The joint virtual meeting between the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) and the Greek Centre for Mediterranean, Middle East and Islamic Studies about the regional and international developments was held on Monday, October 11, 2021.

The meeting was attended by Mr.Majid Ghafelehbashi, Research Deputy for IPIS; Alireza Bigdeli, Former Iranian Ambassador to Turkey; Mohammadtaghi Hosseinin, Education Deputy for IPIS; Ali khoshroo, Former Iranian Ambassador to the UN; Mr.Sotiris Roussos; President of the center; Sotiris Livas, Professor of the Ionian University; Ms.Marilena Koppa, Former Member of European Parliament; Stavros Drakoularakos, Top Researcher of the center; and Mr.Stathis Fakiolas, Professor of the University of Peloponnese.

 The meeting was formed in the form of two panels, “ Regional developments: with Focus on the Developments of Eastern Mediterranean and West Asia”, “ Major Coming Trends in the International System”, to answer the following questions: 1) What is the role of neighboring countries in shaping the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region? 2) What is the role of the trans-regional countries in fostering tension and instability in the Persian Gulf region? 3) What has been the impact of Covid-19 on the international system? How has the Covid-19 caused fundamental changes in the international system?

Here are the major topics touched upon at the meeting:

• Developments in the Persian Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean have been with profound dynamics and events. Although there have been clashes and conflicts, and also some crises, in the Persian Gulf region, some positive developments concerning reduction of tension are occurring that must be supported by all actors.
• The new world order, which has been taking shape since the collapse of the Soviet Union has caused some countries to try to play a role in the coming world order and take unconstructive actions in the region, whose result being instability and tension in the Mediterranean region. Pivot of look and focus of the US from the Middle East to China and other regions of the world and the Arab world developments (Arab Spring) which began in 2010 led to creation of an atmosphere for playing a role for the regional powers like Turkey to put the policy of leading the Sunni Islam world on their agenda.
• The Balkans has become the focal point of big powers, and also a site for their rivalry. High unemployment, refugees, smuggling arms left from the former Yugoslavia in this region and Islamic fundamentalism are the main challenges of the Balkans for the European Union. Also, at the meeting there were broached topics like the major future trends in the international system, cases like the emergence of populism and nationalism, rise of China as an overcoming power, undermining globalism, continuation of the consequences of the corona crisis and development of nuclear capabilities of the nuclear powers.