The Middle-East has been in a rather turbulent state in the last year. Serious gains have been made in the fight against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria. Meanwhile, the Syrian Civil War rages on, displacing thousands by the day. And, to further add to the drama in the Middle East, the Kurds in Iraq have declared independence, much to the ire of The Iraqi and Iranian armies. This could more than likely lead the armies of each respective nation to invade the Iraqi-Kurdish territory.
Due to the United States’ lack of official objection to the invasion, it was a huge win for Iranian influence in the region as Iraq quickly became a puppet state to Iran, much in the same vein as Assad’s Syria. Due to the lack of any outside intervention, Iran established itself as the main force to be reckoned with in the Middle East. Celebrations amongst the Iranian elite, however, would be interrupted by the deadliest earthquake of 2017. Occurring on November 13th, the earthquake hit the Iranian capital of Tehran, killing over 400 people and injuring over 7,000.
For a brief moment, it appeared as if this incident would put a hold on Iranian ambitions. Nonetheless, this would not be the case. As of recently, the leaders of Russia, Iran, and Turkey have all met in sochi for peace talks that will end on their terms. The United States and the European Union have completely been sidelined, which is to be expected since neither have intervened to confront Russia, Iran, or Turkey. What does this mean for the United States’ influence in the region? It would appear that if the United States does not take a more affirmative role, the most strategic areas of the Middle East will be fully under Iranian and Russian control, spelling out the end for U.S. hegemony.
– Written by: Daniel Saenz