TRACECA meeting begins today in Tehran

Iran is hosting the 17th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Transport Corridor (TRACECA) for the first time on Wednesday, February 26, the head of the International Affairs Center at Iran's Transport and Urban Development Ministry said.

According to a report by the ministry, Amin Taraffo’ stated that a preliminary meeting of TRACECA national secretaries was held on February 25 to review and finalize documents for decision-making at the main session the following day.

The official emphasized the significance of the event for Iran, noting that the meeting provides an opportunity to advance regional initiatives within the 14-member commission.

He added that Iran aims to leverage the platform to enhance transit cooperation and boost regional trade.

TRACECA is an international transport program involving the European Union and 12 member states of the Eastern European, Caucasus, and Central Asian region. 

The program aims at strengthening economic relations, trade, and transport in the regions of the Black Sea basin, South Caucasus, and Central Asia.

It has a permanent Secretariat, originally financed by the European Commission, in Baku, Azerbaijan, and a regional office in Odesa, Ukraine. Since 2009, the organization has been entirely financed by member countries.

TRACECA was established in May 1993 in Brussels, upon the signing of a Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for the development of transport initiatives (including the establishment and development of a road corridor) between the EU member states, Eastern European, Caucasus and Central Asian countries. The program supports the political and economic independence of former Soviet Union republics through enhancing their access to European and global markets through road, rail and sea. 

The objectives of TRACECA were underlined by the Baku Initiative of 2004, followed by a further ministerial conference in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2006.

TRACECA has five working groups: maritime transport, aviation, road and rail, transport security, and transport infrastructure.

In July 2023, it was announced for TRACECA to join the eTIR international system.

 

EU partially lifts sanctions on Syria

On Monday, foreign ministers of European Union (EU) decided to suspend a series of far-reaching sanctions against Syria to help the country's economic recovery and reconstruction after nearly 14 years of civil war.

According to Reuters, the Council decided to remove five financial entities (Industrial Bank, Popular Credit Bank, Saving Bank, Agricultural Cooperative Bank and Syrian Arab Airlines) from the list of entities subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources and to allow funds and economic resources to be made available to the Central Bank of Syria.

The EU has also suspended sectoral measures in the oil, gas, electricity, and transport sectors and introduced exemptions to the ban on banking relations between Syrian banks and financial institutions in the EU to facilitate transactions for humanitarian and reconstruction purposes, as well as for the energy and transport sectors.

The bloc will monitor the country’s situation to guarantee that suspensions remain appropriate with Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, stressing that "if everything does not go right, then we are also ready to put the sanctions back".

"Any kind of government needs to be all-inclusive and taking into account all the different groups that are in Syria,” she said.

Most of the EU's sanctions were imposed following Bashar al-Assad's violent crackdown on Syrian protesters in 2011, including broad restrictions on trade, financial transactions, and key industries such as energy and transport.

The sanctions led to the collapse of EU-Syria economic relations, with trade flows worth €396 million in 2023.

The regime of Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December last year by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has since been calling for the lifting of wide-ranging sanctions to help the war-torn country's economy.

There have also been calls to remove HTS and its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa from international terrorist lists, but the Council decided to maintain such lists in relation to the al-Assad regime, as well as those on arms trafficking, dual-use goods, the chemical weapons sector, and illicit drug trafficking, among others.

The EU's blacklist, which was renewed in November, covers 318 individuals and 86 entities. All are subject to an assets freeze and a travel ban.

More than 90% of Syrians live below the poverty line and at least 16.5 million people across Syria rely on some form of humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs, according to a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Last week, Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned that sweeping EU, US, and UK sanctions on Syria are hampering the country's economic recovery and preventing millions of Syrians from accessing essential services such as electricity, health care, water, and education.

“Rather than using broad sectoral sanctions as leverage for shifting political objectives, Western governments should recognize their direct harm to civilians and take meaningful steps to lift restrictions that impede access to basic rights,” said Hiba Zayadin, senior Syria researcher at HRW.

“A piecemeal approach of temporary exemptions and limited waivers is not enough. Sanctions that harm civilians should immediately be lifted, not refined,” Zayadin added.

Ships being rerouted to Suez Canal

Egypt's Suez Canal Authority chairman Osama Rabei said on Sunday that 47 ships have been rerouted from Cape of Good Hope to Suez Canal since the start of February, reports Reuters.

Earlier this month, Rabie said that the Red Sea crisis did not create a sustainable alternative route to the canal and that there were positive indicators for the return of stability in the region.

Houthi militants have attacked vessels in the Red Sea area since November 2023, disrupting global shipping by forcing vessels to avoid the nearby Suez Canal and reroute trade around Africa, raising shipping costs.

A point worth noting is that Houthis had decaled to target ships owned by Israel and ships carrying cargo to and from Israel. US ships came under attack after Yemeni ports and other installation came under US attack.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said in December the disruption cost Egypt around US$7 billion in less revenue from the Suez Canal in 2024.

 

Hassan Nasrallah and Iran

The massive funeral processions held for Sayyad Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on Sunday marked the end of an era, but also the beginning of a new one. Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for over three decades, was not only the movement’s most visible figure but also a key player in regional politics, reports Tehran Times.

Born in 1960 in a Shiite community in Beirut, Hassan Nasrallah developed a strong interest in Islam and politics, influenced by Imam Musa al-Sadr. He started in the Amal movement but joined the newly formed Hezbollah in 1982 after the Israeli invasion. His political career quickly ascended; by 1985, he was leading Hezbollah's Executive Council and joined the Shura Council. His frequent visits to Iran strengthened the alliance between Hezbollah and Iran under the Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine. 

A turning point came in 1992, when Abbas Mussawi, Hezbollah’s then-Secretary General, was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike. Nasrallah, his closest confidant, took over the movement’s leadership and adopted a more uncompromising stance toward Israel.

During Mussawi’s funeral, he delivered a speech that would define Hezbollah’s trajectory, “We will continue on this path... even if we are martyred, even if our homes are destroyed over our heads, we will not abandon the choice of Islamic Resistance.”

From that moment on, his rhetoric left no room for ambiguity. Under his leadership, Hezbollah expanded its military capabilities, increased its influence in Lebanese politics, and strengthened its alliance with Iran.

The group’s ties with Tehran were not only ideological but also operational. Nasrallah’s longstanding relationship with Tehran shaped the group’s strategy and solidified its position as a major force in West Asia. 

Despite its close ties to Tehran, Hezbollah was never merely an extension of Iranian policy in the region. The notion that the movement operates as a proxy without autonomy has been challenged both inside and outside Lebanon.

The historical connection between Lebanese Shiites and Iran dates back centuries—long before Hezbollah’s creation in the 1980s.

In the 16th century, the Safavid dynasty invited Shiite clerics from the Lebanese region of Jabal Amil to help consolidate Twelver Shiism in Iran. Over the following centuries, thousands of Lebanese students traveled to Qom to study in Islamic seminaries, forging deep familial and political ties with the Iranian Shiite community. This interconnection grew stronger in the 20th century, when figures like Imam Musa al-Sadr and Mustafa Chamran played key roles in reshaping Shiite political identity in Lebanon.

Nasrallah himself consistently rejected the idea that Hezbollah was merely an artificial creation of Iran. He noted that the movement emerged organically as a response to the 1982 Israeli invasion. Nevertheless, he openly acknowledged the influence of the Islamic Revolution and Hezbollah’s alignment with the principles of Wilayat al-Faqih.

Beyond logistics and religious affinities, what binds Hezbollah and Iran is a shared political vision. Both see resistance to Western influence as a matter of survival.

Abdallah Safieddine, Hezbollah’s representative in Iran, once stated, “What unites us is our adherence to the principles of Wilayat al-Faqih, as well as our struggle against common enemies.”

Similarly, in a 2018 speech, Nasrallah made it clear that what binds Hezbollah and Iran is not military support, but a shared political vision.

“Westerners do not believe in things like ideology. Their biggest mistake is considering the Resistance merely as Iranian mercenaries,” he stated. According to Hezbollah’s leader, the West fails to understand that the Resistance does not operate under a logic of subordination but rather one of ideological harmony.

Nasrallah, who studied in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, Iraq, had long held the belief that the world is locked in a constant struggle between the oppressed (mostazafin) and the oppressors (mostakberin). When Hezbollah published its founding manifesto in 1985, the defense of the oppressed against the oppressors was one of its fundamental principles.

From this perspective, the relationship between Hezbollah and Iran is not based on a patron-client dynamic – as the West likes to portray – but on a political convergence. The concept of Wilayat al-Faqih—the authority of the leader of the Islamic revolution over the community—extends beyond the framework of the nation-state. For followers of this doctrine, Iran is not merely a country but the epicenter of an Islamic political-revolutionary project intended to serve as a model for the entire umma (Muslim community). This is why Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei is not seen solely as Iran’s leader but as a political authority beyond its borders.

Nasrallah has repeatedly asserted that Hezbollah does not operate under Tehran’s directives, “Alliance does not mean obedience. It does not mean that when one party makes a decision, others follow without questioning its motivations. That would be coercion, not alliance.” This independence is crucial to understanding the dynamics between both actors.

One of the most revealing episodes of this autonomy occurred during the Syrian war. According to Esmail Kowsari, a parliamentarian and member of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), it was Hezbollah that told Iran the two countries needed to enter the fight against Daesh terrorists.

Iranian General Hossein Hamedani confirmed in his memoirs that Nasrallah orchestrated the Resistance’s strategy in Syria and that even operations involving the IRGC were designed by Hezbollah.

Furthermore, various estimates suggest that even if Iran were to withdraw its support, Hezbollah could continue to operate independently. This demonstrates that the movement has built a self-sustaining structure and a financial network that extends beyond Iranian backing.

Labeling Hezbollah as a mere extension is reductive. The group is not simply an arm of Iran’s policies but an actor with its own decision-making and operational capabilities. Their relationship is better described as symbiotic, while they share strategic objectives and a common worldview, Hezbollah maintains autonomy in its decision-making.

The funeral of Nasrallah and Hashem Safi al-Din was not only a farewell for the Hezbollah leaders but also a politically significant event. It marked a pivotal moment for the Resistance in Lebanon amid escalating tensions with Israel.

It will provide an opportunity for the Lebanese people to demonstrate unity in an increasingly complex regional landscape. The message is clear: the Resistance remains steadfast and will not yield to external pressures.

At the funeral ceremony on Sunday, Hezbollah's fourth secretary-general, Sheikh Naim Qassem, repeated remarks previously delivered by Nasrallah 32 years ago at his predecessor's funeral. “Resistance has not ended. A new era of Resistance has just begun,” he said to a sea of mourners.

 

Pakistan: Torkham crossing remains closed

According to Saudi Gazette, Pakistani and Afghani border forces remained on high alert on Sunday as the Torkham crossing, a key trade and transit route between the two countries, remained shut for a second consecutive day following a dispute over the construction of a new checkpoint.

The border closure has halted all trade and passenger movement between Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

“Torkham border remains closed for all types of passenger and trade vehicles movement, and security forces on both sides are on alert,” a Pakistani security official stationed at the crossing told Anadolu.

No border flag meeting or communication committee talks have been scheduled to resolve the standoff, though efforts are reportedly underway to arrange discussions between officials.

The Torkham border is one of 18 crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where decades of territorial disputes have led to frequent closures, disrupting trade and travel.

Tensions between the two countries have escalated since November 2023, when Pakistan launched a crackdown on illegal foreigners, mostly targeting Afghan refugees, and initiated their forced deportation.

Islamabad has also accused Afghanistan-based militants linked to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of carrying out cross-border attacks, claiming that the Taliban government in Kabul has failed to act against them—an allegation the Taliban denies.

In December 2024, the Pakistani military launched airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, marking the second such cross-border military operation since March 2024.

The Afghan Taliban claimed that Pakistani jets killed 46 civilians, including women and children, while Islamabad denied that civilians were targeted. 

 

Pakistan an important neighbor of Iran

Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif held a cordial meeting with Pakistan’s ambassador in Tehran, Muhammad Mudassir Tipu.

The two officials discussed the expansion of ties in various fields, including economy, security, and military domains. Cultural exchanges and the need to further increase them was another focus of discussions. 

“Pakistan is an important neighbor of Iran. This means that we should do our best to further enhance our ties,” Zarif said to the envoy.

The Iranian official who served as the country’s foreign minister for 8 years in the 2010s, traveled to Pakistan multiple times during his long tenure as a diplomat. 

For his part, Tipu briefed Zarif on the current state of bilateral ties, and reciprocated sentiments about the importance of enhanced cooperation between the two historically friendly countries. 

Iran and Pakistan have taken multiple steps to increase cooperation in recent years. Notably, a massive border market was inaugurated in 2023 by the leaders of the two countries.

Security collaboration has also become extremely significant, with the two nations facing similar threats posed by terrorists and smugglers.

 

Germany: Fragmented Political Landscape

Germans vote in a national election on Sunday which is expected to see Friedrich Merz's conservatives regain power and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) score its best ever result as Europe's ailing economic powerhouse lurches rightwards, reports Reuters.

Merz's CDU/CSU bloc has consistently led polls but is unlikely to win a majority given Germany's fragmented political landscape, forcing it to sound out coalition partners.

Those negotiations are expected to be tricky after a campaign which exposed sharp divisions over migration and how to deal with the AfD in a country where far-right politics carries a particularly strong stigma due to its Nazi past.

That could leave unpopular Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a caretaker role for months, delaying urgently needed policies to revive Europe's largest economy after two consecutive years of contraction and as companies struggle against global rivals.

It would also create a leadership vacuum in the heart of Europe as it deals with a host of challenges, including US President Donald Trump's threats of a trade war and attempts to fast-track a ceasefire deal for Ukraine without European involvement.

Germany, which has an export-oriented economy and long relied on the US for its security, is particularly vulnerable.

Germans are more pessimistic about their living standards now than at any time since the financial crisis in 2008.

EU allies are cautiously hopeful the elections might deliver a more coherent government able to help drive forward policy at home and in the bloc.

Some also hope Merz will reform the "debt brake," a constitutional mechanism to limit government borrowing that critics say has strangled new investment.

The most likely outcome of this election, say analysts, is a tie-up of Merz's conservative bloc of Christian Democrats (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) with the SPD, which is polling in third place in another uneasy "grand coalition".

"A lot of my friends are likely going to vote for the conservatives because this government didn't work so well and Merz's international standing is quite good," said Mike Zeller, 26, a civil servant.

"I just hope enough parties agree to a government so they can leave the AfD out."