The 12-Day Imposed War and Rethinking the Security System of the Persian Gulf Region
Subject Areas : Iranian Political Research
Naser Pourhassn
1
*
,
Saeid Arya
2
1 - Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Ayatollah Boroujerdi University, Boroujerd, Iran
2 - Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Political Science, Ayatollah Boroujerdi University, Boroujerd, Iran
Keywords: War, Security order, Iran, Israel, Persian Gulf, Foreign relations, Military power,
Abstract :
The present research, within the theoretical framework of the "Regional Security Complex," examines the impact of the 12-day imposed war by Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran in June 2025 on the rearrangement of the Persian Gulf security order. The main objective of the research is to analyze how a short-term but high-consequence conflict, acting as a "strategic shock," has caused a change in security perceptions and a redefinition of the position of regional actors. The central problem of the research is: How has Israel's 12-day imposed war against Iran caused a rethinking of the Persian Gulf security order and a change in the patterns of cooperation and threat among Arab countries? Accordingly, the research hypothesis states that this war, by revealing the inability of previous security models and highlighting the hegemonic threat of Israel, has paved the ground for a transition to an endogenous order centered on pragmatic interaction with Iran. The research method is descriptive-analytical, and by relying on library sources and international documents, an attempt has been made to analyze the security developments of the region in light of the Regional Security Complex theory. This theoretical framework facilitates a multi-layered understanding of amity and enmity relations, securitization, and the role of extra-regional powers in shaping the regional order. Research findings show that the 12-day war has led to the highlighting of Israel's expansionist and unpredictable behavior on one hand, and the proof of Iran's deterrence power on the other. This transformation has fundamentally changed the security calculations of the Persian Gulf Arab countries and has recognized Iran not as an ideological threat, but as a necessary balancing actor to contain Israel's hegemony. Furthermore, this war has led to increased attention to defensive self-reliance, diversification of relations with great powers, and the formation of new discourses regarding intra-regional cooperation. The results of this research indicate that the emerging security order of the Persian Gulf is a concrete example of the transition from "security-building based on enemy-making" towards "security-building based on national interests and collective stability." The consolidation of this new order will depend on the institutionalization of pragmatic and participatory interaction with Iran within the security architecture of the region.
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