نشریه مطالعات راهبردی جهان اسلام
سال شانزدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 61، بهار 1394)

The Middle East is one of the most chaotic regions of the world. During the last century, it has undergone conflicts, disputes and bloody wars. Several studies have been carried out to determine the causes and origins of the crisis in the region and experts have explored the issue from their own perspective. Accordingly, being concentrated on one factor and ignoring the others, most researchers suffered reductionism and presented factors as the root cause of the crisis, which are not able to give an analysis of the recent crises. Using descriptive-analytical method and library research, the present paper seeks to answer these fundamental questions: what are the main causes of the crises in the Middle East? What are the common characteristics of the region's crises like that of Syria and Iraq? The findings of this paper show that identity challenges, the challenge of legitimacy and succession, intervention of the colonial and imperialistic powers in the region and their efforts of globalization as well as the inherent illegitimacy of the Zionist regime are the factors causing the recent crises in the Middle East. Furthermore, multiplicity of actors, the role of non-state actors, expansion of crisis from social level to security and military levels, the emergence of the crisis in the geography of the Resistance are common characteristics of the crises in the Middle East.

US-Russia relations in recent years have hand many ups and downs. Their relations have been influenced by issues such as maintaining and expanding US influence in Russia outskirt, geopolitics of power transmission lines, the establishment of US and NATO missile defense system in East Europe, nuclear issue of Iran and North Korea and the developments in the Middle East and North Africa. Nevertheless, Ukraine crisis can be regarded as a turning point in the evolution of US-Russia relations, which is indicative of the culmination of geopolitical conflict and rivalry on both sides. Given that the international nature of Ukraine crisis produces profound outcomes on international relations, this article seeks to answer the fundamental question: "what is the effect of Ukraine crisis on US-Russia relations"?

The post-Maliki era in Iraq or, to put it better, Al-Abadi's government –started from September 2014 – can be considered as a new beginning in Baghdad's relations with other (either national or international) actors involved. Departing from ideological values and mulling over factors like national interests as well as the international structure and geographical and historical context in which Abbadi has spent his life, have certainly created differences between the approach of the previous governments of Iraq and that of Al-Ibadi. Hence, Al-Abadi is going to be weighed up by the pros and cons of these differences and al-Abadi's Iraq encounters new opportunities and threats.

Today that Muslim world is faced with expansionism of the Zionist Regime and its international and regional allies, it is necessary to understand the thoughts of individuals who were influential in anti-Israel resistance. In this context, we study the personalities of Imam Musa Sadr, who was the leader of Lebanese Shiites and who was regarded as a student of Imam Khomeini. It is because, sharing viewpoints and conducting actions, such as forming Lebanese Resistance and attempting to form resistant community, strike blows to the Zionist regime –which brought about victory of the Lebanese resistance against Israeli expansionism. Imam Musa Sadr believed that Zionism thought is the root cause of Palestinian issueand various projects of Israel. Therefore, he presented strengthening and abiding the Resistance, preserving unity and avoiding internal conflicts, moving in line with plan and wisdom, using Islam and spirituality, forming a resistant society, entering Lebanese Shiites into the Resistance and strengthening Arab armies and calling for their cooperation, as the appropriate solutions to deal with Israel.