The war over Iran is not just a conflict in the Middle East, but part of a broader geopolitical clash between world powers. This was stated by Prof. Ivo Hristov to "Face to Face" on bTV, commenting on the causes and possible consequences of the escalation in the region.
According to him, the official reasons for the conflict – oil, Iran's nuclear program and democracy – are only part of the explanation.
„These are the external effects. The real reasons are much deeper“, said Hristov.
According to him, for Israel the conflict is a matter of existential security.
„Iran is the only country in the region that can theoretically destroy Israel. Therefore, for Tel Aviv this war is a matter of survival“, he pointed out.
For the United States, however, the conflict has a broader meaning.
„From the US perspective, this is a war against China and Russia. Iran is an important sub-target in this clash“, believes Hristov.
The analyst emphasized that Iran's geographical location makes it extremely important in global politics.
„Iran is something like Germany for Europe or Bulgaria for the Balkans - the middle ground. Whoever controls Iran controls key transport and energy corridors, he said.
According to him, this includes both the north-south corridor that connects Russia to the Indian Ocean and the east-west routes associated with China's "One Belt, One Road" project.
According to Hristov, Iran can use economic pressure as part of its strategy.
"If the US is trying to blow up Iran, the Iranians are trying to blow up the global economy and force other countries to put pressure on Washington," he said.
According to him, the conflict could seriously affect energy prices and global supplies.
The analyst believes that the US is facing a difficult situation.
"If they emerge from the conflict without a clearly achieved goal, it will be a serious blow to their prestige as a world hegemon“, said Hristov.
He added that such a development could also affect the domestic political situation in the US, especially before the upcoming elections.