Whether you are a geography geek or a US president, maps are a good place to start.

From the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, and the Caucasus, Iran borders seven countries on land and six more across water.

It is also one of the world ’s oldest continuous civilisations, with a history that spans more than 4,000 years.

Today, with nearly 90 million people and a landmass exceeding 1.6 million square kilometres, Iran stands as one of the Middle East’s largest and most consequential states.

Iran’s terrain is defined by mountains and arid expanses, with little continuous flat land. The Zagros and Alborz mountain ranges dominate much of the landscape, while the Iranian Plateau forms its core.

To the east, vast deserts such as the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut stretch across large swathes of the country. These physical features are not just geographic, but they also shape settlement patterns, climate conditions and the development of infrastructure.

Historically, Iran was the centre of powerful empires that influenced language, trade, science and culture far beyond its borders. That legacy still runs through modern Iran, visible in its identity and regional reach. Despite invasions by Greeks, Ottomans, Russians and the British, the country has maintained a strong sense of sovereignty and identity.

Iran is far more complex, both from the inside and the outside. Farsi remains the dominant language, but the country is home to a diverse mix of ethnic groups, including Azeris, Kurds, Baloch and Arabs, all of whom contribute to its cultural and political fabric.

As an energy giant, Iran sits on some of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves , holding roughly 10% of global oil and 15% of natural gas resources.

That alone makes it a major player in global energy markets. Despite heavy international sanctions, Iran continues to export large volumes of oil, primarily to China, demonstrating its resilience and continued relevance in global supply chains.

Its economy, valued at over $400 billion, blends state control with private enterprise, anchored by energy, manufacturing and a growing technology sector.

Modern Iran, however, cannot be understood without the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

It overthrew a Western-backed monarchy and replaced it with a theocratic system that still defines the country today.

And since the Revolution, Iran has pursued an independent and often confrontational foreign policy , positioning itself as a regional power and a counterweight to Western influence.

Its network of regional alliances, often referred to as the “Axis of Resistance”, extends its influence beyond its borders, reaching into Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Many of these connections relate to Iran's position as the dominant power of the Shia sect of Islam. In other cases, allies were drawn to Tehran by a mutual hatred of Israel.

The country is also enduring one of its worst environmental crises in decades, after more than five consecutive years of drought have pushed it toward what experts describe as “water bankruptcy.” Reservoirs are drying up, major cities are nearing “day zero” water shortages, and as many as 28 million people now face unreliable access to water. 

Even geography beyond its borders carries political weight.

The body of water to its south has been known in Iran and elsewhere for over 2,500 years as the “Persian Gulf.” Still, some Arab states refer to it as the “Arabian Gulf,” creating an ongoing geopolitical dispute.

For Iran, the name is not just symbolic; it is tied to history, identity and sovereignty.

At the edge of Iran’s southern coastline lies its most powerful strategic asset: the Strait of Hormuz.

This narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and carries more than 20% of the world’s oil supply.

It is one of the most critical chokepoints in global trade. Iran controls the northern side as well as a series of islands, and that gives it enormous leverage.

Over the decades, Tehran has repeatedly threatened to disrupt traffic through the strait during times of conflict.

And in 2026, those threats became reality, sending shocks through global energy markets.

At the same time, geopolitical tensions have sharply intensified. Following Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites in February 2026, the United States joined the conflict with direct attacks, triggering a broader regional confrontation that continued for days.

The situation has since escalated into a wider crisis affecting global energy routes. Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks, while disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit chokepoint, have sent shocks through global markets.

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Sudan’s humanitarian emergency has worsened significantly as insecurity across Kordofan triggers large-scale civilian displacement. According to the briefing, escalating violence has forced families to flee their homes in search of safety, placing immense strain on already overstretched local communities and aid networks. Kordofan, long a flashpoint in Sudan’s conflicts, has seen renewed fighting disrupt livelihoods, agriculture, and access to basic services. The displacement adds to Sudan’s broader crisis, with millions already internally displaced since the outbreak of war, raising alarm among humanitarian agencies over shelter shortages, food insecurity, and the risk of disease outbreaks.

Disinformation becomes a strategic weapon in the conflict

The briefing highlights the growing use of disinformation as a deliberate tool of war in Sudan. Competing narratives, fabricated reports, and manipulated media are being deployed to confuse civilians, undermine trust, and shape both domestic and international perceptions of the conflict. Analysts warn that this information warfare complicates humanitarian access and peace efforts, as false claims can inflame tensions, justify attacks, or obscure responsibility for abuses. The spread of disinformation also poses risks beyond Sudan’s borders, influencing diplomatic engagement and international responses to the crisis.

SAF air raids intensify civilian suffering

Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) air raids have intensified , contributing to rising civilian casualties and widespread destruction. The briefing notes that aerial bombardments are deepening the humanitarian toll, with markets, residential areas, and vital infrastructure increasingly at risk. Such attacks exacerbate displacement and fuel accusations of violations of international humanitarian law. Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that the use of air power in densely populated areas is accelerating civilian harm and undermining prospects for de-escalation.

RSF claims territorial gains as fighting escalates

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have claimed new territorial gains amid the escalating conflict, signalling shifting dynamics on the battlefield. These claims suggest ongoing offensives and counteroffensives that are reshaping control across contested regions. While independent verification remains difficult due to access constraints and information warfare, the reported advances underline the fluid and volatile nature of the conflict, with civilians often caught between rival forces and changing frontlines.

International pressure mounts for a humanitarian truce

Amid the intensifying violence, international efforts to secure a humanitarian truce in Sudan are gaining momentum. The briefing points to renewed diplomatic engagement aimed at pausing hostilities to allow aid delivery and civilian protection. Regional actors and global partners are pressing both SAF and RSF to agree to temporary ceasefires, warning that failure to do so risks further catastrophe. These initiatives reflect growing global concern that Sudan’s war, if left unchecked, could destabilise the wider region and deepen one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises

This divide, has of course been exploited by politicians. From the 1970s onwards, the left sought to build support among racial minorities, gradually altering its own identity. Once fundamentally class-based, the “left” in the early 21st century took the fight not only to imperialist and colonial legacies but also to all those perceived to embody that heritage.

As a result, the integration that once defined the region has partly given way to racial fragmentation. Electoral maps from the last 20 years closely mirror the ethnic makeup of communities.

In Bolivia, the Aymara leader Evo Morales won office not only because voters endorsed the programme of his Movement for Socialism, but because of affinity to his indigenous background. Large constituencies backed him as he used anti-colonial rhetoric to seize and redistribute land from elite farmers, often of Spanish heritage.

In Bolivia’s 2025 election, the right-wing candidate Rodrigo Paz won with the backing of vice-presidential candidate Edman Lara - someone Indigenous voters consider one of their own. Tensions emerged immediately: Lara has mobilised supporters demanding expanded powers from the president.

In Peru, Communist Party leader Isaac Humala Núñez founded the Ethnocacerist Movement in 1987 with a straightforward agenda: power to the Indigenous population. His sons later built the Peruvian Nationalist Party on this foundation. One of them, Ollanta Humala became president in 2011. The party collapsed a few years later, but was replaced by a left-wing movement likewise oriented toward Indigenous voters, albeit without explicitly racial slogans. In 2021, its candidate Pedro Castillo - himself indigenous - won the presidency. Electoral maps show that Castillo prevailed in regions dominated by indigenous populations.

Ecuador’s elections have also taken on a racial character. Daniel Noboa won office with support from the Europeanised electorate and now faces protests from indigenous groups, escalating in some cases into armed confrontation.

In Brazil, the Workers’ Party—the main force of the left—does not explicitly foreground racial issues. However, after coming to power in 2003, it expanded affirmative-action policies explicitly aimed at increasing access for Black, Indigenous, and low-income Brazilians. 

The victory of right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro in 2019 was, to some extent, a revolt against these policies. Overlaid electoral and demographic maps tell the story: the “Black” Northeast voted for the left, while the “white” South and Southeast backed the right. The 2022 results show a similar pattern, though the left won that time - political preferences still matter, and Brazi’s divisions are less ethnically-based than, for example, Bolivia.

Colombia’s recent elections reveal a comparable trend. Around 60% of the population belongs to various ethnic groups distinguishing themselves from the “descendants of colonisers”. Left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro made race a visible part of his platform, promising to defend the rights of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. Turnout in regions where those groups predominate surged, while the traditionally “white” centre of the country once again saw low participation.

Indigenous communities are beginning to step outside the framework of the left and articulate their own demands. Brazilian Indigenous groups staged unrest at a climate summit, opposing the construction of railways, power facilities and oil extraction in the Amazon - projects seen as vital for most Brazilians, but not for Indigenous groups. Similar dynamics are unfolding in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and even Argentina, where Indigenous populations are small minorities, yet still mobilising against development initiatives, sometimes violently, as seen in Chile and Ecuador.

The intensification of racial tensions destabilises Latin American states and obstructs their development. Crucially, these mobilisations rarely benefit indigenous communities themselves, but their leaders- often pursuing personal or group political and financial interests. They use left-wing movements as a façade, stoking conflict and provoking confrontation between “indigenous” and “non-indigenous” Latin Americans.

This opinion piece solely represents the views of the author, who has chosen not to disclose his name to avoid repercussions to his work. Global South World knows and can verify his identity.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently claimed that Christians are being specifically targeted , citing figures that 3,100 of the 4,470 victims were Christian.

However, security experts dispute this assertion, noting that Islamist violence in Nigeria is often indiscriminate, affecting both Christians and Muslims alike.

Analysts emphasise that many of the deadliest attacks have struck Muslim-majority communities, and no reliable data proves Christians are disproportionately targeted.

Experts point instead to complex, overlapping causes behind the violence, from struggles over political power and land disputes to deep-rooted ethnic tensions.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s military remains overstretched, underfunded, and mired in corruption , leaving it unable to sustain gains against insurgents who have adapted with new funding networks, local alliances, and control of rural zones.

In addition to the prison term, Masra was fined 1 billion CFA francs, which equates to approximately $1.8 million. His legal counsel labelled the sentence “an ignominy and unworthy humiliation,” and confirmed an appeal will be filed.

Before departing the courtroom, Masra delivered a defiant message to his supporters to “stand firm.” A message they have lived up to.

Large protests emerged in the country on Saturday, August 9, after the ruling, as supporters chanted that the trial and sentence were unfair.

According to Sitack Yombatina, Vice President of the Transformers Party, the supposed crime of the party leader, Masra, is being handled as a political case.

"I spoke with a few people , and the politicians are going to sort this out, which means that the magistrates who have the final say, who made the law, who have the text at their disposal, who are in their jurisdiction, who are in their territory, are unable to pronounce judgement based on the written texts and are deferring to politicians. There is a problem. Why didn't we do this at the National Assembly if it's political? Why didn't we do this at the Palace on 15 January if it's political? Why didn't we do this at the Presidency of the Republic if it's political? Why didn't we do this at the Premature if it's political? Why didn't we do it at the Ombudsman's office if it's political?" he quizzed.

A day earlier, on August 8, 2025, Chad’s prosecutor general had urged the court to impose an even harsher sentence of 25 years in prison along with the confiscation of assets and a demand for 5 billion West African CFA francs (around $8.9 million) in compensation to the state.

Masra, who briefly served as prime minister in early 2024, challenged President Mahamat Déby in the disputed 2024 presidential election. After contesting the results, he resigned his post in late May 2024.

The incident triggering these charges occurred amid escalating ethnic and regional tensions in Logone Occidental in May 2025 and claimed 35 lives.