبابية استراتيجية طويلة المدى.

📖 اقرأ المقال كاملًا عبر الرابط التالي 👇
🔗 https://research.sharqforum.org/ar/2026/04/16/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d9%82%d9%81-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%b3%d9%8a-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%b1%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b3/

⏳ Only 3 days left!

Don’t miss the opportunity to apply for the Al Sharq Strategic Research Internship Program.
📍 Location: Istanbul, Türkiye
🗓 Application Deadline: 20 April 2026
📩 To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to: [email protected]

Make sure to submit your application before the deadline closes.

Could STEP evolve from a diplomatic platform into the foundation of a new regional bloc?

If cooperation among its member states succeeds in easing major regional tensions, the initiative may signal more than a temporary alignment. It could point to the emergence of a new political space in the Middle East, especially at a moment marked by Western division and the hesitancy of the global South.

📖 Read the full article by Omair Anas via the link below 👇
🔗 https://bit.ly/4ecrOhj