Seventeen days into Operation Epic Fury, Iran holds the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. has no exit strategy, and the Gulf States face a conflict reshaping the region's security architecture. Dr. James M. Dorsey assesses why escalation remains more likely than resolution and what the post-war Middle East could look like.

As Operation Epic Fury enters its third week, Wikistrat's second expert survey reveals a striking shift: Iran's regime is proving more durable than expected, while escalation risks widen across the region. 12 senior Iran specialists assess regime stability, US and Iranian miscalculations, and the conflict's most dangerous unknowns.

For years, the Gulf States sold the world on stability, investment, and distance from the Middle East's wars. Two weeks of Iranian strikes have shattered that narrative. In this Wikistrat analysis, Dr. Neil Quilliam examines how the GCC is absorbing the shock and what the post conflict landscape means for the region's security, economy, and diplomatic future.

Washington is ready to declare victory, but inside Iran the picture is far less conclusive. The regime has absorbed the worst of the air campaign, installed Khamenei's son as successor, and is already planning to rebuild its deterrent underground. The opposition is fragmented, the diaspora is discredited, and the ethnic fault lines that could reshape the country remain poorly understood. Ahmad Hashemi breaks down why the real strategic challenge begins the moment the bombing

Seven days into Operation Epic Fury, the expert community is divided. Wikistrat surveyed ten senior Iran specialists on regime stability, protest likelihood, and the prospects for regime change. The results reveal sharp fault lines, and a consistent signal: the longer this crisis runs, the harder it gets for the Islamic Republic to survive it. Download the report.

Six days into the U.S.-Israeli air campaign, the Islamic Republic is battered but functioning. Dr. Sina Azodi assesses the regime's resilience, the opposition's limitations, and why bombing alone has never produced regime change.

Three days into “Operation Epic Fury,” the headlines say war—but the strategy remains unclear. In a deep analysis with Iran expert Alex Vatanka, we explore why Iranians aren’t revolting, how Tehran is playing the long game, and what real success in this conflict would even look like. The military picture may be evolving, but the political and human dynamics will determine what comes next.

What does Gaza teach China about Taiwan? As the Middle East ceasefire holds, Beijing draws critical lessons about U.S. alliance commitments and power projection. New analysis reveals how Chinese strategists use Gaza as a test case for understanding Washington's willingness to support Taiwan in a potential crisis.

As Israel and Iran traded blows, would Moscow and Beijing truly back Tehran if conflict escalated—or is the “Axis” narrative overstated? In a July 10 webinar, Dr. Richard Weitz examined China and Russia’s cautious reactions, the lessons learned, and what the limits of this partnership reveal. Despite rhetoric of solidarity, the Israel-Iran war exposed the transactional nature of the axis, raising questions about its resilience in a shifting global order.

Iran faces its most critical juncture since the Islamic Revolution. Following Israeli strikes on its nuclear and missile programs, Tehran must decide between restraint and escalation as succession looms and the IRGC gains influence. Dr. Raz Zimmt analyzes Iran’s next moves, from rebuilding deterrence to risking a nuclear breakout. Will Iran stabilize under pressure, or will it spiral into deeper conflict? The choices made now will shape the region’s future.

Following a 12-day war with Israel, Iran faces a turning point in its strategic and domestic trajectory. In this expert webinar, Dr. Sina Azodi analyzes the breakdown of Iran’s defense doctrine, rising influence of the IRGC, and the regime’s internal dilemma between repression and reform. With its nuclear program under pressure and regional alliances strained, Tehran must now choose between escalation, diplomacy, or deeper isolation.

Six months after Assad’s fall, Syria faces a fragile transition led by former jihadist Ahmed al-Shara. In a recent webinar, Charles Lister examined the country’s uncertain path—balancing newfound international legitimacy with economic collapse, armed fragmentation, and regional tensions. Can Syria avoid renewed conflict and rebuild, or is the entire transition resting on a single man’s shoulders? Read key insights from the discussion.

As Israel escalates strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, Tehran’s leadership faces a critical dilemma: preserve ideological purity or ensure regime survival. In a June 20 webinar, Dr. Saeid Golkar analyzed the regime’s internal calculations, elite fractures, and growing civilian unrest. He revealed why Iran’s leaders may prefer military defeat over political humiliation—and what this means for the region’s future.

Trump's foreign policy is reshaping alliances, trade, and diplomacy. Is it strengthening U.S. leverage or risking global instability?

Iran expert Dr. Raz Zimmt discusses how recent developments are shaping Iran's security strategy and Israel's potential responses

Following the attacks on Fuad Shukr and Ismail Haniyeh, Wikistrat CEO hosted an expert panel with ME experts Neil Quilliam and Sina Azodi

Joel Zamel, Wikistrat's founder and expert on Bitcoin geopolitics, shares why it's time for countries around the world to embrace Bitcoin

As the war between Hamas and Israel continues, Iran's next moves remain unclear. To better understand Iran's motives and potential...

In light of the nuclear talks in Vienna, Wikistrat ran an interactive simulation with 30 leading Iran and Middle East experts in order to...

Wikistrat ran an interactive simulation to assess how the nuclear talks will impact the US, Iran, the Gulf States, and Israel.