Iran’s New Presence in the Chess of the Black Sea Region and the Caucasus

Year 2017, Volume: 3 Issue: 2, 23 - 40, 04.10.2017

Mojtaba Barghandan

Abstract

This paper examines the new policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran

regarding the Black Sea Region and the Caucasus. The historical and prerevolution

mindset in Iran with respect to the strategic importance of these

geographies faced serious shift after the 1979 Revolution and then with

the USSR dissolution in 1991. With the succeeding developments in its

surrounding geographies on the eve of 21st century, Iran began to outline a

powerful mental plan to consolidate and/or renew its place in the strategic

map of these regions. This article argues that, Iran began to introduce short

and long term energy supply projects and provided support for it in these

regions. Within this framework, the aim is to understand the factors that

has stimulated Iran’s attention and new engagement in these geographies

and its vitality both for itself and for the countries of these regions and the

world. This paper has found that the historical heritage is the major factor

for Iran’s engagement in these regions. Nevertheless, this factor might not

explain Iran’s success or failure. However, other issues such as Iran’s new

economic, political and security motives based on a multi-dimensional

approach in the last two or three decades, plus its geographical location

and geopolitical position, have played roles in this regard

Keywords

Black Sea, Caucasus, Iran, Energy, Security, Economic

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