A Study of the Ways to Promote Cooperation between Iran and Central Asian Countries

The disintegration of the Soviet Union and the fall of the bipolar system dominating the international system had significant repercussions on the national, regional and international scales. Central Asia region as a part of Iran’s civilizational sphere enjoys a special place in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. There are suitable grounds for the expansion of bilateral relations because of historical and cultural commonalities and affinities between Iran and Central Asia, huge oil and gas potentials, an appropriate market for Iranian products and more importantly the landlocked character of the region leading them to use Iran as the best economic route for transportation. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, this region has attracted the attention of many powerful regional and international players. The Islamic Republic of Iran is among such actors, which is intensely challenged by others due to its historical and cultural proximities with regional nations. Drawing upon a theoretical framework, the author examines the possibility of Iran’s strategic ties with the region and its key countries. Moreover, the ways to promote Iran’s partnership with Central Asian nations will be particularly studied.