regional balance

The transition in the international order has also included changes in regional balances. In Southwest Asia, the adoption of US off-shore balancing strategy, which has caused the outsourcing of some hegemonic responsibilities, has created new situation in the region. At the same time, this process has been accompanied by the role of emerging actors in the region, which has influenced the behavior of the foreign policy of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf in the form of a look-to-the-east policy. How these fundamental changes are changing and forming the regional order of Southwest Asia is a process that can clearly affect its consequences. One of the serious consequences of these developments is the change in the patterns of friendship and enmity and the formation of new security situations that directly affect the interests of regional and international actors. From this point of view, identifying these trends and responding to these key issues are among the strategic issues of the countries in the region. In this context, the current paper seeks to answer the question that how will the change in the regional balance of Southwest Asia and the development of the look east policy in GCC countries affect Iran's regional security? The hypothesis that is raised in response to this question is based on the proposition that this strategy is considered as a transitional period that includes opportunities to shape strategic stability in Southwest Asia and threats such as the redefinition of the American order in the region.

This article is prepared and organized based on the security conditions of the Persian Gulf and providing solutions for stability and security in this sensitive international region. Stable security in this geo-strategic, geo-cultural and geo-political region of the world is of great importance due to the route of energy passage and estimation of more than 90% of fossil energies (in 2030). The geography of the Persian Gulf, which is separated from the Sea of Oman by the Strait of Hormuz, consists of the following countries: Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar, which are important and vital for the world in terms of economy and fossil energy production. Is. Britain's withdrawal from this region and its replacement by the United States in 1970 has caused many ups and downs in this region of the Middle East. This year, the United States used the two countries of Iran and Saudi Arabia as two pillars of regional security to reduce the tension between the two countries and a barrier against communism in a plan called the Nixon-Kessinger doctrine (two-pillar security).

Undoubtedly, the formation of the Ansarallah movement in Yemen and its rapid and influential growth and development should be evaluated as one of the consequences of the Iranian Islamic Revolution at the level of the West Asian region. A movement that was inspired by the thoughts and ideals of the Islamic Revolution and following the movement and policy of Imam Khomeini and after his death Imam Khamenei, was able to become one of the most effective political movements in the region in a short period of time. and seriously challenge the interests of the arrogant world and its regional factors. The connection between Iran's Islamic Revolution and developments in the region in recent decades, especially the recent events in Yemen, cannot be hidden. In such a situation, Saudi Arabia, by forming a coalition of Arab countries, started its air attack against Yemen's Ansarallah, claiming to support the resigned president of this country, and this process continues. The question of the present article, relying on the descriptive-analytical method and based on library studies, is how the Islamic Republic of Iran has influenced the resistance of Yemen's Ansarallah in the process of the Saudi coalition war with this country? The hypothesis of the article is that according to the influence of Iran's Islamic revolution on Yemen's Ansarallah movement, it seems that Iran's Islamic revolution has had an ideological and intellectual impact on Yemen's war process. The theoretical framework is also based on Imam Khomeini's theory of issuing the revolution and as a result, the disturbance of the balance of forces in the region.

In order to ensure its security in the Middle East, Iran seeks to increase regional power within the framework of defensive realism, and the transnational policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are moving towards security models, ie balance and balance of power. In this study, the question was raised: What effects have the developments in the Middle East had on the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran? According to the research, this hypothesis was raised and it was proved that the geopolitical changes in the Middle East by changing the balance of power and creating strategic regional opportunities for the Islamic Republic of Iran, through the processes and factors of domestic politics led to the adoption of influence development policy in the form of active regionalism. And the expansion of the capabilities of the country's strategic allies in the form of the axis of resistance. Iran also in line with its transnational policies; It has continued to build and maintain a strong network of allies and proxy forces, and has established links with governmental and non-governmental actors in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen to expand its influence. In this research, descriptive-analytical method and using the power balance framework, an attempt has been made to study the transnational policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the security of Iran and the Middle East.

Since the fall of the former leader Muammar Gaddafi and the chaos that followed his death in 2011, there has been no a powerful government to rule all over Libya. Thus, the complex political and security situation in the country prevented the two blocs of power in west and east of the country from reaching a comprehensive agreement on the division of power. Libya has increasingly becoming a battlefield for a geopolitical contest among regional and international powers, so their involvements have deepened the political divide and polarized security climate in the country. Turkey,one of the largest countries in the Middle East that has invested heavily in the country's economy since the former Libyan government,provided military support to the insurgents in the form of NATO alliance. Tuekey has backed the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated General National Congress based in Tripoli. In contrast, regional powers such as Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, along with France, have approved an interim government in eastern Libya (Tobruk) to escalate a conflict of interest in the region. This study tries to analyze the motivations and strategic goals of Turkish foreign policy from its active presence in the Libyan crisis. Given the descriptive-analytical approach, the paper argues that Turkey's interests in North Africa are tied to maintaining stability and expanding the sovereignty of the national unity government over all of Libya. The findings show that Turkish interests in Libya have focused on gaining economic benefits and strengthening the balance of power in the shadow of competition with regional and European powers, by overcoming the Brotherhood's tendencies.

Central Asia is of great significance for Iran in terms of geopolitical and geostrategic links. In the meanwhile, China and Russia have also paid more attention to Central Asia in recent years and have put forward many initiatives to extend their influence and assert their superiority. This article studies the dimensions and features of Sino-Russian axis in Central Asia and the opportunities that the strategies of the two countries in this region would provide for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Based on the descriptive-analytical research method, the article looks for an appropriate answer to the question on how the Islamic Republic of Iran can get closer to the fulfillment of its interests in that region amid the regional purposes of Moscow and Beijing in Central Asia. The hypothesis is that “China and Russia’s mutual concerns about the security, economic and institutional interests have forced the two countries to adopt coordinated policies. This would bring about regional balance, as the Islamic Republic of Iran can adopt a defensive participation approach in such circumstance to get closer to the fulfillment of its economic and security interests in the region.” The theoretical pillars of the article are based upon the theories of defensive and offensive (structural) realists, and the findings are the result of data gathered from the libraries, documents, sources in the virtual space, and the statistics and figures.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are two prominent actors in the Middle East and regional rivals. In this regard, Iraq is one of the important reflections of the competitive policies of Iran and Saudi Arabia in the region. The political and security developments in Iraq in 2003 led to an increase in the role and influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the country's political scene. In this regard, Saudi Arabia is trying to prevent the development of Iran's political and spiritual influence in Iraq while increasing its sphere of influence and expanding its geopolitical territory in Iraq. Therefore, the main goal of the research is to analyze the policies and mechanisms of Saudi Arabia in the face of this country's confrontation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of Iraqi politics (2013-2003).

The present study, relying on the descriptive-analytical method and the context of the theory of threat balance, is an attempt to examine the various dimensions and angles of this issue.

The findings show that Saudi Arabia, following the defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, with the aim of balancing Iran's regional power, has resorted to measures such as inciting Salafism, inciting insecurity in Iran's geopolitical realm and strengthening its defense base in order to prevent the growing power of Iran in Iraq; On the other hand, Iran is trying to strengthen its relations with post-ISIS Iraq to prevent the change of power equations in favor of its regional and international rivals, especially Saudi Arabia in this country.

The results of the research show; Saudi Arabia is pursuing a policy of controlling and controlling Iran's influence in the region, including Iraq, in order to restore its power and influence in Iraq, which has been accompanied by an increase in the scope of Tehran's influence in Iraq's politics since 2003 US-led invasion. And in this regard, inn a strategic alliance with its regional and trans-regional allies, it has adopted policies against Tehran's interests in the Iraqi political arena.

The Middle East region has been involved in a security incident in recent years that one of the main reasons is the strengthening of ISIS terrorist group in Iraq and Syria. Between the countries of the region, Iran in the years after 2005 so far, with regard to the expansion of geopolitics has increased its penetration rate in the Middle East. Give these Conditions, some countries in the region have tried to address the major changes in the geopolitical use all foreign policy tools to balance against competitors. The main purpose of this paper is descriptive – analytical method, regional influence of Iran in the Middle East and rival’s approach to it. The main question of the paper is that what is the most important goal of the Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel and Persian Gulf Cooperation Council to support ISIS? and this hypothesis suggests that limitation of regional and geopolitical territory of Iran is the main purpose of these countries to support ISIS.

From past to now, one of the most important researches part in regional studies has been study of great powers role in Middle East. This article aim is explanation of China s Midlle East policy in a last decade with emphasis on concept of "regional balancing". The main question of the article is why china chooses regional balancing policy in the Middle East? The argument is the china choice rooted in three level of  national, regional and global analysis. Findings of the research with descriptive- explanative method shows that some factors in national level such as, China position in transition route of development, principle of respect to countries sovererignty and territorial integrity and islam factor are important. In regional level, the most important variables are: economic importance of Middle East and maintainance of markets, China s necessary to Middle East resources of energy and cooperation with regional partners and finally, in global level some factors like: simultaneously competition and cooperation with United States, belt and road initiative and China s soft power and cultural influence are important

The paper provides a different analysis the impact of trans-regional security equations on development and equality in Iran with special attention to the relationship between security and development within the framework of the regional developments. For the author, the relationship between domestic and international levels through the regional security and geopolitical structure brings about new perspectives. Thus, the main question of the paper is focused on the regional security and geopolitical structure. And to discuss the issue the following hypothesis is raised: the features of the security environment in the Middle East cause unsustainable and uneven development in Iran.

Relations between Syria and Iran can be considered as the oldest ones between Iran and an Arab state. Although this relationship has never been fully upgraded to strategic relations, mostly, it has been relatively good. The nature and level of these relations at different times of history have always annoyed the Arab and Western governments; however, it has never led to the termination of these relations. Why has Syria been closer to the Islamic Republic of Iran? The research hypothesis shows that Syria tends to have a closer relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and it plays the role of an allied party in order to create balance against the threats of the Israeli regime, balance the power in the Islamic world and stabilize the domestic situation. The purpose of this research is to explain the roots, reasons, why and how close the two countries are. This research method is descriptive-analytical and has been done through the integration of three national, regional and transnational levels innovatively compared to other similar studies. Finally, it has been concluded that Syria has made an effort to bridge the gaps among three issues of stabilizing the internal situation (stability), confronting Israel’s threat (national security) and the balance of power in the Islamic world (national interest) by strengthening more relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Some researchers believe that the Yemeni crisis is merely influenced by social forces or the contribution of regional players like Iran and Saudi Arabia, but the strategic facts suggest that Washington and Zionist regime act as two global and regional powers playing a determining role in the incremental course of Yemeni crisis and exacerbation of the situation. The US officials believe that there will be an Iranian erosion of regional power if Iran experiences the signs of intensified conflict within the regional context. The Saudi-led backlash from 11 Arab Union nations and support for the involved players such as Zionist regime, the UK and the US demonstrate how the Islamist realms are increasingly encountered. Any Saudi coup carried out in Egypt backed by Washington and Tel Aviv must have been aimed at encountering the Yemeni national revolution and the contribution of Ansarollah by means of military force. The Saudi military operation was parallel to the involvement of the British Foreign Secretary in the region, similar to the scenario where the US Secretary of Defense made his presence felt in Bahrain prior to the Saudi counteraction. The main question of this research is how are the Yemeni security policies characterized in the wake of nationwide crisis? The hypothesis of this paper stresses the following statement: The Yemeni security crisis broken out in April 2015 will be controlled through achievement of a regional balance. The theoretical framework of this research draws mainly on the regional balance theory in heterogeneous systems and chaotic strategic environments.

Iran’s 1404 Development Outlook Document can be named as the main focal point of the country’s economic and strategic programming. The document emphasizes that it’s crucial for Iran to turn into a regional power in South West Asia. Among ways to materialize goals as such in the existing anarchic framework in the international system are self-help and organizing defensive pacts. The essay is trying to study the necessity of organizing defense pacts in the region. Defense pacts rest among main tools of creating regional balance in Iran’s defense policy. The rise of the US anti-Iran international threats can be regarded one of the necessities of using coalition model in the international politics. In other words, coalition is a passage way made through anarchy.Coalitionism can be categorized as a tool seeking power and security, and those countries employing coalitionism will be able to follow up further interests in the international politics. Iran’s role playing in the outlook document plan is possible merely under circumstances that necessary grounds are prepared for multilateral political, economic, cultural, and security cooperation with regional units as well as world powers. Iran’s geopolitical activity in developing multilateral regional cooperation with Russia and China can be considered a reaction to Pentagon’s defense and operative strategy for the years 2012-2020. Defense pacts are regarded regional coalitions that prepare necessary grounds for creation of balance, stability and inter regional cooperation.

Assistant Professor; Political Science Department, University of TehranRegional balance is considered as one of the most important issues for international and national security scholars. Each scholar has attempted to explain several aspects of balance of power. Some believe that without balance, the international system will not last. While the other hold the opinion that emphasis upon the issue of regional balance by superpowers means ignoring the necessities of the regional countries behavior, therefore, great power intervention in the process of regional balance makes theoretical and analytical indicats of this theory inefficient. On the other hand, geopoliticians also focus on the manner of geographical, political and strategic interaction. They argue that geopolitical changes will come naturally from changes in the above mentioned factors of defence and security policy. This will change the regional balance of power. If the changing balance of power continues, there will be regional conflicts. So geopoliticians like international relations theorists are emphasizing the need for balance of power in maintaining the regional balance and stability. Regional fields are considered as mid-level geopolitical area. Thus, the balance of power requires that actors of international system should match and any increase in a rival's power could change the balance condition.