Theoretical Analysis of the Cultures Dominating the Relations between Iran and the Countries of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC)

The pattern of cooperation and conflict between Iran and the countries of the Persian Gulf region is having great ups and downs and it is difficult to understand it without a proper and practical framework. The aim of this article is to make use of constructivist (Wendtian) theory in interaction of Iran and the countries of the Persian Gulf in order to better understand the roots of cooperation and conflict among them. The aim is to have a future oriented analysis about the how about of an attainable pattern of sustainable cooperation, pre-grounds and compulsions of this pattern. From this point of view constructivism of Alexander Wendt with its general ontological hypothesis which believes that politics and interest are based on identity and its being innate is a suitable framework. This theory believes in the acceptance of the state as the main unit of analysis and put emphasis on social identity based on three pillars (Hobbesian, Lockian and Kantian) of culture and these factors determine the foreign policy. By the help of this theoretical framework one can explain and analyze the elite oriented foreign policy of these countries. The article first explains the theoretical part then in the second part the interaction of Iran's foreign policy and the countries located in south of the Persian Gulf are analyzed and assessed in three phases. The first phase is 1980s till the end of Iraqi war against Iran, the Hobbesian domination (conflict). The second phase is from the first Persian Gulf War till 11 September 2001, the adjustment of Hobbesian culture and transition to Lockian culture, the third phase is the period after 11 September 2001, the return to Hobbesian culture.In the third part of the article, the findings of the study are presented and the suggestion for pattern of cooperation is given.