Analysts examine global power shifts following Middle East conflict and Balkan tensions

Analysts and foreign policy experts continue to evaluate the geopolitical fallout of the Middle East conflict six months after joint US and Israeli strikes on Iranian military infrastructure. While global energy markets and maritime shipping routes remain unsettled, observers emphasize that the next phase of the conflict depends on Iran's internal economic resilience, sanctions, regional proxy operations, and the feasibility of returning to diplomacy.

At the same time, commentators in the Western Balkans argue that local disputes are increasingly connected to wider systemic rivalries. Former diplomat Zef Mazi highlighted that localized issues, including controversies surrounding the Ibër River, reflect shifting international power dynamics among major powers, including the United States, China, Russia, and Iran.

Sources: BalkanWeb, Gazeta Tema, Koha