نشریه تحقیقات سیاسی و بین المللی
پیاپی 13 (زمستان 1391)

The present article intends to understand the place of energy sources in analysis of foreign policy in different realist theories. The finding shows that different theories of realism is a suitable analytical starting point for the study of the importance of energy source in foreign policy. The reason is that the realist theories do not undervalue the strategic importance of energy source and they do not consider statesmen as actors with mere economic objectives. Realism looks at energy sources as an element of power and for this reason it gives special place to it for forming the behavior of the states. Of course, among different branches of realism, the neo-classical realism due to its simultaneous attention to system level and domestic level variables can accurately explain how energy sources influence the foreign policy behavior.

The present article attempts to examine the historical process of the relations of Iran and Latin America with emphasis on their commonalities, the causes for their support of nuclear programme of Iran and also the reason of the United States opposition to Iran’s nuclear Programme. The commonalities between Iran and Latin America like negation of Imperialism and the United States hegemony, opposition to repression and tyranny led to cooperation and mutual support of Iran and Latin America in international forums. The United States made tremendous effort to get the support of Latin American countries in its pressure against nuclear programme of Iran but what happened was that the Latin American countries in most occasions supported Iran’s nuclear programme either in ALBA grouping, non-aligned movement, in United Nations security council or as independent countries.It seems that the Latin American countries have realized that the opposition of the United States to Islamic Republic of Iran is completely political and in the direction of the United States interests. Also the relation of the United States towards the Latin American countries has similar nature. Thus the present article contrary to the claim of the United States intends to substantiate the fact that the attitude of the Western world led by the United States towards the nuclear programme of Iran is exclusively political and there are instances which prove that the United States attitude is political. The Latin American countries share this view with Iran and for this reason they have supported Iran’s nuclear programme.

Fereshteh Mirhosseini: Postgraduate in regional studies (Middle East), Tehran University. One of the pivotal issues in the developments of West Asia and North Africa is nuclear programme of Islamic Republic of Iran the importance which has increased to level of an international problem and debate. The nuclear programme of Iran is an entirely peaceful programme within the framework of “legal capability”. On the other hand there exists Zionist regime of Israel which has the production of nuclear armament. It is worth mentioning that it is the only country in the region which possesses nuclear armaments. While Israel does not face any limitation or international pressure in regard to its nuclear programme it has put tremendous pressure on Islamic Republic of Iran peaceful nuclear programme and wants to destroy its nuclear capability. The present research tries to examine and compare the nuclear programme and activity of Islamic Republic of Iran and Zionist regime.

The present article examines the relation between health and instances of violence and pathology in international politics arena. The science of political psychology and bio-politics explains the relations between health and political behavior. Freud pays attention to psychological root of behavior and believes that there are sickness roots for behavior. Carl Jung later adds common memory and collective unconsciousness to Freud theory and is of the view that lack of collective health can have a role in social behavior. Among theoretical explanation in international relations critical theories and in particular constructivism pays attention to the process of understanding and its role in behavior. But the emphasis on macro level approach and tendency towards considering the individual and societies as identical hinders the attention to the role of health of mind in understanding and behavior in international arena. The authors of the article are of the view that the conditions of the health of leaders and societies have a determining role in understanding and behavior in international arena. Violence and damage in international politics get are influenced by the condition of the health of actors. Since none of the theories of international relations cannot exclusively provide suitable framework for the topic of health, therefore the present article by the help of psychological findings, bio-politics, medicine, critical theory, constructivism and also by presenting objective evidence examines the hypothesis or relations between health with violence and pathology in international politics and shows the actual relation between the two. The paper in addition to the emphasis it puts on health of people and societies it reiterates the necessity of theory building and formulation of new theoretical framework for paying attention to role of health in the study of international relations.

The security of energy is one of the strategic issues in world politics which all countries give special attention to it. Islamic Republic of Iran is located in the center of a region which is called “strategic oval of energy” which is having important role in production and transit of oil and gas in a way it functions like a heart for the world and for this reason and significance it is having a geopolitical role.The aim of the present research is to study and analyze the geopolitical role of Islamic Republic of Iran in security of energy. It also wants to know ways for better use of this geopolitical position, also understanding the threats and making maximum use of this geopolitical opportunity. The theoretical framework for this research is a strategic oval of energy of Jeffery Kemp which is examined in strategic management model framework. The finding of the study shows that the increase in demand of energy sources in industrial countries of the world like the United States, European Union and the countries of Asia like India, and China has led to activation of this strategic oval of energy in international politics which centers around Islamic Republic of Iran. Taking into consideration the need of great powers for oil, the United States tries to make use of energy as a weapon for the management of world affairs and attaining its hegemonic system. In present situation the world market for energy needs an inclusive approach based on international security and a win-win game towards security of energy. This approach takes into consideration the interest and proportionate share of all actors in world energy market. Thus the security of world energy needs the creation of “collective security”.

The disintegration of former Soviet Union is one of the important events of the second half of the twentieth century. This event has had deep impact on the world, regional and interstate relations. The result of Soviet Union disintegration was the birth of new republics in Central Asia and Caucasus. One of these new republics is republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan had independence between 1918 till 1920 but later was annexed to the Soviet Union). The Azeri community with 90 per cent majority and Turkish language with intense patriotic feeling constitute the Azerbaijan republic population. Iran and Azerbaijan despite having so many commonalities like culture, history, religion, Shiite belief and common border have tense relations with each other. Why are the relations between the two countries tense despite so much commonality? The hypothesis of the authors of the article is that the ethnic orientation by Azerbaijan republic which is propagated under the name of one united Azerbaijan, has led to politicization of Azeri population of Iran and acts as an obstacle on the way of normal relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. This policy orientation has overshadowed other positive binding factors like common history, religion, Shiite belief and common border and thus it has led to tension in the relations of the two.

Among the second generation rights of man--social and economic rights--one is the right to work which have been emphasized in international and regional documents and also in the constitutions of several states. From 1919 with the establishment of International Labour Organization different aspects of this right (like the right to have a job, prohibition against discrimination while employing and occupation, the right to have job security …) were internationally emphasized and from this angel it found its place in different legal systems in a way that today first generation rights (the right to life and prohibition of torture etc.) is not the focus of attention of human rights activists. On the other hand other rights like right to, prohibition of discrimination and other related rights have become the center of workers expectations and the subject of legal cases. In this regard the judgments of human rights courts and the European Court of Justice is an indication to this point. With the establishment of European Union in the continent of Europe as a regional organization, gradually a new legal system got shaped which today is called the European Union law system. This comprehensive and developed legal system includes a wide range of legal rules including human rights rules. Social and economic rights are in the center of attention of European institutions like Commission of Europe and Council of Europe. The council has approved different directives in which they have paid attention to right to work. For instance the directive on prohibition of discrimination in employing and occupation (2006), directive related to collective dismissal of workers in 1998, directive related to working hours (2006) are some of the examples of obligatory rules of European Union regarding the right to work. In the present article examining the legal rules of European Union regarding work, different issues are discussed in three parts. In the first part the concept of right to work and right to have access to work specially the right to set up a business and also access to job training opportunities have been discussed. In the second part prohibition of discrimination while employing and occupation and working condition and payments are discussed and different directives of the Union are explained and illustrated. In this way a comparison has been made between the system of prohibition of discrimination at European level and international level. In the third part the job security and issues like dismissal of workers and fixed period employment contracts in Europe have been discussed. In each part it has been tried to tally the European Union rules and international law rules to compare the level of European standards and international law.