The US think-tank the Hoover Institution wrote about the consequences of the cooperation between Iran and Russia on the Syrian issue. The strategic implications of the agreement are already clear, the credibility of US power in the Middle East region is decreasing, the alliance between Iran and Russia is becoming more powerful. The political situation in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean region is changing rapidly in three key areas.
In the first place, thanks to a deal on Iran's nuclear program, the IRI is getting out of international isolation, the state will be able to regain 150 billion dollars frozen by the US, in addition to the lucrative contracts that will be signed with European companies in the near future. Thanks to this, Iran is expanding its presence in Syria to support its ally Bashar Assad.
Secondly, Russia is increasing its potential, not only in Syria, but also on the Mediterranean coast, restoring its position in the world. Russia's efforts in the fight against Islamic State are bringing results, while Washington's desperate attempts to defame Moscow have failed and strategic competition between Russia and the United States continues to grow.
Thirdly, Europe is feeling the effects of the Syrian crisis, it has started talking about the need to restore relations with Russia, even despite the disapproval of their US partners. It becomes obvious that the United States no longer has the power that it had at the beginning of the year, and it has nothing to oppose the actions of Russia, except for sharp criticism and disapproval. But while Washington is trying its best to convince Europe and the whole world that the Kremlin poses a threat on a planetary scale, Moscow continues to move confidently towards its goal to restore its former power and influence in the world.
The independent publication Project Syndicate wrote about the effect of the sanctions on Russia. The economic sanctions against Russia in March 2014 were undoubtedly painful for the state, but the Western powers have not succeeded in weakening the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In fact, the sanctions have had the opposite effect, strengthening the position of the state in the world.
Although inflation has affected the Russian economy, the situation is beginning to improve, the ruble has strengthened, and the country's international reserves actually increased, reaching 362 billion in June. In addition, the ratings and popularity of the Russian president have increased, due to the fact that the leader has succeed in bringing the country out of the pre-crisis situation. The fact is that no sanctions or political decisions can fundamentally affect a state that is rich with natural resources, technical capacity and a skilled labor force.
The policy of import substitution imposed by the leadership of Russia has borne fruit and has led to an increase in productivity in several key sectors – mechanical engineering, petrochemical, light industry, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. In addition, Russia has managed to establish cooperation with countries such as Brazil, India, China and South Africa. It is a long-awaited structural reformation in the country, which ultimately can lead to a so-called economic miracle when, in spite of all the limitations, the state will be able to strengthen its economic position in the world.
