The Position of Iraq in the Security Strategies of the Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

The West Asia region is considered one of the most challenging areas in the international arena, facing many politically, economically, culturally, and socially unstable countries. Among these, Iraq is one of the significant countries in this region, recognized as Iran's geopolitical neighbor and of substantial importance to Iran's security. This research aims to examine the position of Iraq in the security strategies of Iran's foreign policy in response to the question: What are the influential factors on the security strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraq, and what strategic scenarios can be developed for it? This study is descriptive-analytical in nature, with the necessary data and information gathered through library research and utilizing the Futures Wizard software. The research findings indicate that events in Iraq can have significant security implications for Iran's stability, which is why Iran has always sought to shape Iraq's internal policy and strategic orientation. The research results showed that the strong scenario board consists of 10 different possible situations. Among these 10 possible situations, 2 are critical, 2 are semi-critical, 1 is static, 1 is semi-favorable, and 4 are favorable. Therefore, it can be stated that Iraq's position in the security strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran's foreign policy is in a favorable condition, where Iran can improve its situation in Iraq through cultural and religious commonalities, thereby ensuring its security in the region.