C Raja Mohan writes: The Gulf’s geopolitical predicament cannot be solved. It can only be managed
Iran is too strong to be ignored, but not strong enough to exercise unilateral dominance. The Gulf Arabs cannot balance Iran on their own and will continue to depend on […]
C Raja Mohan writes: During Nowruz, Iran’s Persian culture collides with regime’s ideology
The Islamic Republic was founded in part on a rejection of nationalism and traditional culture. But in practice, the Iranian state has never escaped the gravitational pull of Persian identity
Talks have failed, but diplomacy is alive
US-Iran talks in Islamabad failed due to disagreements over Hormuz control, nuclear issues, and Israel’s actions in Lebanon, but diplomacy continues
The telling pause in the US-Israel war on Iran
Iran managed something more than mere survival. It walked away with its Strait of Hormuz card and regime intact, and its own 10-point framework as the agenda
Why India can’t be a mediator in Iran war
Effective mediation requires either leverage to ensure compliance or having nothing to lose. India has too much to lose and too little leverage
VANTAGE: War in West Asia | April 2026
VANTAGE is CSDR’s periodic publication that examines active conflicts in real time, asks what they mean for the international order, and captures authoritative Indian perspectives on the consequences that matter most: global stability, regional balances of power, energy and trade, and India’s own strategic choices.