Wang Zhen, Professor and Deputy Director, Institute for International Relation Studies, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences
Jun 25, 2025
The bunker-busting strike by United States will only harden the resolve of many in Iran to push for nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, the two countries may fall into a pattern of “attack-retaliate-attack,” which could develop into one of the biggest failures in human history.
Dan Steinbock, Founder, Difference Group
Jun 19, 2025
The Israel/U.S. Iran offensive is not about nuclear weapons. It is about still another unwarranted proxy war. It aims at the restoration of pre-1979 Iran.
Jin Liangxiang, Senior Research Fellow, Shanghai Institute of Int'l Studies
Mar 25, 2025
U.S. policy ultimately will be defined by Israel. With Donald Trump in the White House, the Middle East will become even more vulnerable, and the security situation may erode. Saudi Arabia may not get the security guarantees it wants from the United States, and Iran will continue to be in the picture.
Jin Liangxiang, Senior Research Fellow, Shanghai Institute of Int'l Studies
Mar 20, 2025
The future of the region should be decided by the countries there, not by external actors. Strategic autonomy, an idea frequently raised by some Arab countries in recent years, shows they’re waking up to reality. There should be no illusions about the future.
Niu Xinchun, Professor, China-Arab Research Institute, Ningxia University
Feb 20, 2025
The Israelis have two primary war objectives: the complete elimination of Hamas and the rescue of all hostages. But these goals are inherently contradictory and cannot be pursued at the same time. Israel is thus faced with a difficult choice about which to prioritize.
Vasilis Trigkas, Visiting Assistant Professor, Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University
Dec 31, 2024
As the world looks back into a turbulent 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors underscores the urgent need for renewed global efforts to mitigate nuclear risks. In the face of rising geopolitical tensions and technological advancements, we must revive strategic dialogues and prioritize diplomatic solutions, following President Kennedy’s example, to ensure global security and address the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and AI-enhanced warfare. And this call demands leadership.
Joseph S. Nye, Professor, Harvard University
Dec 27, 2024
Prediction is always difficult, but doubly so in the case of the US president-elect. Donald Trump not only speaks loosely and changes his positions often; he al
Niu Xinchun, Professor, China-Arab Research Institute, Ningxia University
Dec 23, 2024
Middle Eastern nations are capitalizing on Donald Trump’s penchant for unprincipled, no-limits deal-making, even though he has yet to assume office. These countries are scrambling to position themselves for the high-stakes negotiations that lie ahead.
Richard Javad Heydarian, Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Dec 13, 2024
The West’s dominating influence around the world has come under heavy scrutiny as open conflicts rage on in Europe and the Middle East. Does this year’s BRICS Summit, hosted in Russia, represent an inflection point in the global community’s tolerance for U.S.-led order?
Li Zixin, Associate Researcher, China Institute of International Studies
Nov 22, 2024
Threats of violence are pushing the region to the brink. Israel said it would exact a “deadly and heavy” toll for any Iranian attack. In turn, Iran promised to “retaliate tenfold,” and its hardliners want to lift the ban on developing nuclear weapons. Lines are blurring that were once seen as inviolable.