Why the Mecca pact MyInd.net 17 Sept 2026 Saudi Arabia had been seeking a NATO type pact with the US for the past few years. In Sept 2019, its oil facilities were struck by multiple missile attacks, temporarily reducing oil output by over 5 million barrels per day, the first indicator, in recent times, that the nation is vulnerable […]
Blocking the straits Raksha Anirveda 04 Aug 2026 One of Trump’s current end states in his conflict with Iran is restoring the Straits of Hormuz to its pre-war condition. Quitting the conflict, while permitting Iran to retain control of the straits as also charging for vessels transiting, is not an option. The straits were free and open before Trump […]
Huge trust deficit in ongoing conflicts The Statesman 28 Jul 2026 The Russo-Ukraine conflict has been ongoing for the past five years, currently dominated by Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). While Russia targets Ukrainian cities with missiles, glide bombs and drones, Ukraine responds with UAS at Russia’s main lifelines, its oil refineries and warehouses of top retailers, hurting the common […]
Iran quagmire: US strategies totally failed Raksha Anirveda 23 Jul 2026 The world is tired of hearing President Donal Trump screaming victory and going back to war the next day. It is equally sick of listening to Trump’s claim that the US has destroyed Iran militarily or that Iranians have approached them for dialogue. Adding to ongoing illogical statements […]
Khamenei’s funeral: Iran’s strategic messaging Raksha Anirveda 13 Jul 2026 The carefully choreographed week-long funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on Feb 28, was a message to the world of unity and solidarity within Iran. The gathering of his supporters was possibly the largest seen in the globe in recent times. While estimates of numbers have varied, […]
US-Iran talks the Excelsior 07 Jun 2026 The US seeks everything in a hurry, unwilling to understand that others do not follow the same timetable. This desperation of the US is justified because every administration looks at its own term in office, ignoring long-term interests. This is Trump’s last tenure and about 18 months have already elapsed. If any […]
The role of narratives in the Iran conflict Raksha Anirveda 25 Jun 2026 The US missile strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh primary and girls’ elementary school in Minab in Southern Iran on the first day of the war on 28th Feb resulted in 168 casualties, predominantly schoolgirls between the ages of 7 and 12, while many more were wounded. […]
Has Trump scuppered Israel’s W Asia plans? The Statesman 23 Jun 2026 It was Netanyahu who pushed Trump into the Iran conflict promising multiple gains, including regime change, degradation of the IRGC and surrender of Iran with just a short and swift bombing campaign. He did this when talks in Geneva were progressing smoothly and Iran had almost agreed […]
Geography favours Iran The Excelsior 22 Jun 2026 US and Israel air strikes on Iran did cause damage to Iran’s military sites as also its research facilities. However, they failed to break Iran’s resolve nor did they push it to surrender. Talks are in progress and Iran is no longer bargaining from a position of weakness but one of […]
Amidst powder kegs, will peace hold in West Asia The Statesman 16 Jun 2026 It has been after over 100 days that both, Trump and Iran, announced a peace deal, much to global relief. This was the umpteenth time that Trump mentioned it, only to be rebuked by Iran each time. Iran’s insistence on including Lebanon in the agreement […]