The Impact of Geopolitics on the Orientation of Iran's Foreign Policy during the Second Pahlavi Era
Subject Areas : علوم سیاسیLameeh Engashteh 1 , Shahram Fattahi 2 , Hamid Reza Saeedy Nejad 3
1 - Department of Political Science, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran
2 - Department of Political Science, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran
3 - Department of Political Science, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran
Keywords: Geopolitics, Foreign policy, Second Pahlavi Era, Middle East power,
Abstract :
Geopolitics is among the influential elements in the field of foreign policy. During the Pahlavi era, the country, influenced by geopolitical factors, faced many ups and downs in the realm of foreign policy. Countries, as actors in the power and politics arena, have aimed to centralize and exert central influence over other players. The more centralization an actor achieves, the higher the ranking, more extensive connections, and obtaining a more desirable position be-come. The aim of this article is to investigate the impact of geopolitics on Iran's foreign policy during the second Pahlavi era. The main question posed is: What impact has geopolitics had on shaping Iran's foreign policy during the second Pahlavi era? The hypothesis suggests that geopolitics acted as the main and influential factor in Iran's foreign policy during the second Pahlavi era, leading to an increase in the country's power. The results of the article indicate that the Middle East, during the second Pahlavi era, functioned as a geopolitical network with various sub-networks. Eleven geopolitical sub-networks can be identified, among which the most significant include the Islamic sub-network, energy, democracy, and the resistance sub-network. Iran held a central position among Middle Eastern countries in these geopolitical sub-networks during the second Pahlavi era. Iran's centrality in the Western sub-networks of security and economy allowed it to better and more extensively pursue its national interests. The research methodology employed is descriptive-analytical, based on library studies.
Abrahamian, Y. (1998). Iran Between Two Revolutions. Translators: Ahmad Gol Mohammadi and Mohammad Ebrahim Fatahi. 11th edition. Teh-ran: Ney publications.
Ahmadi, S. A., & Sadat Mousavi, A. (2006). The Role of Fossil Energy in Global Energy Geopolitics. Rahbord-e-Yas Journal, Vol. 2, No. 7.
Ahmadi, S. A.; Sadeghi, A.; and Hossein Khani, R. (2021). Constraints and Strategic and Geopolitical Challeng-es of the Zionist Regime. Geography Quarterly (International Journal of the Iranian Geographical Society), Vol. 19, No. 69.
Ahmadi, A. (2011). Iran, Islamic Revolu-tion, and Shiite Geopolitics. 1st edi-tion. Tehran: Andisheh sazane Noor Institute.
Afzali, R. (2017). Methodology in Political and Geopolitical Geography. 1st edi-tion. Tehran: University of Tehran Publications.
Afzali, R.; Mirzadeh, Koohshahi, M.; Mahmoudi, M.; Seyedi, A.; and Asl, S. M. (2020). A Geopolitical Ap-proach to the Weakness and Non-expansion of Democracy in the Mid-dle East: A Case Study of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Geopolitics Interna-tional Journal, Vol. 16, No. 4.
Akbari, H. (2009). The Resistance Phenom-enon: The Basis for the Implementa-tion of Informal Power of the Islam-ic Republic of Iran. Defense Policy Journal, Vol. 17, No. 66.
Bari, R. (1984). Power Struggles in Iran. Translator: Mahmoud Mashreghi. 1st edition. Tehran: Ashtiani Publi-cations.
Barzegar, K. (2008). Iran, the Middle East, and International Security. Foreign Policy Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 3.
Chamankar, A. (2006). Nixon's Doctrine and the Gulf Guard. Zemestaneh Maga-zine, No. 52.
Hafez Nia, M. (1992). The Persian Gulf and the Strategic Role of the Strait of Hormuz. 1st edition. Tehran: Samt Publications.
Hafez Nia, M. (2005). Principles and Con-cepts of Geopolitics. 4th edition. Mashhad: Papeli Publications.
Rahim pour, A. (2002). Geostrategic Chang-es in the Twenty-First Century and the Position of the Region and Iran. Political-Economic Information, Vol. 17, No. 183-184.
Soheili, F., & Osareh, F. (2013). Central Concepts and Density in Scientific and Social Networks. National Stud-ies in Librarianship and Information Organization Quarterly, Vol. 24, No. 95.
Sinaei, V. (2005). Absolute Government, Military, and Politics in Iran. 1st edi-tion. Tehran: Kavir Publications.
Ezzati, A.; Faraji Rad, A.; & Kazemi Varij, M. (2021). The Position of Russia's Geoeconomic in Neighboring Coun-tries, with an Emphasis on Oil and Gas. Geography Quarterly (Scientific Journal of the Iranian Geographical Society), Vol. 19, No. 71.
Eyvazi, M. (2010). A Comparison of Reli-gious Rule and Liberal Democracy. Rahbord-e-Yas Journal, No. 21.
Qasemi, F. (2011). Theories of International Relations and Regional Studies. 1st edition. Tehran: Mizan Publications.
Karimi, A. (2017). The Role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Defining the Identity of the Axis of Resistance. Research of Nations Monthly, Vol. 2.
Cohen, S. B. (2008). Geopolitics of the World System. Translator: Abbas Kardan. 1st edition. Tehran: Abraar-e-Moaser Tehran Publications.
Mirzakhani Seilab, R. (2013). The Effect of the Geopolitical Structure of the Turkish Region on the Security of the Islamic Republic: A Master's Thesis at Shiraz University.
Nixon, R. (1985). Real War, Real Peace. Translator: Alireza Taheri. 1st edi-tion. Tehran: Ketabsara Publica-tions.
Yazdanpanah Darv, K.; Abdi, A.; Kamran, H.; and Jokar, F. (2018). Geopolitical Analysis of Environmental Security of Dust Phenomenon (Case Study: Southwest Asia). Geography Quar-terly (Scientific Journal of the Irani-an Geographical Society), Vol. 16, No. 56.
