‍Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal

Abstract In a realistic approach, Iran's security interests in the South Caucasus are guaranteed by maintaining the regional balance of power. Therefore, the plan to build the Zanegzur Corridor has led to some speculations about the changing balance of power in this region against Iran. the article examines the possible threats of this corridor against the interests of of Iran and answers the below question: What threats does the plan of Zangezur Corridor against the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran? The findings of the research show that the construction of the Zangezur Corridor in Armenia, based on the plan announced by the Azerbaijan-Turkey axis, changes the regional balance of power against the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Therefore, the development of this project is considered as a security threat against Iran's geopolitical and economic interests, the most important of which include the following: The possibility of changing the geopolitics of the borders through blocking the territorial border of 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 the territorial integrity of Iran through the incitement of pan-Turkic sentiments and the revival of Azeri ethno-nationalism; Strengthening the presence of NATO, Israel and Russia in the northern borders of Iran. Theoretically, this article benefits from the theory of balance of power in the school of realism.

Abstract Turkey-Azerbaijan relations, a year after the 2^nd Karabakh War, has taken complicated military, political and regional dimensions. Holding several joint military drills between Turkey and Azerbaijan has drawn attention of media circles and caused security concerns for some neighboring countries. In the Karabakh dispute, Turkey’s role in support of Azerbaijan for entering a new war with Armenia was deciding. This policy makes question about Turkey’s goals in supporting Azerbaijan in the war with Armenia. Turkey’s foreign policy since 2016 onward and after military interference in Syria has taken an aggressive aspect. It seems that Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan in the Karabakh dispute and the pace of events afterwards, are the continuation of the policy of militarism in surrounding perimeter. The authors of the present article believe that by indirect interference in the Karabakh dispute, Turkey pursues expansion of influence in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. In examination of Turkey’s foreign policy in the Karabakh dispute, realism and aggressive realism in particular are the theoretical bases.

Abstract With the decline of the Kemalist discourse and the victory of the Islamists, Turkey’s foreign policy has undergone fundamental changes. Contrary to the past, Ankara's ambitions does not consider Turkey as  a bridge between  East and West, but a central country among strategic areas such as the Caucasus and Central Asia, the Balkans, and the Middle East. The Neo-Ottomanism doctrine of the AKP seeks to expand Turkish influence in the periphery and integrate it with those societies under the goal of gaining global strategic importance for Turkey. Despite the failure of Ankara's integrationist approach in some geographic areas such as the Middle East, the main question of the paper implies the factors that have contributed to the success of Turkey's peripheral approach toward the Republic of Azerbaijan. It seems that ethnic and cultural ties, strong economic relations especially in the field of energy and the geopolitical weight of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the geopolitical competitions of Turkey and Russia have facilitated the cooperation of Turkey with the Republic of Azerbaijan.            The main purpose of this article is to examine the foreign policy of the Justice and Development party in the Caucasus and in relation to the Republic of Azerbaijan. In this paper, attempts are made to analyze the reasons for the success of Turkey's peripheral approach toward the Republic of Azerbaijan in a descriptive and analytical way and using the convergence theoretical framework

Abstract The Gülen movement can be described as one of the Islamist social movements that were able to broadly develop in Turkey. Moreover, this movement has various branches around the world. One of the countries in which Gülen's followers have been able to gain successes is Azerbaijan. After Azerbaijan independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Azerbaijan has witnessed a massive political campaign and a kind of Competition for changing the Nature of nation into an Islamic one, there.  While Most of the people are Shiite and Sunnis are in minority.  Pluralistic nature of the society in Azerbaijan divides into secular liberals, intelligentsia, secular tradition and the Shiites. This diversity in approaches is the most important obstacle of movement development.
Amongst all Sunni movements in Azerbaijan, the most influential is the Turkish Nurcular network that is now led by its dominant offshoot widely known as the Gülen or Hizmet movement. In Azerbaijan, the Gülen movement has succeeded in absorbing a diverse population, especially urban elites. It is different from the other Islamic movements in that it promotes its religious teachings not through outright direct Advertise, but discreetly through its network of secular educational institutions, social media and business associations.
The main question of this article is what is the Gulen Movement’s agenda in Azerbaijan? This movement and its act and develop? This Article is organized as follows: First, it discusses the History of Gülen Movement in Turkey and it’s Theoretical Foundations. Second, it argues the achievements of Fethullah Gülen movements in General and in Azerbaijan in particular. Third, it explains the practice of hizmet or Movement Situation in Azerbaijan and its prospects? Because of its passive policy, The Gülen movement can’t have a direct role in the development of Azerbaijan, However, This movements large investment youngsters seems effective.

Abstract The Republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia as the two main parties in the Karabakh conflict try to strengthen their positions through the principles of international law. Azerbaijan addresses the principle of territorial integrity of the UN and as per many international treaties and likewise conventions claiming the need of withdrawal for Armenian military forces from Karabakh and specifically denying the independence announcement of this area. However, Armenia and Self-proclaimed Republic of Karabakh adhere to the principle of self-determination, in the consent of independence of Mountainous Karabakh and even its incorporation with Armenia to be assumed the right of the local people. They also believe that, in this regard, a referendum held in 1993, and since then, several presidential, parliamentary and local authority elections have been held in Karabakh.
The purpose of this article is to assess occupation of Karabakh, the positions of the parties and the players in this conflict from the perspective of the international law. As a matter of fact, this article seeks to answer the following question: To what extent the adherence to the principle of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Armenian separatists in Karabakh and Armenia stance on the principle of self-determination, is reasonable and is in accordance with international law? Are these two principles which are called by the international lawyers as jus cogens, in conflict with each other or the two sides of the Karabakh conflict are having a unidirectional concept of the issue? A provisional answer to this question as an assumption is that after the end of the colonial period, as per international law, for ethnic minorities within the country, the right of self-determination is excluding the territorial separatism and decomposition but including the right of participation in the election of executive, legislative authorities and other aspects of civic and political contribution, as well as to preserve the cultural heritage.

Abstract After the Soviet collapse, relations between Republic of Azerbaijan and Turkey have continued at its level of strategic partnership the status which affected much on both countries' different social, economic and political fields so that they jointly played an influential role in the regional politics. However, this friendly and brotherly relation of the two states had often witnessed some tensions too. Of the recent tensions among the two countries is the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia that unlike previous ones has been of greater effects in the relations between the two so that if not extensive and vigilance efforts of the two countries authorities, this normalization may have ended to closure of Azerbaijan-Turkey relations. According to the findings of this article, the center point of Azerbaijan's relations with Turkey has always been Karabagh that seems to be unsolved now in relations between Turkey and Armenia.