Eastern Mediterranean Region and its Interests for Iran Geopolitical Territoriality in Southwest Asia

Document Type : مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

Authors

• yashar zaki ¹
• Hasan Karimi ²
• Mohamad bagher Ghalibaf ³
• Javad Etaat ⁴

¹ Assistant Professor in Political Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

² PhD in Political Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

³ Associate Professor in Political Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Associate Professor in Political Geography, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/pg.v4i3.80705

Abstract

The Mediterranean region is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, where considered as the prelude to the rivalry between the East and the West, the conflict between the Arab countries and Israel, and the confrontation between the developing and industrialized countries on both sides of the sea. One of the most important geopolitical regions of the Mediterranean area is the eastern Mediterranean. Syria, Lebanon, and occupied Palestine are considered as Iran's "geopolitical core" in the eastern part of Mediterranean Sea. Iran as one of the important regional actors has paid special attention to the eastern Mediterranean Sea since 1980. The question is what effects does the eastern Mediterranean area could have on Iran's geopolitical territoriality in southwest Asia? In response, it can be said that the Eastern Mediterranean has an important place in the geopolitical realm of Iran in Southwest Asia and its leadership over the Islamic world. The findings of this study indicate that the position of the Eastern Mediterranean on the Mediterranean coast, proximity to the Straits of Gibraltar and Suez, the presence of Shiite minorities in Syria and Lebanon, the only countries close to Iran in the adoption of regional and global policies, complement Iran's geopolitics in dominating the central part of the Islamic world, the Iranian-Iraqi energy route to Europe, and Iran's embankment against Israel are important geopolitical factors that justify Iran's regional policy in the eastern Mediterranean. Therefore, it can be said that the geopolitical territorialization of Iran in the eastern Mediterranean is a realistic matter and in line with the national interests of Iran.

Keywords

• Eastern Mediterranean
• Iran
• Geopolitical Territoriality
• National Interests

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