Valdai Club

Itamar Rabinovich

Alexander Rogozhin

Slawomir Raszewski

Sir Malcolm Rifkind

Matthew Rojansky

Jon Rogowski

John Russell

Kubatbek Rakhimov

Roman Reinhardt

Lana Ravandi-Fadai

Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Oriental Cultural Center at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Materials

What Should We Expect From the New President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi?

Those who came to vote for Raisi voted for the future supreme leader, writes Valdai Club expert Lana Ravandi-Fadai. This has a precedent in the history of Iran, when in 1989 Ali Khamenei, having been the third president of Iran, became Rahbar. Raisi meets the requirements for becoming the country’s spiritual leader: Could this election be part of preparations for a successor?

Does the ‘Tanker War’ in the Strait of Hormuz Threaten the World?

Military operations, which begin primarily in the information field, can indeed intensify the situation and create the necessary conditions for the emergence of a real conflict. At the same time, it is rather difficult to predict the reaction of countries that can be used to provoke and sabotage this initiative.

From Peaceful to Hostile, US-Iran Relations Have Always Been Complex: What Is Next?

It’s hard to predict what will happen in Iran. Remember that even on the eve of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, neither the CIA nor the KGB expected the shah to be overthrown. Up until the last minute, agents and observers were filing reports that the government would hold.

The Age of Economic Warfare Begins. Will It Lead to a Conventional War?

The age of economic warfare has begun. After Iraq, it will be very hard to convince the US legislators and Americans in general that military operations are required. The US has grown fond of sanctions as an alternative.

Video

The International Situation Around Iran: Trends and Risks. Expert Discussion

28.01.2026

Neither East Nor West: How Iran’s Economy Copes With Sanctions. Presentation of the Valdai Club Report

09.09.2024