‍Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal

Abstract The Nagorno-Karabakh crisis and the conflicts between Azerbaijan and Armenia in September 2020 and its impact on Other regional and international actors showed the geopolitical importance of this region and the effects of these crises on Iran, therefore, the present research is aimed at answering this question: What threats will the Zangez-Zor Corridor construction program have against the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran? And in this regard, using the theory of regional security, the hypothesis has been proposed that the creation of Zangezzor Corridor in the territory of Armenia, based on the plans announced by the Republic of Azerbaijan-Turkey axis, can change the regional balance of power to the detriment of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Therefore, the advancement of this project is considered a security threat against the geopolitical and economic interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the most important of which are: the possibility of changing the geopolitical borders by blocking the land border between Iran and Armenia; The possibility of Armenia's convergence with the Western bloc and the intensification of the strategic isolation of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Reducing Iran's transit advantages in the North-South corridor; increasing Turkish influence in the region; jeopardizing national sovereignty and territorial integrity by advancing the Pan-Turkic plan and reviving Azari ethnocentrism; Strengthening the presence of NATO, Israel and Russia in the northern borders of the country. Also, descriptive analytical method has been used in this research and library information collection method has been used.

Abstract The structure of the current international system results from dissolution of the Soviet Union and termination of bipolar order. The main feature of this system is uneven distribution of power. Such structure, known as unipolar order, has increased the competition among the international system’s main actors for filling the power vacuum. Some believe that such tensions could prepare the ground for the international system’s transition to multipolar order. The reasoning behind the conclusion is weakness of the United States of America, emergence of new powers, and formation of new poles within the framework of regional initiatives. The latest example of such bloc of non-Western powers is the Greater Eurasia plan, pursued by Russia after the Ukraine crisis. The idea of “Great Eurasia” refers to an area stretching from Lisbon to Shanghai. However, this is a geopolitical innovation, political slogan, economic ambition, and ideological structure. Most importantly, it seeks to create a modern and post-American order with Russia playing the vital role. Considering that issue, the main question of the article is “what role and function could the regional initiatives, such as the Greater Eurasia, play in the current international system’s transition to multipolar order?” The authors believe that considering the power imbalance in the international system and the constant efforts by the actors to make up for it, the regional initiatives are an innovative instrument for decentralization of power in the international system and perform two main functions. Firstly, they prevent direct confrontation between the main actors of the international system (Sino-Russian cooperation under this initiative to avert direct confrontation with the US), and, secondly, they help formation of multipolar order by presenting substitute regulations (Russian efforts to change norms of liberal order). Due to the complexities of relations between the actors in such sets, the pace of transition would be slow, but, if materialized, they could have a leading role in the creation of a perfect multipolar order in the long term. The article is based on descriptive-analytical research method.

Abstract Following the collapse of USSR, an increase of western influence in geopolitical and security areas in Russia, has been one of the effective factors in the interaction between Moscow and western countries especially the United States. Some impetuses such as enlargement of the European Union, and NATO, democracy promotion in post-soviet atmosphere and the Eastern Partnership have been effective on the formation of disagreement – cooperation paradox between west and Europe. West’s last attempt for increasing influence in post – soviet atmosphere, was Ukraine’s crisis and Crimea’s accession to Russia. This crisis highlighted the point of contrast between Russia and the west. The present literature addresses the following question: Which model has Russia taken for interacting with international system, especially west, since 2014? The authors argue that since 2014, Russia has chosen the balance of power strategy as a behavioral model to confront international system and the west. Russia’s most important features of balance of power are countering with the United States’ unilateralism; accepting US and China as main actors; hard and soft balance; as well as regionalism. Using explanatory – analytical research method, the authors try to tell why the research findings provide an answer to the research questions.