درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The policy of Looking East represents a strategic approach towards the regions beyond the eastern, southeastern, and northeastern borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, aiming to deepen harmonious relations with actors present in these areas. Consequently, the country has devoted particular attention to fostering cooperation and forming alliances with these actors, both through bilateral engagements and collective collaborations within the framework of regional convergence institutions, to secure national interests and enhance the country's security coefficient. Following the emergence of the Ahmadinejad administration, the Eastern Look has garnered increased importance, although it had been a consideration for previous governments. Iran's confrontations with the West, particularly over nuclear sanctions, have driven it to adopt policies in response to Western actions. Under the Raisi administration, Iran's "look east" policy, which had initially gained traction in theory, was pragmatically pursued and further developed as part of its Asian and neighboring strategies. This research examines how Iran has strengthened its relations with neighboring and eastern countries through this policy and evaluates the outcomes it has produced. In response to this question, we hypothesize that the Islamic Republic of Iran, through the development of the looking East and Asian and neighboring policies, initially reduced the pressure of Western sanctions against itself, leading to results such as the free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, membership in the BRICS, membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the expansion of relations with neighboring countries. This research utilizes a qualitative research method with a trend analysis approach, drawing from library resources and scientific articles.

This article examines the European Union's (EU) strategies toward the Islamic Republic of Iran from the 1979 Islamic Revolution to the present, offering a comprehensive longitudinal analysis of EU-Iran relations through a constructivist lens. The relationship between the EU and Iran has traversed a landscape marked by ideological divergence, geopolitical tensions, and shifts in diplomatic approaches, providing an essential case study for understanding the role of ideas, norms, and identities in international relations. While previous scholarship has largely addressed isolated aspects of EU-Iran relations-such as critical and comprehensive dialogue frameworks, nuclear negotiations, and regional strategy-this study seeks to provide a cohesive overview of the EU's evolving policy by situating these engagements within the broader context of the EU's normative commitments and strategic interests. Employing constructivism as the theoretical foundation, this research argues that the EU's strategies have been shaped not solely by material interests but by the EU' self-perception as a promoter of international norms, such as human rights and nuclear non-proliferation. Additionally, the EU's continuous emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy, even amid rising tensions, reflects its identity as a distinct actor in the international system. The study delves into key aspects of this evolving relationship, including the EU's perception of Iran as a regional actor, the influence of interfaith and intercultural dialogue on EU-Iran engagements, and the ways in which social learning has reshaped EU strategies over time. The analysis reveals that repeated interactions between the EU and Iran have fostered mutual understanding and reframed strategic priorities, shifting from a focus on human rights to broader concerns of energy security and regional stability. This constructivist approach underscores the socially constructed nature of threats, opportunities, and interests, offering a nuanced understanding of the EU's enduring engagement with Iran. By shedding light on the ideational factors that inform EU policy, this study contributes valuable insights into the complexities of EU-Iran relations within an evolving global context.

The rule of law entails that government and the laws it makes serve the public good and facilitates equal opportunities. The requirement that the state conform to the rule of law puts substantial limits on governmental power which serves to protect citizens from arbitrary action or the imposition of unjust laws. The ‘law’ referred to in the rule of law concept is thus not whatever issues from legislatures and courts, but rather ‘a particular kind of restraint on the use of force’ or arbitrary power. It is not an ‘imaginary’ used by the government towards their equally imagined ends and imposed on the people. Likewise, the rule of law is not the sole prerogative of the government but requires the commitment of its citizens to adhere to and uphold the rule of law. Therefore, in rule of law societies corruption is not prevalent and does not impinge on the daily life of the individual. The inception of the rule of law in Islamic societies arose from the fact that God’s Laws were supreme, not the laws made by any man, or group of men, whatever his/their position. Is a return to the rule of Law possible for Muslim societies?

The security threat posed by the sprawling Al-Hol camp in N.E. Syria remains a major security concern as an IS recruiting hub for minors as well as a key financial node for laundering funds to fuel its insurgency and because of the IS-affiliated networks’ attempts at exfiltrating detainees to replenish its ranks. Youth in both camps al Hol and Roj have been being exposed to IS indoctrination, training, and abuse under the influence of hardline IS women who crowdfund to keep their activities going. ICSVE' monitoring of the IS-linked financial networks of the past 4 months (November 2022- February 2023) suggest that these entities have prioritized raising smuggling capital for critically ill pro IS women detainees and youth as well as for smuggling young boys out of Camp al Hol before they can be taken to rehabilitation centers where they will be separated and protected from this malevolent IS influence. The crowdfunding networks appear on Telegram primarily, but make use of other platforms as well and some financial transactions take place in plain view even using European banks, others by cryptocurrency and in a hidden manner.