Rising tensions between the United States and Iran, Israel’s military operations across the region, and the ongoing confrontation along the Lebanese front remain among the main issues on the international agenda. Although diplomatic contacts continue, the failure to reach a concrete agreement increases the risk of new military escalation and keeps the region in a state of “neither peace nor full-scale war.”
Political analyst Ahmad Shahidov stated in his interview with ARB24 Television that the Middle East is currently experiencing not a classic diplomatic crisis, but a phase of simultaneous military confrontation and parallel negotiations: “The United States is trying to limit Iran’s nuclear program and its regional influence, while Tehran demands the lifting of sanctions and security guarantees. Although negotiations formally continue, there is no serious trust between the sides, and for this reason military risks remain high. Today, the region is moving neither toward full peace nor away from open war.”
Ahmad Shahidov also emphasized that the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Russia and his meeting with Vladimir Putin have brought Moscow’s role in the process further to the forefront: “Russia is not acting as a fully neutral mediator here; rather, it holds a position closer to Iran’s interests. At the same time, the active role of Hezbollah along the Israel–Lebanon line shows that the region could be dragged into a much larger war at any moment. This has already become not only a Middle Eastern issue, but also a matter of global security.”
