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Iran and the Caucasus States in the 21st Century: A Study of Foreign Policy Goals and Means

2012; Routledge; Volume: 14; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/19448953.2012.720787

1944-8961

Houman A. Sadri,

Metallurgy and Cultural Artifacts

Abstract The discussion of Iranian relations with other Caucasus states ranges from claims about Tehran's ambition for exporting its revolution to suggestions as to whether it plays a positive role in stabilizing the region. How may one identify Iran's main policy goals? What are Tehran's major means in implementing these goals? How should one explain the bilateral ties between Iran and each Caucasus state? This paper will seek to examine the foreign policy philosophy adopted by Iran's contemporary leaders in light of the options that exist with regard to the country's resource needs and ideological goals and the resulting policy directions that are chosen, especially as far as the Caucasus states are concerned. Acknowledgements The author acknowledges the assistance from UCF. Moreover, he appreciates the support he received for this research from the Konrad, Adenauer, Stiftung, Regional Office (Tbilisi, Georgia), the School of International Relations, St Petersburg State University (St Petersburg, Russia) and the Institute for International and Political Studies as well as Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs (Tehran, Iran). None of these organizations are, however, responsible for the ideas that are presented here. Notes [1] Nikki Keddie and Mark Gasiorowski, Neither East Nor West: Iran, the Soviet Union, and the US, Yale University Press, New Heaven, CT, 1990. [2] Houman Sadri, Revolutionary States: Leaders & Foreign Relations, Greenwood, New York, 1979, especially Chapter 5. [3] Houman Sadri, ‘An Islamic perspective of non-alignment’, Journal of Third World Studies, 16(2), 1999, pp. 29–40. [4] ‘Iran reclaims third position in oil reserves’, Oil & Gas Journal, 18 October 2010, p. 4. [5] US Energy Information Administration: Iran, < http://www.eia.doe.gov/cabs/Iran/NaturalGas.html> (accessed 2 July 2011). [6] US Energy Information Administration: Iran, < http://www.eia.doe.gov/cabs/Iran/NaturalGas.html> [7] US Energy Information Administration: Iran, < http://www.eia.doe.gov/cabs/Iran/NaturalGas.html> Chart data retrieved from US Energy Information Administration, reported 1 January 2010. [8] Alexis Aik, ‘Iran becoming mega petchem producer, natural gas consumer’, Oil & Gas Journal, 26 March 2007, p. 48. [9] Alexis Aik, ‘Iran becoming mega petchem producer, natural gas consumer’, Oil & Gas Journal, 26 March 2007, p. 48 [10] Since 2000, the author has toured many petrochemical facilities in Iran. One impressive petrochemical complex is the South Pars Onshore Facilities along with its companion the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone located near Bushehr, where the author visited in August 2010. [11] IMF, Directions of Trade, IMF Press, Washington, DC, 2010. [12] Merhdad Mohsenin, ‘The evolving security role of Iran in the Caspian region’, in G. Chufrin (ed.), The Security of the Caspian Sea Region, Oxford University Press, New York, 2001, p. 166. [13] Lutz Kleveman, The New Great Game: Blood and Oil in Central Asia, Grove Press, New York, 2003, p. 2. [14] Lutz Kleveman, The New Great Game: Blood and Oil in Central Asia, Grove Press, New York, 2003, p. 2, p. 3; Lena Jonson, ‘The new geopolitical situation in the Caspian region’, in G. Chufrin (ed.), The Security of the Caspian Sea Region, Oxford University Press, New York, 2001, p. 12. [15] Mohsenin, op. cit., p. 168. [16] Mohsenin, op. cit., p. 168, p. 167. [17] Bullent Aras, The New Geopolitics of Eurasia and Turkey's Position, Frank Cass, London, 2002, p5. 37. [18] Mohsenin, op. cit., p. 167. [19] < http://www.ecosecretariat.org/> (accessed 27 September 2010). [20] H. Alipour, A. 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Elkhan Nuriyev, The South Caucasus at the Crossroads: Conflicts, Caspian Oil and Great Power Politics, Lit Verlag, Berlin, 2007, p. 277. [32] Over 20 million Azeris live in Iran. Elkhan Nuriyev, The South Caucasus at the Crossroads: Conflicts, Caspian Oil and Great Power Politics, Lit Verlag, Berlin, 2007, p. 277, p. 276. [33] Houman Sadri, Global Security Watch: The Caucasus States, Praeger Press, Santa Barbara, CA, 2010, p. 88. [34] < http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code = 183993> (accessed 27 September 2010). [35] Sadri, Global Security Watch, op. cit., p. 87. [36] Cited by Sadri, Global Security Watch, op. cit.; Thomas Waal, Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through War and Peace, New York University Press, New York, 2003, p. 74. [37] Vladimir Socor, ‘Iran–Armenia gas pipeline: far more than meets the eye’, Eurasia Daily Monitor, 4(56), 21 March 2007. [38] Vladimir Socor, ‘Iran–Armenia gas pipeline: far more than meets the eye’, Eurasia Daily Monitor, 4(56), 21 March 2007 [39] ‘Armenia raises throughput of gas pipeline from Iran to 5 m cu.m. per day’, BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 3 November 2010. [40] ‘Iran, Armenia to build new power line’, BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 15 October 2010. [41] ‘Politicians on UN sanctions’ impact on Armenia's ties with Iran’, BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 17 June 2010. [42] Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, < http://www.mfa.gov.ge/index.php?sec_id = 306&lang_id = ENG> (accessed 29 November 2010). [43] ‘Opposition leader slams visa-free travel between Georgia, Iran’, BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 11 November 2010. [44] ‘Georgian experts mull possible implications of deepening relations with Iran’, BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 19 June 2010. [45] Sadri, Global Security Watch, op. cit., p. 126. [46] ‘Russia: Iran's growing economic, political involvement in South Caucasus eyed’, BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union—Political supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 28 December 2009. [47] Nuriyev, op. cit., p. 279. [48] Nuriyev, op. cit., p. 279