It is almost certain that within the coming months, maybe even the coming weeks, the question of Iran will be determined one way or another. The present course of a dialogue between the five great powers and Germany and Iran has not led as of now to any significant results. There were recently two rounds – one in Istanbul the other – in Bagdad. Another round of talks will be held in the near future in Moscow. 1

Obama's State of the Union address on January 24, 2012 was devoted mainly to United States' current socio-economic problems. This focus on United States internal problems should come as no surprise. It is clear that the severe economic crisis that engulfs the United States these days is the highest priority of the American people.

The presence of the USA in Iraq, the threats by former US defense minister Donald Rumsfeld in 2003 against Syria, Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party coming to power in Turkey, the isolation of the Syrian regime due to the cold relations with Lebanon’s and Jordan’s governments and the economic cooperation with Syria were the main causes of strengthening the relations between Turkey and Syria during the period 2003-2010[1]. However, the spread of the Arab Spring in Syria cast a shadow over the good relations between Ankara and Damascus. As a result, reservation and suspicion obscured the communication between the two states.

In Iran in World Politics, Arshin Adib-Moghaddam proposes new ways to study Iran in a critical perspective. The book aims to present different possible theories that interpret Iran's image in world politics. Adib-Moghaddam's approach is to analyse instances of Iran's political image since the revolution.

“War is the father of all and king of all” (Kirk, 1954, p. 245) is what Heraclitus claimed and even if it might be quite exaggerating, it is not far from reality. War has always been central in shaping human affairs and it constitutes one of the most ancient forms of politics, since it has been used since time immemorial by human beings trying to impose their will on other neighbouring entities. War has largely contributed towards changing the form, structure and composition of both the entities launching it and those on which it was being imposed, while it was a result of war that modern states have been born and developed.

"There are neither eternal allies nor eternal enemies. Only interests are eternal..." Lord Palmerston The dictum of Lord Palmerston, as expressed in the House of Commons in 1848, includes the rapprochement between Israel and Greece in the recent past. Because in international relations interests are what matters and every"player"in the international arena has a duty to pursue them.

Both pro-Iranian and anti-Iranian camps have been taken in by the drama surrounding Iranian President Ahmedinejad’s visit to Lebanon. The idea of Ahmedinejad, who is considered to be Hizbullah’s chaperone, overlooking the northern border of Israel – the closest he has ever been to a country he does not recognize and utterly despises - is as ever in Lebanon one person’s nightmare and another one’s paradise. However, instead of indulging ourselves in images of glory and warfare scenarios, exploring the interests of the various ‘talented divas’, who have been keeping Lebanese politics busy for years and are equipped with a long-time performance experience – seems to be more reasonable. In other words, this visit is far too complex to be analyzed in a one-sided manner.

Authors: Evangelos Diamantopoulos, Costas Faropoulos, Maria Kourpa, Iris Pappa, Charitini Petrodaskalaki, Aliki Sofianou

Authors: Evangelos Diamantopoulos, Costas Faropoulos, Iris Pappa, Charitini Petrodaskalaki, Aliki Sofianou