The Role of Water in Iran's Strategic Status in the Middle East

Today, water is considered as one of the most important resources for many countries and its strategic place as an economic commodity has been accepted by many nations. This article deals specifically with the role of water in Iran's strategic status, considering the fact that Iran is mostly regarded as an arid country with periods of drought. However the authors believe that Iran's water situation is better than its neighboring countries, which can in turn promote Iran's strategic status. In order to demonstrate such status, Iran's water resources including the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf are examined and then the role of water in Iran's transit position is highlighted. The authors, at the end, offer certain measures for the preservation of this status.