https://www.iess.ir/en/issues/political Sun, 28 Apr 2024 16:55:18 GMT /skins/default/en/normal/ch01_newsfeed_logo.gif https://www.iess.ir/ 100 70 en Copyright (c) Institute for East Strategic Studies, all rights reserved. Sun, 28 Apr 2024 16:55:18 GMT Political 60 https://www.iess.ir/en/roundtable/3686/ IESS's specialized meeting on "Central Asia's view of interaction with Iran; Tehran's Opportunities and Challenges" was held with the presence of Iranian and non-Iranian experts. ]]> Central Asia Tue, 27 Feb 2024 09:47:32 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/roundtable/3686/ https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/3559/ The strategic policy of the Central Asian countries is now affected by the developments in Afghanistan, and especially the Ukraine crisis. The escalation of conflict between Russia and the West, and the Taliban coming to power in Afghanistan, have forced many major players to pay more attention to Central Asia. Therefore, the popularity of the meetings in the form of 5+1 which is Central Asia plus the U.S / China / Japan / India, as well as Central Asia plus the European Union, and Central Asia plus the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states indicate the competition of influential powers in the region to increase their influence in Central Asia. ]]> Central Asia Tue, 12 Sep 2023 07:14:30 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/3559/ https://www.iess.ir/en/roundtable/2543/ A roundtable discussion was held by the Institute for East Strategic Studies (IESS) about the tensions in the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan relations. ]]> Afghanistan Sun, 24 Jan 2021 06:41:55 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/roundtable/2543/ https://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2408/ Following the collapse of the Soviet Union as well as the collapse of the bipolar world, the US military invasion of Afghanistan provided a unique opportunity for the White House officials to pursue their dream of a unipolar world and show their superior power. The U. S interpreted the Islamic fundamentalism as opposed to its hegemonic power and defined its new enemies based on their relationships with the terrorist networks. That was why the U.S., with the aim of expanding its influence in Afghanistan (Which is of geopolitical importance), launched the war on terrorism and targeted the Taliban government due to their support of al-Qaeda. The importance of Afghanistan led the United States to use the concept of "ideological heartland" alongside the old concept of heartland (which had geographical features) in order to pursue its policies in the region, including in Afghanistan, as part of the Greater Middle East strategy. ]]> Afghanistan Thu, 31 Dec 2020 08:40:09 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2408/ https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/2501/ The replacement of US President Donald Trump by a Democratic candidate like Joe Biden would be a major change that will affect the US policies in various regions of the world, including Central Asia. Biden has repeatedly traveled to Central Asia during Barack Obama's presidency and is favoring close ties with some of the regional leaders. However, he is the candidate of the Democratic Party and we should expect strict policies regarding human rights, democracy, and political-economic reforms in Central Asia. On the other hand, the Biden administration's views towards the Afghan peace process can also influence Washington’s policy towards Central Asia. ]]> Central Asia Sat, 26 Dec 2020 06:38:57 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/2501/ https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/2502/ India has turned to one of the most influential players in Central Asia during the recent years. Holding two rounds of talks with the Central Asian countries, including Afghanistan, in a P5+1 framework, New Delhi’s presence in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the development of bilateral political-security interactions with the regional countries are among the signs of this change. However, India’s disagreements with China and lack of direct land access to Central Asia are two major problems for New Delhi. India hopes to achieve a sustainable path to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and even Europe through Iran’s strategic port of Chabahar. Therefore, in proportion to the expansion of India-Central Asia relations, we should expect the promotion of Iran’s role. In this regard, we have arranged an interview with Mr. Seyyed Mohammad Morteza. He is a PhD student of India-Central Asia relations in Academy of International Studies in Jamia Millia Islamia University (New Delhi). Mr. Morteza also has 18 years of experience in digital journalism and is the senior editor of India TV news channel. ]]> Central Asia Sat, 26 Dec 2020 05:38:20 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/2502/ https://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2490/ From a geopolitical point of view, Pakistan is the geographical gateway of Mackinder's "Heartland" in South Asia. Located on the southern tip of Eurasia, Pakistan is considered as the shortest sea route towards the central regions of the Heartland. But where is Afghanistan’s position in this equation? In response, we can say that Afghanistan has a closed geopolitical position which can be opened only through Pakistan. In fact, Afghanistan and Pakistan are geopolitically complementary but Pakistan plays a more decisive role. Pakistan is the first land for naval power and the last land for land power. Without Pakistan, access to and passage through Afghanistan will be difficult. Accordingly, the United States will always need Pakistan and will do nothing to upset the country, and US president-elect Joe Biden is well aware of this fact. ]]> Afghanistan Thu, 24 Dec 2020 06:10:12 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2490/ https://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2476/ Some regional countries and major powers with considerable influence in Kyrgyzstan sought to monitor the developments and intervene in the crisis management. Although the main sources of the protests were some domestic issues and the rift between the north and south of the country, the role of these foreign actors cannot be neglected. Although there is no clue about the involvement of foreign countries, there are clear signs of their involvement in shaping the crisis, guiding it towards the pre-determined goals, and playing with different options. In this essay, we will take a brief look at the level and type of the roles Russia, the United States, and China have played in Kyrgyzstan’s recent developments. ]]> Central Asia Thu, 24 Dec 2020 05:59:08 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2476/ https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/2398/ The U.S foreign policy toward Central Asia, the role of great powers, the strategic importance of Central Asia for International politics and even the “Great Game” and “New Great Games” are kind of prevalent literature in Central Asian studies. However, the subject has been shaped and even developed thorough several areas of cooperation and competition between these powers. The geopolitics of region have been under Russian shadow, but challenging with American alternatives such as connecting Central Asia to South Asia. The China is almost the main economic partner, while EU is trying to keep the region in development process and Russia keeping Kremlin’s options, such as remittances, on the table. The Cultural sphere is more controversial with the addition of regional powers like Iran and Turkey to the battle of Western liberalism, or Chinese and Russian worlds. So, the complexity of these interactions has made it difficult to predict the consequences. ]]> Central Asia Wed, 07 Oct 2020 05:42:50 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/2398/ https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/2369/ Following the inauguration of Donald Trump in the United States and the introduction of his aggressive approach towards the developments of the international system, the situation in Afghanistan has become more complex and intense. This comes as, over the past year, Afghanistan has become a hotbed for the extremist groups on the one hand, and has witnessed a lot of tensions among the officials of the National Unity Government on the other. In such circumstances, Afghanistan is set to hold two crucial parliamentary and presidential elections, with local parties and groups strongly warning against not holding them on time. In an interview with a university professor, the Institute for East Strategic Studies has investigated the effects of the US policies over the political-security developments of Afghanistan. ]]> Afghanistan Sun, 27 Sep 2020 04:51:55 GMT https://www.iess.ir/en/interview/2369/