Security Architecture in the Persian Gulf: A Comprehensive Appraisal
Mohammad
Reza Agharebparast
author
Kayhan
Barzegar
author
text
article
2012
eng
This article focuses on the security architecture of the Persian Gulf. Since the British left the Persian Gulf in 1971, maintaining the security of this strategic body of water has been a major concern for the governments of the region and for those who depend on energy supply from this region. Four decades later, after a revolution, three major wars, and regime changes in the region, defining a security system for the Persian Gulf remains a significant challenge. This article reviews the past security arrangements in the Persian Gulf and proposes a new framework for Persian Gulf security. Study of previous and current security patterns in the region reveal that the existing security frameworks have failed to ensure stability and led to massive direct military confrontations in the Persian Gulf. The authors argue that the failed strategies and theories of balance of power and arms race would intensify the atmosphere of mistrust and animosity in the region. They suggest that any meaningful security arrangement should involve all major regional actors the Persian Gulf. They conclude that common security can only be achieved through comprehensive security architecture in the region. Although they insist that achieving this objective needs confidence-building measures to be considered by regional actors.
Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs
Institute for Strategic Research, Department of Foreign Affairs
20088221
3
v.
11
no.
2012
https://irfajournal.csr.ir/article_123415_d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e.pdf
Discourse and Identity in Iran’s Foreign Policy
Mahdi
Mohammad Nia
author
text
article
2012
eng
This article tries to apply discourse analysis, as a research framework, to Iran’s foreign policy. Discourse analysis of foreign policy mostly focuses on language and rhetoric used by policy makers. Discourse analysis is not only related to comments and speeches made by Iranian officials, it also puts to test behavior which takes place in social context.; To this end, the author explores main political discourses shaping Iranian identity and foreign policy behavior since the Islamic Revolution. These discourses impose a particular revolutionary language on Iranian foreign policy, and give meanings to the country’s foreign policy behavior. This article assumes Iran’s foreign policy, initially and before starting its interactions with the international community, has been subject to revolutionary discourses as major resource for the country’s definition of its identity and interests. This discourse assumed to be a revolutionary identity: it is occasionally strengthened or moderated due to aggressive or non-aggressive normative environment at the international level. The discursive context at both the domestic and international levels will help us understand confrontational and non-confrontational relations between Iran and the western countries in post revolutionary era.;
Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs
Institute for Strategic Research, Department of Foreign Affairs
20088221
3
v.
11
no.
2012
https://irfajournal.csr.ir/article_123416_d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e.pdf
Iran, Turkey and the Arab Revolutions
Nabiollah
Ebrahimi
author
text
article
2012
eng
This writing tries to examine and analyze political and ideological stances adopted by Iran and Turkey towards the recent Arab revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. In fact, the main question is to what extent the Arab revolutions have affected the level of cooperation and disputes between the two states. Certainly Turkey’s Neo-Ottoman policy as new Turkish foreign policy discourse has deeply influenced Ankara-Tehran relations, after the Islamists came to power. That is to say that Turkey’s new foreign policy and its exceptional horizons in the Justice and Development Party’s Islamist strategy have posed new challenges to Iran’s increasing diplomatic activities in the Middle East. From this perspective, This paper argues that Turkey’s Neo-Ottoman discourse towards the recent Arab revolutions in the region has caused tensions between the two countries in the new politico-security settings of the Middle East.
Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs
Institute for Strategic Research, Department of Foreign Affairs
20088221
3
v.
11
no.
2012
https://irfajournal.csr.ir/article_123417_d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e.pdf
Japanese and Indian Energy Security towards Iran
Mandana
Tishehyar
author
text
article
2012
eng
Energy security is one of the relatively new terms in international relations literature which has become a subject of debate in recent years in academic and political circles. Efforts at achieving energy security not only enjoy a privileged place in the foreign policies of industrialized nations like Japan, but it has also entered the agendas of industrializing countries such as India. Both groups seek to provide the grounds for further safe and reliable access, to imported energy resources. Considering the energy security policies in the diplomatic apparatus of these two powerful Asian countries, this research intends to examine these policies towards Iran as one of the largest producers of crude oil in the world, which also possesses one of the globe’s biggest natural gas reserves. We will examine what approach these two Asian countries have adopted in order to attain their energy security through Iran in the past decades and what impacts this has left on their economic and diplomatic relations with Iran. The author will seek to illuminate the role the structure of the international system plays in shaping the energy security strategies and policies pursued by these two states.
Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs
Institute for Strategic Research, Department of Foreign Affairs
20088221
3
v.
11
no.
2012
https://irfajournal.csr.ir/article_123418_d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e.pdf