Iran’s Regional Policy is under transformation: Experts

ISLAMABAD, July 27: The Institute of Regional Studies organised a 1 day International Conference titled, Iran’s Neighbourhood Policy: Understanding the Multipronged East-West Approach. Fraz Naqvi from IRS opened the Conference on the note that it was faulty to contend that Iran was only consumed with its western side, i.e., the Middle East. He said that the changing geopolitical scenario, had placed Iran in a position where it had to simultaneously focus on its westward and eastward policy. The conference featured international speakers and aimed at highlighting Iran’s role in its East and West.
Dr. AbdolrasoolDivsallar while speaking on Iranian policy in the Persian Gulf stated that the mind-set in Tehran was mostly dominated by the security threats that Iran received while its behavior in the Persian Gulf was influenced by those security threats. He added that Iran had designed its policies in the Persian Gulf through three means, i.e., diplomatic balancing, strategic deterrence, and countering the exclusion approach by the US along with its regional allies.
Mr. SatarJabbarRehman argued that the bureaucracy of the bourgeoisie was controlling Iran, which included religious leaders. The existence of the US forces in the Middle East made Iran vulnerable in security terms. He further stated that both Iran and the US were responsible for the instability in the region. The increased utilization of militias, both directly and indirectly, was the evidence of how these powers were entangled in the hegemonic competition. Elaborating the legal perspective on Helmand river dispute between Iran and Afghanistan, Dr. Ali Mehrpour stated that Afghanistan had the upper hand in case of Helmand River. – PR