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Opinion: The future of the China-US-Russia triangle after Pelosi's visit to Taiwan
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Opinion: The future of the China-US-Russia triangle after Pelosi's visit to Taiwan

4 August 2022
Since February 24, 2022, the international community's focus was concentrated entirely on the war in Ukraine and the growing Russia – West confrontation. It seemed that nothing could change the situation until the end of hostilities in Ukraine. However, on August 2 and 3, almost everyone’s attention shifted from Ukraine to Taiwan. As the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, stated her intention to visit Taiwan, up to half a million people were watching the trajectory of her plane on air flight tracking sites. The negative reaction of China, including the warning of President Xi during his conversation with President Biden that those who played with fire would be perished by it, created hype around this visit. Many were discussing the possibility of Chinese military jets closing the airspace over Taiwan and preventing Pelosi’s plane from landing in Taiwan, while some enthusiasts were even contemplating the possibility of a US-China direct military clash. As Pelosi landed in Taiwan and met with the Taiwanese President, the global social media was full of amateur assessments about the strategic victory of the US and the confirmation of the US global hegemony. However, as the dust settles down, and information noise and manipulation eventually decreases, a more serious assessment is needed to understand the real consequences of this visit.
Benyamin Poghosyan
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GULF CRISIS
Tension returns in Gulf, as US launches third night of attacks, and Iran responds
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Tension returns in Gulf, as US launches third night of attacks, and Iran responds

14 July 2026
After a lull of a few days, when Gulf countries hoped that the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Iran and the United States in June, will draw a tine over the events that started on 28th February when Israel and the United States launched an attack on the Islamic Republic, the region is back to high tension and crises. On Monday night, the US launched its third taack on Iranian target, in as many days. Iran responded with attacks on US target in several Gulf countries and Jordan. The UAE also accused Iran of a "brazen" attack on two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, killing one and wounding eight, as Donald Trump said the US would impose a 20% charge as part of a new blockade on the waterway. The US president said they were hitting Iran "very hard" as strikes were launched for the third consecutive night amid escalating attacks between the two countries. Iran's foreign minister responded to the announcement of a blockade by saying that Tehran would remain the Strait's "GUARDIAN" - using Trump's word. The dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to derail efforts to end their war, but Trump insisted a deal was still possible. In response to the Emirati claims, the Iranian Revlutionary Guard Corp (IGRC) aid it had hit the tankers and disabled them. It added that "co-operation with the aggressor enemy" would only lead to regret, damage and delays in opening the Strait - as well as the "creation of an energy crisis in the world". Oil prices edged higher in Asian trade on Tuesday. Brent crude was up by 0.7% at $83.87 a barrel, while US-traded oil was 0.9% higher at $79.04. That followed a more than 9% jump in the price of Brent on Monday as the conflict escalated. Trump earlier told Fox News the US would "probably run" the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that Iran "broke" a deal that was made with the US. "We are taking over the strait," he said. Centcom said its forces "will resume blockading maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports" on 14 July. "The US military continues to support traffic flow through regional waters for all vessels not violating the blockade," a Centcom statement said.