The course of the war reveals a fundamental paradox: while none of the principal actors appears capable of achieving a decisive victory, all retain sufficient capacity to obstruct a stable resolution.

While limited and transactional cooperation mechanisms may emerge between Tehran and Riyadh, a deeper and more enduring strategic alignment between the two countries remains improbable in the near term.

Iran's most important strategic goal in the Horn of Africa is to penetrate the Red Sea outlet, which is perhaps the most important of the global waterways.

China and Russia, the influential powers in the SCO, have abandoned their reservations in their relations with Iran in recent years and established a more comprehensive relationship.