The drivers and consequences of convergence and divergence in the environmental relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq in the regional environment of West Asia in the new millennium

Subject Areas : Iranian Political Research

hekmat naser ^{1 *} , shahram fatahi ² , hamid reza saeedinezhad ³

1 - PhD student in Political Science (Iranian Issues Orientation), Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran
2 - معاون فرهنگی دانشجویی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی استان کرمانشاه
3 - Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran

Received: 2025-06-04 Accepted : 2025-08-15 Published : 2025-08-20

Keywords: Smart power, regional clustering, fragile belt, geopolitics, West Asian regional environment. ,

Abstract :

One of the main issues that has attracted the attention of all analysts of the international system regarding the environmental relationship between Iran and Iraq from the perspective of strategic studies is the interpretation of the environmental relationship of the drivers and the sons of convergence and divergence of the two countries in the regional environment of West Asia in the new millennium. Now the question is, what parameters affect the drivers and sons of convergence and divergence in the environmental relationship between Iran and Iraq in the regional environment of West Asia? It seems that the drivers (convergence) can be interpreted in the form of components such as (geopolitics, geoeconomics, geoculture, geostrategy) and the sons (divergence) in the form of components such as (the influence of regional-international powers, identity-religious actions, nationalism). The present study is of an applied type, with a qualitative method and a descriptive-analytical approach, and has been compiled and analyzed with a library method. The findings of the present study show that Iran's strategy in the West Asian regional environment is interpreted based on components such as (communication area, transaction area, and confrontation area). (Environmental relationship with Iraq can be interpreted in line with the communication area). Also, effective drivers (convergence) can be interpreted by highlighting Iran's role in the framework of smart power theory in the environmental relationship between Iran and Iraq and its sub-aspects including (popular mobilization and military initiative). Effective drivers (divergence) in the environmental relationship between the two countries can also be interpreted in the framework of regional clustering theory and its sub-aspects including (the influence of regional and international powers, and religious-identity actions).

References:


Sources
- Asadi, Ali Akbar and Rastgo, Mohammad Zaman. (2019). The future of the Iraqi political system, drivers and upcoming scenarios. Political Studies of the Islamic World, Summer, 8 (2), (30th issue), pp. 170-149. (In Persain).
- Ali Yari, Hassan and Ranjbar, Mohammad Reza. (2024). Strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Middle East Security Complex with an Emphasis on Smart Power (Case Study of the Iraq and Syria Crisis). Crisis Research of the Islamic World, Fall, 3 (34), pp. 21-1. (In Persain).
- Bakhtiari, Iraj and Mohammadi, Ardeshir. (2023). Managing micro-bird threats in the future operational environment. Defense Futures Studies, Winter, 8 (31), pp. 118-95. (In Persain).
- Cohen, S. (2008). Geopolitics of the global system. translated by Abbas Kardan, Tehran: Abrar Mazares Publishing House.
- Demirchi, Alireza and Saeedi, Ruhol Amin. (2024). An explanatory framework for analyzing the cognitive-perceptual logic of Iraqi society (case study: the occupation issue). Strategic ecology of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Summer, 8(2), (27), 151-113. (In Persain).
- Dacey, J.B. (2024). Beyond proxies: Iran’s deeper strategy in Syria and Lebanon. Availablein:https://ecfr.eu/publication/beyond-proxies-irans-deeper-strategy-insyriaandlebanon.
- Ejabi, Ibrahim and Kolivand, Khalil and Mottaqi, Hamid. (2023). A layered analysis of the causes of future wars in West Asia. Defense Policy, Winter, 32 (125), pp. 195-159. (In Persain).
- Farzaneh, Adel and Boalhasani, Khosrow and Beik, Ali Asghar and Nasirpour, Gholam Reza and Fayazi, Hossein and Zarei, Ali Heydar and Sabbaghi, Mehdi. (2023). Military strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran against US military threats. Defense Future, Autumn, 8 (29), pp. 72-41. (In Persain).
- Jafari, Seyed Asghar and Kalani, Hamid. (2024). Capacities and challenges of creating a defense treaty organization of the Islamic countries of West Asia. Political studies of the Islamic world, Spring, 13 (1), (49), pp. 23-1. (In Persain).
- Keramatipour, Alireza and Taghipour, Reza. (2024). Conceptual Model of Cyber Defense Ecosystem of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Military Sciences and Technologies, Summer, 20 (67), pp. 252-227. (In Persain).
- Mohammadi, Shahram and Jafari-Baadi, Seyed Farshid and Khoshkhati, Mehdi. (2023). Security Arrangements of West Asia and Their Impact on the Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Perspective of the Copenhagen School. Transcendental Politics, 11 (43), pp. 356-339. (In Persain).
- Mosalnejad, Abbas. (2024). Regional Crises, Gaza War and the Political Future of the Islamic World. Crisis Studies in the Islamic World, Summer, 11 (2), (33), pp. 53-30. (In Persain).
- Nejatipour, Mehdi and Romina, Ebrahim and Ahmadipour, Zahra and Ezzati, Zahra. (2024). Exploratory factor analysis of geostrategic coast indicators affecting global and regional strategies. Defense Futures, 9 (33), 111-85. (In Persain).
- Nasri, Ghadir. (2011). Theoretical reflection on the findings and difficulties of Bari Buzan in examining security. Strategic Studies, Winter, 14 (4), pp. 105-134. (In Persain).
- Noormohammadi, Morteza and Damirchi, Alireza. (2024). Pragmatism in Iraq's Foreign Policy (2005-2023) Characteristics and Consequences. Political Studies of the Islamic World, Fall, 13 (3), Serial (51), pp. 45-73. (In Persain).
- Hashemi, Seyed Mustafa and Faraji Rad, Abdolreza and Sarwar, Rahim. (2016). Studying the Effective Geopolitical Factors of Iraq and Its Impact on the National Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Political and International Research, Fall, 27. (In Persain).
- Pourhasan, Naser and Khoshnamond, Afsaneh.( 2020). The formation of a soft border in Iran-Iraq relations in the post-Saddam period. Strategic Policy Research, Autumn, 9 (34), (64 consecutive). (In Persain).
- Rasouli, Majid and Eslami, Mohsen and Mortezaei, Narges. (2023). Explaining Iran's geopolitical weight in the security equations of the West Asian region (in the transition period). National Security, Summer, 13(48), pp. 34-9. (In Persain).
- Saeedi Fard, Ali Ashraf and Romina, Ebrahim and Hafeznia, Mohammad Reza and Roshni, Reza. (2024). Identifying the drivers of the military influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the West Asian region. Defense Futures, Fall, 9(32), pp. 63-37. (In Persain).
- Sirki, Garineh Keshishian. (2024). The role of energy in the convergence and security of the West Asian region, with emphasis on the pattern of friendship and enmity between Iran and Iraq in the field of energy. West Asia, Spring, 2 (1), (4). (In Persain).
- Safavi, Seyyed Yahya and Kamali, Mohammad Reza and Elhami, Amir Hossein and Gholamalian, Ali Reza. (2024). Analysis of the existing driving capacities towards the ideological power of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the West Asia region (strengths and opportunities). Strategic Defense Studies. Spring, 22 (95), 26-5. (In Persain).
- Smagin, N. (2023). Moscow’s Original “Special Operation”: Why Russia Is Staying in Syria. Availablein: https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2023/01/moscowsoriginal-special-operation-why-russia-is-staying-in-syria?lang=en.
- Terzampour, Mohammad. (2024). Future study of Iran-Saudi Arabia relations until 2028. Fundamental and applied studies of the Islamic world, Spring, 6 (20), pp. 110-77. (In Persain).