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A special essay from Kevin Connolly reflects on the historical tides which have shaped the Middle East - and which of today's great powers is gaining ground. Does the recent nuclear deal announced in Vienna mean that Iran will be playing a greater role as a regional power?

(Photo: British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond (2nd R), US Secretary of State John Kerry (R) and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini (L), Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (2nd L) Credit: AFP)