The US Approach to Energy Geopolitics in the Caucasus and Its Impact on the Political Economy of Iran and Russia (2000-2024)

Abstract

The tremors experienced in international relations since 1989 have significantly changed the political geography of various regions of the world. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Western countries, with the aim of diversifying their energy suppliers, signed numerous agreements on the use of hydrocarbon resources in the Caspian Basin. The United States, simply trying to cover these regions by linking their various alignment systems. Thus, although the Caucasus occupies a relatively small area on the world map, the interest in this region is much larger than its geographical size, which explains why some countries seek to define their national interests and policy priorities. This region has always fluctuated in terms of geopolitical and strategic importance in competition with other foreign policy agendas of world powers. While the Caucasus used to be on the fringes of competition between international powers, it has now become much more important both for its neighbors and for influential non-regional actors. The crisis in the region has intensified with the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the region has been affected by NATO and US relations with Russia. As a result, a new grand game has been formed in the region within the framework of the old power games. The main lines of US policy towards the region were established in the early 1990s. Following the discovery of significant oil reserves in the early 1990s and successful agreements between Western oil companies and the governments of the region, US energy policy moved towards increased engagement. The Clinton administration made the exploration and export of Caspian oil a foreign policy priority and designed policies to help and accelerate the fastest development and delivery of oil to the US and other Western markets. Significant changes have occurred in US energy policy over the past two decades. Over time, these policies have tended to move away from energy projects. These significant changes can also be seen in US energy policy towards the Caucasus region.