The role of Iraq in the Axis of Resistance; advantages and barriers

The Axis of Resistance is a title that in recent years has been able to introduce itself as one of the main transnational actors influencing the political-security developments in the Middle East. As a member of this axis, Iraq has an important role. Various issues in Iraq's internal environment affect the country's role in the axis of resistance, and understanding them will lead to a better understanding of the country's position in the Middle East security zone. On the other hand, there is complex and wide-ranging competitions by regional and supra-regional actors in Iraq, which adds to the importance of this country as one of the foreign policy priorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In order to be on the axis of resistance, Iraq must reduce its internal problems. Problems such as unemployment, corruption, dependence on oil budgets and lack of infrastructure for development. Lack of attention to internal problems makes Iraq unable to resist US and Western pressures. As a result, Iraq can`t act as a member of the axis of resistance to its takes. The closer the factors of Iraq's convergence with the axis of resistance, the less likely it is to join the American front, and the more the factors of Iraq's divergence from the axis of resistance, the more likely it is to separate from the axis of resistance. The main question of this research can be stated as follows: What are the advantages and barriers of the Iraqi internal environment that affect the position of this country in the axis of resistance? This research is not a hypothesis because of its practical nature. The method of data collection in this research is the use of the existing literature and unstructured elite interviews. The Regional Security Complex Theory has also been used as a theoretical framework focusing on patterns of friendship/enmity.