Iran battle could reshape Middle East power map, analyst says

The struggle over Iran is not just a regional conflict but a pivotal moment in the global reshaping of power, according to Pejman Bijan, an associate professor of international relations at the University of Trento. He sees the stakes extending from the Strait of Hormuz to major world capitals, involving a contest between democratic and authoritarian blocs.

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Today, we are in a moment of reshaping the balance of power, not only of the Middle East but of … world politics.

Bijan described a "soft and sometimes hard clash" between spheres of power led by the United States, China, and Russia, with the Middle East as a crucial arena. Developments in the region in the coming months will be critical in determining the balance between the "freedom democracy area" and authoritarian regimes.

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There is a sort of soft and sometimes hard clash between these great spheres of power.

He expressed concern over Europe's diminished role in foreign affairs, attributing it to an overly institutionalized political structure that hinders effective action. Bijan noted a division within Europe's approach to Iran, with some favoring engagement with perceived reformists and others supporting political change within the country.

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At the moment, … we don’t have a common foreign policy, which is able to dictate an important common line against, on one hand, Russia and China, and also in relation with our ally, which is the United States.

"Today, we are in a moment of reshaping the balance of power, not only of the Middle East but of … world politics," Bijan told The Media Line. He believes that a new regional order, built on commercial ties and political freedom, must emerge before a competing bloc gains dominance.

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They always somehow flirted with a part of the elite of the Islamic Republic.