Vatanka Reports
News and Analysis on the Greater Middle East

Trump at war with Iran: Regime change, risk, and the hidden battle inside Tehran
June 23, 2025
Trump’s early hesitation during the opening days of the conflict was widely interpreted as strategic confusion. But recent moves, including suggestive support for opposition figures and rhetoric about regime transformation

Khamenei postures and blinks at the same time
June 18, 2025
Notably, Khamenei’s remarks included no mention of Islam, long the ideological centerpiece of his worldview. Instead, he appealed to Iranian nationalism, asking a population weary of endless confrontation with Israel and the US for their support.

5 key factors shaping Iran’s foreign policy calculus
May 1, 2025
Iran appears to be reorienting its approach to diplomatic engagement with its neighbors and the West by prioritizing the economic benefits of cooperation. While Iran’s overtures to the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China bear watching, they may signify pragmatic moves in the expectation of short-term benefit rather than deeper ideological changes in posture.

Could Russia support US-Iran negotiations?
April 18, 2025
On April 12, the United States and Iran wrapped up their first round of renewed diplomatic talks in Muscat, with round two set for April 19, in Rome. But the real breakthrough will not come from nuclear talks alone — it will require confronting the region’s most explosive fault line: the Iranian-Israeli standoff. Russia claims it can help.

Thinking the unthinkable: Improved US-Iran relations under Trump?
April 18, 2025
It is no surprise that both Iran and the United States have approached their first diplomatic engagement in four years with wariness and skepticism. While not an insuperable hurdle, it is hard to overcome more than 40 years of mutual enmity. Both parties have set the stage with characteristic bellicosity.

Iran’s “Look East” Policy: Ideals vs. Harsh Realities
April 16, 2025
The Iran-Russia-China partnership is often portrayed as a cohesive bloc resisting U.S. hegemony. While there is some truth to this narrative, it is frequently overstated. A closer look reveals a relationship driven more by pragmatic opportunism than ideological solidarity or durable alliance.

President Pezeshkian: Already a lost cause?
March 27, 2025
President Masoud Pezeshkian might be the loneliest man in Iran. Just eight months into his term in office, he is already losing the support of those who once championed him. Some sympathy is warranted. Still, Pezeshkian is not helping his own case. Elected on promises of reform, he has spent most of his time retreating.