Political analyst Vladimir Yevseyev says the year 2013 was crucial for the Middle East. The most important events were the developments in Egypt, Syria and Iran.
"First of all, I should say some words about Egypt. The deposition of President Muhammed Morsi is, I believe, a positive change. Egypt remains a serious regional power and its position on the Syrian crisis is very important for the whole region," the expert says.
The victory of Hassan Rouhani in Iran's presidential elections is also very important. "Rouhani has made several moves in order to harmonize relations with the West, which are crucial for the region," he says.
The third thing is the fact that a military operation against Syria has not started, he believes.
In general one should note that US influence in the Middle East is fading, the expert underlines.
