Feasibility assessment of political-security convergence Between Iran and Afghanistan during the Taliban Era

Subject Areas : Middle East Political Review

Neda Hajivosough ¹ (Ph.D. in Political Science, Islamic Azad University, Tehran. Iran.)

Received: 2023-09-25 Accepted : 2023-09-25 Published : 2023-09-01

Keywords: Iran, Afghanistan, Middle East, political-security convergence, neighboring,

Abstract :

In today's world, convergence between countries, especially neighboring countries, is of fundamental importance. Iran and Afghanistan have long lived as a unified land under the name of "Greater Khorasan". These two neighboring Muslim countries have multiple cultural, religious, linguistic, historical, and racial ties with each other after independence, and these multiple commonalities have led the two countries to prioritize expanding their relations with each other and to constantly strive to improve and deepen their relations despite ups and downs. The main question of this research is to explore the potential convergence or divergence between Iran and Afghanistan during the Taliban era in the tumultuous Middle East region. By using the theory of convergence and focusing on political convergence, and drawing on the theories of thinkers in this field such as Jacob, Thuen, and Tuscany, and using the content analysis method, the research information has been analyzed. The results show that Iran and Afghanistan share a common border, language, and similar cultures, and have many common regional interests. However, the Taliban's control over the Afghan government in 2021 has created new challenges for these relations. These challenges include access to Afghan rivers, border issues, a large number of Afghan refugees in Iran, and the spread of illegal drugs to Iran.

References:

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