Columnists from the American magazine Foreign Affairs believe that Tehran's influence on the world stage has significantly increased due to strengthened relations with Moscow and Beijing and the formation of a network of regional allies in the Middle East.
The publication notes that Iran is now "at the peak of its international influence," building alliances with China and Russia to counter the West. The Islamic Republic's regional allies, termed the "Axis of Resistance" by American observers, are "instilling new fear and respect in the Middle East." Tehran's firm opposition to Israel has also garnered political support throughout the region.
However, the article cautions that "problems in the Iranian economy" could overshadow these foreign policy successes. Many Iranians are hopeful that the new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, will address the financial system's issues and eliminate the budget deficit. The authors suggest that Pezeshkian might attempt to ease sanctions by "building bridges with the United States" to attract Western investment into the economy.
Pezeshkian was elected president of Iran on July 5. On July 30, he will be sworn in during a ceremony in the country's parliament, with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin representing Russia at the event.
On July 28, the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signed a decree approving Pezeshkian for the presidency. Pezeshkian has begun forming his government, appointing Mohammad Reza Aref as first vice president and Mohsen Haji Mirzaee as head of the presidential administration.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: mostafa meraji/Unsplash
Based on materials from TASS