Astana shows dynamics of initiatives growth

Nikita Smagin, a former TASS correspondent in Iran from 2018 to 2022, is widely known as one of the leading experts on Iran in the post-Soviet space. He studied international politics at the University of Manchester and previously worked as an editor of the Internet portal "Iran Today". His analytical articles have been published in The New York Times, Bloomberg, Forbes, Carnegie Foundation and various other international publications.

In a candid interview with the Turan Information Agency, Sadettin Tantan, a former Turkish Interior Minister and one of Turkey’s prominent security experts, underscored the importance of maintaining close relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Tantan, who served in the 57th Ecevit government, provided insights on regional dynamics, including the recent high-level intelligence visits to Azerbaijan and the strategic implications for Turkey and Russia.

Iran’s unprecedented missile attack on Israel, launched on Tuesday evening, marks a significant escalation in hostilities, with broad implications for regional stability and the balance of power in the Middle East. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), approximately 400 ballistic missiles were fired from Iran towards multiple targets in Israel, triggering the country's missile defense systems and leading to widespread alarm. Simultaneously, Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group, launched a coordinated strike from Lebanon, further intensifying the conflict.

The fifty-eight-day interval between the assassinations of HAMAS Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut has highlighted a complex web of regional loyalties and diplomatic pragmatism. The divergent responses of Turkey’s leadership to these two events underscore the nuanced, if precarious, nature of Turkey’s political maneuvering in the Middle East.