"And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the chief ruler of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief ruler of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them magnificently clothed in full armor, a great horde with [a]buckler (small shield) and [large] shield, all of them wielding swords; 5 Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia), and Put (Libya, N. Africa) with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north and all its troops—many peoples with you.

7 You [Gog] be prepared; prepare yourself, you and all your hordes that are assembled around you, and be a guard and a lookout for them. 8 After many days you will be summoned [for service]; in the latter years you shall come into the land that is restored from [the ravages of] the sword, where people have been gathered out of many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual wasteland; but its people were brought out of the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. 9 You will go up [against them], you will come like a storm; you shall be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.” Ezekiel 38:1-9 (Amplified Bible)

Russia has found new ways, and new friends, to help it work around the sanctions regime. Cash from Chinese banks and investors has arrived to offset the withdrawal of European and US banks, while a deepening relationship with Saudi Arabia and its oil company Saudi Aramco is seen by Moscow as a way to continue developing technology for the energy industry that was previously supplied with US partners. The Iran-Russia-Syria relations have reached an unprecedented peak and its growing ties with Turkey in the background of diminishing importance of USA leaves Israel vulnerable to forces that seek to wipe them out of the world map.

For years, prophecy watchers have watched the various coalitions forming slowly but surely in the Middle East, but recent events have taken these alliances to a different and more radical level. The "inner circle", including Lebanon/Hezbollah, Syria, Gaza/Hamas, Egypt and parts of Jordan (if not all) have all gathered as more and more radical Islamic elements have gained control. The Gog-Magog coalition of Ezekiel 38-39 is underway, as the alliance between Russia, Turkey and Iran strengthens by the day.

I can’t begin to express to you the pressure that Israel is facing, and every time I see the injustice of what is happening, I have to remember that the Lord is in control and will deliver Israel.

Russia – Iran relations

We are probably more familiar with the name of Persia than Iran in the bible, but don’t let the wonderful intervention by God through Cyrus cloud your judgement about Iran. It is one of the key players of the end-time stage. Under Cyrus the Great and Darius the Great, the Persian Empire eventually became the largest and most powerful empire in human history up until that point. The Persian Empire represented the world's first global superpower and was based on a model of tolerance and respect for other cultures and religions that few powers have matched. The Silk Road, connecting Persia with China was significant not only for the development and flowering of the great civilizations of China, ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, India and Rome, but also helped to lay the foundations of the modern world. Alexander the Great conquered Persia in 333 B.C.E. only to be followed shortly by two more vast and unified Iranian empires that shaped the pre-Islamic identity of Iran and Central Asia: the Parthian and Sassanian dynasties. These latter dynasties defeated the Roman Empire at the height of its power on several occasions. - New World Encyclopaedia

Interesting, that the Chinese President Xi Jinping's recently signed the Belt and Road initiative, a $1 trillion road, rail and construction project spanning dozens of countries -- from Asia to Africa and Europe.

But many of the colossal projects are being built by state-owned Chinese companies and financed by loans from China, leaving states billions of dollars in debt to Beijing. Iran’s relation between the Moscow and the Persian Empire (Iran), officially commenced in 1521, with the Safavids in power. Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979, when the monarchy was overthrown and clerics assumed political control under supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

Past and present contact between Russia and Iran has long been complicatedly multi-faceted; often wavering between collaboration and rivalry. The two nations have a long history of geographic, economic, and socio-political interaction. Since then, mutual relations have often been turbulent, and dormant at other times. Currently Russia acts as both an economic partner and a military benefactor to Iran, a country under severe sanctions by much of the Western world.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the two neighbouring nations have generally enjoyed very close cordial relations. Iran and Russia are strategic allies and form an axis in the Caucasus alongside Armenia. Due to Western economic sanctions on Iran, Russia has become a key trading partner, especially in regard to the former's excess oil reserves. Militarily, Iran is the only country in Western Asia that has been invited to join the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Russia continues to be Iran’s main military and arms seller, Iran purchasing the S-300 missile defense system from Russia, the arms deal renegotiated before sanctions were removed from the Islamic Republic of Iran under the nuclear deal between world powers and the United States under the Obama Administration.

Iran also believes Saudi Arabia is trying to destabilise Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Shia movement Hezbollah is part of the government.

China and Russia have long sold arms to a host of nations who are not as friendly to Western powers, such as Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and Syria.

A chronology of key events:

• In May 2007, secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolai Bordyuzha invited Iran to join the alliance. Iranian accession to the organization still did not take place, basically due to the ayatollahs’ opposition to join a military bloc clearly dominated by a traditionally rival power of Iran such as Russia.

• 2014 November - Russia agrees to build up to eight nuclear reactors in Iran, in move that might ease Iranian demands to have own uranium enrichment.

• 2015 July - After years of negotiations, world powers reach deal with Iran on limiting Iranian nuclear activity in return for lifting of international economic sanctions. The deal reportedly gives UN nuclear inspectors extensive but not automatic access to Iranian sites.

• 2016 International economic sanctions on Iran lifted after UN says satisfied with progress on fulfilling nuclear agreement. President Rouhani embarks on the first European state visit of an Iranian president for 16 years.

• 2016 December - The US Senate approves a ten-year extension of the Iran Sanctions Act, which penalises American companies for doing business with Tehran.

• 2017 January - Iran reportedly carries out medium-range ballistic missile test. UN Security Council recommends investigation to see whether it violated a UNSC resolution banning tests of missiles designed to deliver nuclear warheads.

• In 2017 in Tehran, the regime displayed a “clock” with a countdown towards Israel’s destruction in about 23 years. The timeline is similar to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s prediction in 2015 that Israel will not exist in 25 years. He made a similar prediction in 2016.

• Friday, 02 March 2018 Iran announced that it would be hosting “Hourglass Festival” in Anticipation of Israel’s Destruction within 25 Years. At a press conference announcing the festival on Tuesday, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Secretary General of the International Conference on Supporting Palestinian Intifada, said that “the Islamic Republic won’t allow the Zionists to play with the security” of the Middle East.

• 2018 “Despite my strong inclination, I have not yet withdrawn the United States from the Iran nuclear deal,” Trump said in a statement. Instead, I have outlined two possible paths forward: either fix the deal’s disastrous flaws, or the United States will withdraw.” Iranian oil production could take a serious plunge if the Trump Administration decides to abandon the nuclear deal”. However, I’m not sure that the world leaders will adhere to Trumps threats. One thing they all have in common is to rid the world of Trump and the article in CNBC confirms how large oil companies, that are more concerned about profits, are returning to Iran.

• May 2018 Donald Trump has done what he has been threatening for months and pulls out of the Iran Nuclear Deal. Mr Trump said he will be “reinstating the highest level of sanctions against Tehran”. There will be a "wind down" period of 90 to 180 days - possibly longer in some circumstances for American businesses and international communities to stop trading with Iran.

Recently, new satellite images of an area near the Syrian capital of Damascus show a new permanent military base which may house missiles capable of striking Israel, Fox News reported Wednesday. The images of the base, some 12 kilometers northwest of Damascus, were taken by ImageSat International (ISI) and shared with Fox. They show two recently constructed hangars which are similar in appearance to Iranian bases in Syria.

Russia-Turkey

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, relations between the two nations improved; on May 25, 1992, a visit to Moscow by Turkish Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel saw the signing of a Russian-Turkish treaty. Although disagreements regarding the border dispute over the Caucasus and support of each other's lifelong historical adversaries both linger. Russia is somewhat skeptical of Turkey's admission into the European Union which has the potential of damaging its relations with Turkey, but both countries are key strategic partners in the Transcaucasian region.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan flew to Sochi, Russia for a 16 May 2009 working visit with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at which he stated, “Turkey and Russia have responsibilities in the region. We have to take steps for the peace and well being of the region. This includes the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, the Middle East dispute, the Cyprus problem.” Putin responded that, “Russia and Turkey seek for such problems to be resolved and will facilitate this in every way,” but, “As for difficult problems from the past – and the Karabakh problem is among such issues – a compromise should be found by the participants in the conflict. Other states which help reach a compromise in this aspect can play a role of mediators and guarantors to implement the signed agreements.” Whilst on the subject of energy security Erdoğan stated that, “The agreement on gas supplies through the so-called Western route signed in 1986 is expiring in 2012. We have agreed today to immediately start work to prolong this agreement”.

Turkey, which had been a long-time US ally, continues its process of re-Islamification under President Erdogan at the same it forges closer ties with Russia. Despite a deep mistrust of Iran, Turkey also recently forged an alliance with it against the growing Kurdish influence in the region, which both countries perceive as a threat.

In October, a new diplomatic incident took place between Turkey and the United States that prompted Erdogan to warn the US, "We don't need you" in response to Washington blocking non-immigrant visas.

In November 2016, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik confirmed that Turkey and Russia are negotiating the arms deal, Isik stating “Our talks on S-400 are not only held with Russia, but also with other countries that have similar systems. Russia’s position on this issue now is positive,” adding that Turkey hopes “that the NATO member states consider this topic very seriously…. But this does not mean that we will ignore Russia’s proposals. We are pushing ahead with proactive work in this direction. Our ultimate goal is to start producing these systems on our own.” The adoption of Russian military technology speaks to Erdogan's intentions, since these systems are incompatible with Western military hardware. In short, Turkey is slowly turning away from NATO in favour of Russia.

Russia forging Alliance elsewhere

Moscow’s expansion of its arms sales gives it another dimension through which to pursue its geopolitical goals. The key element of this strategy, of course, has been energy. The country is the world’s largest exporter of natural gas. Oil-and-gas exports account for seventy percent of Russia’s annual exports, providing for more than half the Russian federal budget.

The third leg of Russia's new doctrine is the cultivation of closer ties with the fellow BRICS nations — Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. The India-Russia relationship is indicative of the relationship Moscow would like to cultivate with the other BRICS.

India is the world's largest weapons importer, with 75% of all arms coming from Russia. Additionally, the two nations are co-developing a fifth-generation fighter. Russia's military relationship with the other BRICS is far from being as fruitful as it is with India. However, the West's economic sanctions on Russia for the crisis in Ukraine has paved the way for closer ties between Moscow and Beijing.

It should surprise no one that energy plays such a significant role in these conflicts. Oil and gas are, after all, the world’s most important and valuable commodities and constitute a major source of income for the governments and corporations that control their production and distribution. Indeed, the governments of Iraq, Nigeria, Russia, South Sudan, and Syria derive the great bulk of their revenues from oil sales, while the major energy firms (many state-owned) exercise immense power in these and the other countries involved. Whoever controls these states, or the oil- and gas-producing areas within them, also controls the collection and allocation of crucial revenues.

Iraq, Iran, Syria Sign $10 Billion Gas-Pipeline Deal – The oil ministers of Iraq, Iran and Syria Monday signed a preliminary agreement for a $10 billion natural-gas-pipeline deal, the official Iranian News Agency IRNA and other Iranian media reported. The original agreement of the Qatar pipeline was, in Putin’s view, a NATO plot to change the status quo, deprive Russia of its only foothold in the Middle East, strangle the Russian economy and end Russian leverage in the European energy market. In 2009, Assad announced that he would refuse to sign the agreement to allow the Qatar pipeline to run through Syria “to protect the interests of our Russian ally.” Assad further enraged the Gulf’s Sunni monarchs by endorsing a Russian approved “Islamic pipeline” running from Iran’s side of the gas field through Syria and to the ports of Lebanon. The Islamic pipeline would make Shia Iran instead of Sunni Qatar, the principal supplier to the European energy market and dramatically increase Tehran’s influence in the Mid-East and the world. Israel also was understandably determined to derail the Islamic pipeline which would enrich Iran and Syria and presumably strengthen their proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas. According to an article by Steve Austin of Oil-Price-Net, Crude Oil and the Syrian Conflict, “Qatar wanted to build an underground natural gas pipeline from the country's North Field to Turkey, traversing Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria to Mediterranean and then to Europe. Turkey too was in favor of this 'Islamic Pipeline', as it would have made the country a key player in the transit, not to mention profits. However, the Assad regime wasn't interested as the proposed pipeline would have negated Russia off the equation. Instead, in the year 2010, along with Iran and Iraq, Syria proposed to build a 3,450 mile pipeline costing $10 billion to transport oil to Europe directly from the South Pars gas field traversing Syria.”

Iran Signs Oil For Goods Deal With Russia: Breaks Free Of Petrodollar - Iran signed an agreement with Russia under which it has broken free from the petrodollar, and will "sell", or rather barter crude oil to Russia in exchange for products. The announcement was made by Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, as reported by Russia’s RIA and TASS news agencies.

Syria: Putin signs Syria base deal, cementing Russia's presence there for half a century - President Vladimir Putin has signed a law ratifying a deal with the Syrian government allowing Russia to keep its air base in Syria for almost half a century, official documents show. Syria signs deal with Russian firm to drill offshore for oil and gas.

China: Russia signs 30-year gas deal with China - The perceived motive for the deal is that Russia needs a second market for its gas, so it can face up to European sanctions. Given that the "Power of Siberia" pipeline won't start pumping gas into Chinese factories until 2018 at the earliest, its economic effect on the European crisis will be limited. More important may be the investment that China will make into Russia's power and transport infrastructure. Putin may not have managed to sign the most advantageous of gas deals on Wednesday but the opening of economic doors with China could well be the greater achievement.

Russia eyes Africa to boost arms sales - Moscow's two main exports are natural resources and weapons. Africa has plenty of former and plenty of demand for latter. …… Tom Wheeler, a research associate at the South African Institute of International Affairs, stated Russia's two main export products are natural resources and military hardware, and of these Africa has its own supplies of the former and plenty of demand for the latter. Rosoboronexport's, a leading operators in the international arms market, cooperation with traditional importers of Russian weapons from Africa include Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Sudan, South Africa and Uganda. It could also extend links with Zimbabwe in the not-too-distant future.

Sudan signs agreement with Russian company on gas liquefaction - October 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Ministry of oil in Sudan signed a $70 million agreement on Sunday with Russia’s Gazohim Techno for liquefaction of gas produced at Neem field in the west of the country using a process known as gas-to-liquids (GTL). Sudan, Russia sign nuclear power energy deal - The final agreement that will bring nuclear energy to Sudan by the end of this year was signed in the Russian capital, Moscow, yesterday between Sudan’s electricity ministry and Russia’s nuclear power agency, the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported. Sudan poised to become a nuclear atomic energy state

Ethiopia: Russian GBP Seals Afar Petroleum Exploration Contract with $60m - GPB Global Resources, a Russian petroleum company, is going to explore petroleum and natural gas with an estimated capital of 60 million dollars in the Afar basin, eastern part of Ethiopia, following a year-long negotiation with the Ministry of Mines (MoM). GPB Global Resources is a group of companies, engaged in petroleum and mineral resource projects in various parts, including Africa, South America and the Middle East. Since its creation, GPB facilitated Gazprom’s oil and gas projects in Libya, where its daily production exceeds 100,000 barrels of oil. Russia to help Ethiopia in development of nuclear energy - Ethiopia and Russia have signed an agreement on cooperation in peaceful use of nuclear energy. The Memorandum is the first of its kind between the two countries. Ethiopia sees the peaceful use of atomic energy as necessary to support its fast growing economy. CGTN's Girum Chala reports from Addis Ababa.

Yemen: Russia’s role in the Yemen conflict - Russia’s policy on Yemen has not changed much since the start of the Arab Spring. While openly backing one party in Syria, in Yemen Moscow prefers to take a lighter approach, by ensuring good relations with whoever is in power at the time. When Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi became president in 2012, there was no resistance from Moscow. In fact, he was recognised as someone who was educated by the Soviet Union, where he received his military education, and as a potential partner, which came to pass. In April 2013, Hadi visited Putin in Moscow where the Russian president acknowledged that trade between the two countries grew by 43 per cent in 2012 his guest’s first year as president of Yemen. Houthis, Yemen's New Masters, Look For New Economic Partners; Russia And China Respond - Despite those fears, the Chinese and Russian governments are seizing the chance to build a relationship with the new people in charge of Yemen, with an eye especially to the oil and fishing industries………According to local news reports, Russian representatives met with leaders of the Houthi rebels at the beginning of January and visited the ministries of oil and fishing. The group discussed the potential for commercial investments in the fishing industry. Russia vetoes Western effort to call out Iran over Yemen at U.N - The Russian veto was a defeat for the United States, which has been lobbying for months for Iran to be held accountable at the United Nations, while at the same time threatening to quit a 2015 deal among world powers to curb Iran’s nuclear programme if “disastrous flaws” are not fixed.

Libya: Russia increases involvement in Libya by signing oil deal - Russia has significantly boosted its involvement in Libya by signing a potentially major contract to help redevelop Libyan oilfields. The head of the Libyan national oil corporation (NOC) signed a cooperation agreement with Rosneft, the Russian oil giant, which NOC said on Tuesday “lays the groundwork for investment by Rosneft in Libya’s oil sector”.

Somalia: Russia restores diplomatic ties with Somalia - Mr Kuznetsov promised to strength ties between the two countries, adding that "many Russian companies are likely to invest in Somalia, especially in the rebuilding of the economic infrastructure.” During the cold war era, the Soviet Union was the force behind the military muscle of the regime of dictator Siad Barre in Somalia.

Morocco: Russia, Morocco Sign String Of Energy And Military Deals - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev discussed supplying liquefied Russian natural gas to Morocco on a visit to Rabat on October 11 during which he signed a string of energy, military, and other deals. Medvedev met with Moroccan Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani and presided at a signing ceremony for 11 bilateral agreements covering cooperation in such areas as customs, agriculture, the military, culture, energy efficiency, and nuclear energy.

Egypt: In Snub to U.S., Russia and Egypt Move Toward Deal on Air Bases - In what appeared to be a snub to the Trump administration, has reached a preliminary agreement to allow Russian military jets to use its airspace and bases, both sides said Thursday (Nov. 30, 2017). If finalized, the agreement would give Russia its deepest presence in Egypt since 1973, when Cairo expelled the military of the Soviet Union and instead became Washington’s closest Arab ally. Egypt: Saudi anger as Egypt votes with Russia in UN vote - Many Saudis took to social media to express anger that Egypt voted against Saudi, which some implied was an "anti-Arab" vote.

Venezuela: Russia, Venezuela Sign Deal on $3.15 Billion Restructuring - Russia signed an agreement to restructure $3.15 billion of debt owed by Venezuela, throwing a lifeline to a crisis-wracked ally that’s struggling to repay creditors.

Vietnam and Cuba: Russia says it may reopen Soviet-era military bases in Cuba and Vietnam - Russia is considering restoring military bases in Vietnam and Cuba, Cold War flashpoints and lasting symbols of the enmity between the US and Soviet Union. Nikolai Pankov, the Russian defence minister, said Moscow was "rethinking" the decision to close the bases, according to Russian news agencies. The withdrawals were ordered by Vladimir Putin, in order to bolster ties with the US. Re-opening the bases would be a provocative step, and one that is in line with the more assertive foreign policy Mr Putin has pursued in recent years.

The Russians' strengthened position in the Middle East and Africa has come about not by coercion or infiltration but by invitation but “Putin is a calculating master of geopolitics with a master plan to divide Europe, destroy NATO, reestablish Russian influence in the world, and most of all marginalize the United States and the West in order to achieve regional hegemony and global power. And his plan is working.”

<“Hook in the jaw": Gog and Magog Alliance Part 6: The Alliances>