We can design and implement new models of regional cooperation and foster connections among civil societies in Eurasia and West Asia by activating networks for dialogue among the elites in these countries. We should not forget that the West Asian and Eurasian worlds share significant cultural values, as well as common ethnicities, religions, and languages, and a considerable portion of their histories overlap, Mandana Tishehyar writes.
Since October 7, 2023, the West has been attempting to sustain the crisis in West Asia as part of a “new deterrence policy” aimed at Asian powers. Any kind of war in West Asia—whether a short and crushing war or a long and attritional conflict—could lead to a crisis along the southern borders of Central Eurasia.
The world is in the process of constructing a new order. Over the past few decades, we have moved from a bipolar world and experienced a unipolar and also a multipolar world, and now we have stepped into a post-polar era. The defining feature of this new era is the formation of cooperative constellations by states, organisations, and individuals to achieve specific goals over short or long periods. In these constellations, actors maintain their independent identities, and coalitions form, dissolve, and reappear quickly.
In this new world, the geopolitics of various regions are also changing. The wars between superpowers have been replaced by intra-civilisational wars among societies whose peoples had lived alongside one another other for centuries. The history of relations between Muslims and Jews from the early days of Islam until the mid-twentieth century is one of peaceful coexistence between these peoples across various West Asian countries. The living conditions of Jews in Islamic societies can be compared to the experiences they have had in Spain, Germany, and other parts of the world. The West Asia peoples’ shared culture, history, and identity have historically prevented conflicts and wars among them. It was only after 1947, with Britain’s interference, that Jews were placed in opposition to other ethnic and religious groups in West Asia, leading to numerous wars and conflicts across the region ever since.
What we are witnessing in recent months in West Asia is an intra-civilisational war among peoples who share significant cultural, social, and historical elements. A similar situation can be observed in Eastern Europe and East Asia. In fact, in an effort to prevent a clash of civilisations, the West seems to be intensifying intra-civilisational wars in various regions.
In recent days, the flames of conflict have flared up in West Asia, which could also have unpleasant consequences for the peoples of the Eurasian region. All the countries and groups involved in this tension on both sides are historical friends and allies of Eurasian countries. Any kind of war in West Asia—whether a short and crushing war or a long and attritional conflict—could lead to a crisis along the southern borders of Central Eurasia. Since October 7, 2023, the West has been attempting to sustain the crisis in West Asia as part of a “new deterrence policy” aimed at Asian powers. The events which occurred during the past year have both hindered the major Chinese and Indian economic projects’ progress in the region and brought about security tensions across the southern Eurasian territories.
A glimpse at the map of the region is well indicative of the fact that the West Asian political groups’ suppression and the escalation of wars among the countries there are paving the way for the resurgence of ISIS activities in the Levant (which we know as Shamat in Persian) and its rapid spread to ISIS Khorasan. In recent weeks, we have witnessed the assassination of leaders of certain Islamic movements. However, rather than ending the movements, it could contribute to the emergence of more radical groups with more dangerous ideologies, which would be detrimental to all the states in West Asia and Eurasia.
In this situation, it seems necessary to launch a new initiative immediately and form a trans-regional contact group, with representatives from various countries, from Minsk to Islamabad, and from Astana to Doha and Cairo, tasked with engaging in dialogue with all parties involved, designing a roadmap for a ceasefire, and planning for the establishment of lasting peace and reconstruction in the wake of the devastating results of the conflicts over the past year.
Alongside these diplomatic efforts, we can design and implement new models of regional cooperation and foster connections among civil societies in Eurasia and West Asia by activating networks for dialogue among the elites in these countries. We should not forget that the West Asian and Eurasian worlds share significant cultural values, as well as common ethnicities, religions, and languages, and a considerable portion of their histories overlap. Hands in hand, we can build a new world, establish a new order, and promote better cultural and political values.
