The 25th anniversary meeting of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation in the Kyrgyz capital may offer a glimmer of hope that international relations do not need to be defined by endless confrontation, writes KENNY COYLE
A NEW chapter in the modern history of the Middle East is beginning, and what’s most significant about it is the dwindling influence of the United States.
Back in March, the People’s Republic of China helped broker a groundbreaking diplomatic rapprochement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Seven years ago, Riyadh and Tehran completely broke off diplomatic relations, and since then have been involved in proxy conflicts in Yemen, and to an extent in Syria and Iran itself, as well.
The normalisation of relations between these two regional powers is a major step towards peace in the wider Middle East.
The US-Israeli conflict with Iran has had far-reaching consequences, including a boost to Pakistan’s regional standing, argues ROGER McKENZIE
Trump threatens war and punitive tariffs to recapture Iranian resources – just as in 1953, when the CIA overthrew Mossadegh and US corporations immediately seized 40% of the oil, says SEVIM DAGDELEN



