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Relations between Iran and the west
Relations between Iran and the west
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Background
In the face of uncertain developments in the Iranian nuclear program, there are two important aspects to be taken into consideration by the U.S. government. Firstly, there is substantial evidence that the Islamic Republic is on the verge of achieving break-out capability for creating a nuclear device. It is estimated that such a development could happen within the next six months. In the meantime, the election of a new, moderate President of the Islamic Republic H.E. Hassan Rouhani, whose tone and articulated policies (which, undoubtedly, have been endorsed by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei), may create a historic window of opportunity for reaching an agreement on their nuclear program. Additionally, international sanctions imposed by the United Nations and implemented by the trading partners of Iran may also prove to be an effective tool for dealing with the Iranian nuclear crisis.
However, it is important to bear in mind the wider regional context while dealing with this issue. Israel is still skeptical of the possibility of an agreement with Iran and interprets Mr. Rouhani’s recent conciliatory rhetoric and moves as a smokescreen to kill two birds with one stone: to buy time for the final push to acquire nuclear weapons and present a nuclear-armed Iran as a fait accompli, and to scale back sanctions, with the understanding that their reactivation will be, at least, difficult. France is also supporting Israel’s position on this issue.
A similar problem may arise with another regional actor, Saudi Arabia. Any rapprochement between the U.S. and Iran will unnerve the Saudi Kingdom, which views the Islamic Republic as arch-rival and may consider such development as tipping the balance in the region in Tehran’...
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...uccess of such an approach is underpinned by the tenets of neo-institutionalism, underscoring the role of international organizations in providing frameworks for negotiations and bargaining, as well as sending costly signals and implementing monitoring. In addition, constructivists would argue that negotiations and agreement on the nuclear issue would encourage further contacts between the west and Iran, which will facilitate mutual understanding, strengthening of norms, especially of non-proliferation and peaceful resolution of conflicts, and will create solid base for further engagement.
Realists may have somewhat different approach. First, they may claim that the US can easily live with nuclear-armed Iran, using policies of containment and deterrence. Though, at the same time, they might argue that an agreement with Iran will shift balance of power in the region.
The relations between the U.S and the Middle East are strained at best. The troops deployed in the area face constant threat of attack by a militant group. These broken relations between the U.S and the Middle East started over 50 years ago, with the Iran Hostage Crisis. Root causes of the crisis were many. One was U.S greed over oil in Iran. The second, the coup in Iran organized and funded by the CIA. The U.S dependence on foreign oil is another cause of the problems. Lastly, should the U.S stop moving into other countries sovereign lands and trying to “Prevent the evil of communism”, the nation would not have so many problems around the world. This worry was even shown in Iran (Kinzer, 10). While often blamed on radicals, the strained relations between the U.S and the Middle East are a direct result of a poor US foreign policy.
Things in the Middle East, Syria and Iran are in some complex situations right now, Mr. President, with the outcome of the Arab Spring and the issues the United States has with its allies and enemies. The United States needs to repair its alliances, make peace with its enemies and cautiously tread into understanding and gathering knowledge with the situation in the Middle East before declaring any actions to be taken.
Realism is not only the pervasive approach in international relations literature but is accurate in describing and anticipating state actions. Constructivists need a genuine response to realism and, in order to do that, norms need to enter into the process of rational decision-making. This could take several forms including increasing costs of norm violation, introducing hegemonic power into the system, or redefining interests in terms other than material. Discussions in the literature analyze the impact of norms, regimes, ideas, or principles on international relations, but do not often take a critical enough look at what is at stake. Realist politics hinder progressive, humanitarian initiatives because of its marriage to power and material capabilitie...
Although the United Sates and Saudi Arabia present the United States and Saudi Arabia’s relationship as excellent, there are actually two nations who have bitter disagreements but who allies through oil. The only thing that has held this alliance together is the US dependence on Saudi oil. The United States has felt and still fells that it is a necessity to have bases present in the Middle East to protect oil, and silently to protect Israel. The relationship began in 1933 when Standard Oil of California signed an agreement with the Saudi government. In 1943 FDR affirmed that the defense of Saudi Arabia was a vital interest to the United States and moved troops into the region. Future presidents would emulate this declaration and mobilization of troops to Saudi Arabia. Again in 1945 Abd al Aziz, the Saudi king, and FDR would cement this alliance, on a US warship in the Suez Canal. Soon after, airfields were constructed at Dhahran and other spots over Saudi Arabia; beginning a long tradition of US military facilities in Saudi Arabia. Abd al Aziz was the first of his line of successors to meet with US presidents. The relationship was only strengthened with the onset on the Cold war, as the US used the bases in Saudi Arabia as potential air force launch sites to the USSR and constructed more military facilities. In 1941 Harry S. Truman made another assertion of Americas protection and alliance with Saudi Arabia to Abd Al Aziz. Truman stated that “support for Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity and political independence was a primary objective of the United States.” (Countrystudies.com) Another stipulation of this pact was that the US established a permanent military training mission in the Saudi Arabia. That mission lasted until 1992. Soon after the pact between Truman and Aziz was agreed upon the US-Saudi relationship would endure its first major disagreement. On May 14th, 1948 Israel was declared an independent state in the former Arab dominated Palestine. Israel’s independence was backed the United States. Saudi Arabia refused to acknowledge the country of Israel and to engage in any relations with them. The Saudis concerns of the Israel-US relationship were reinforced in the 1970’s and 1980’s when the US sold arms to Israel, but refused to sell arms to Saudi Arabia. In some cases congressional leaders refused to sell arms to Saudi Arabia on the grounds that Saudi Arabia might use them against Israel.
...issue. In this case, neoliberalism not only helps states to make a more rational decision, but also gives a birth of the institution forming the norms for the states’ solving crisis in the future. To conclude, both of them are important, while they are not contradictory, but complementary.
Maghen, Z. (2009, January). Eradicating the "Little Satan": Why Iran Should Be Taken at Its
It would help rebuild its bruised credibility and influence in the Middle East and hopefully increase the odds that the administration can ultimately achieve the goal of peacefully, verifiably bolting the door on Iran’s illicit nuclear ambitions”(Lieberman). To conclude the U.S should realize who they are dealing with, “We should remember that one way Iran wins is if it is able to divide the diverse coalition of countries and interests that has mobilized against it — to drive a wedge between the United States and its foreign partners; between Democrats and Republicans in Washington, and between Congress and the executive branch. Conversely, the way to defeat Iran’s nuclear ambitions is by standing united, both at home and abroad” (Lieberman). To make a final deal with Iran that will suit everyone’s interest is tough. The United States choice is either
The theory of Realism provides reasons why North Korea has positioned the nuclear weapon debate at the centre of its policy. One of the fundamental assumptions of Realism is in fact that each state, embedded in an international order characterized by a condition of antagonism, attempt to pursue its national interest. Besides that, the overriding national interest is defined in terms of national security and survival. Moreover, according to the same theory, relations among states are derived primarly by their level of power, which is constituted basically their military and economic capability, and in pursuit of the national security states strive to attain as many resources as possible. The theoretical model explains thus why the nuclear issue has eventually resulted in identifying with a security one, meaning that North Korea main concern is to assure its survivor, its efforts are in the first place finalized at meeting that target and its only means of pursuing it consists of the posing of the nuclear threat. North Korea finds itself to be stuck in an economic and, to some extent, diplomatic isolation; even though the financial sanctions leading to the just mentioned critical conditions have been caused by the government inflexible, aggressive and anti-democratic behavior, the regime has no ot...
...that it will not accept a future in which Iran--its Shiite, Persian rival--has nuclear weapons and it does not” (Allison). If many more countries create nuclear weapons, the world could be in danger of a nuclear war just like it was during the Cold War.
Since its origin in 1948, North Korea has been isolated and heavily armed, with hostile relations with South Korea and Western countries. It has developed a capability to produce short- and medium-range missiles, chemical weapons, and possibly biological and nuclear weapons. In December 2002, Pyongyang lifted the freeze on its plutonium-based nuclear weapons program and expelled IAEA inspectors who had been monitoring the freeze under the Agreed Framework of October 1994. As the Bush administration was arguing its case at the United Nations for disarming Iraq, the world has been hit with alarming news of a more menacing threat: North Korea has an advanced nuclear weapons program that, U.S. officials believe, has already produced one or two nuclear bombs. As the most recent standoff with North Korea over nuclear missile-testing approaches the decompression point, the United States needs to own up to a central truth: The region of Northeast Asia will never be fully secure until the communist dictatorship of North Korea passes from the scene. After threatening to test a new, long-range missile, Pyongyang says it is willing to negotiate with "the hostile nations" opposing it. But whether the North will actually forgo its test launch is anyone's guess. North Korea first became embroiled with nuclear politics during the Korean War. Although nuclear weapons were never used in Korea, American political leaders and military commanders threatened to use nuclear weapons to end the Korean War on terms favorable to the United States. In 1958, the United States deployed nuclear weapons to South Korea for the first time, and the weapons remained there until President George Bush ordered their withdrawal in 1991. North Korean government stateme...
From the realist point of view, the international political system is considered as anarchic. There is a lack of external authority among states that ensures peace, stability and balance of power. In the analyzed document, the author's main thesis states that changes of the system would alter the international political system. However, changes within the system will maintain its anarchism. In order to support his thesis, the author replies to liberal critics, who consider the neorealism as obsolete taking into account three important arguments against the neorealism.
...ous situations, possibly because these studies have attributed motive and action to the states rather than to the decision-makers within them. Thus, foreign relations and policies can truly be strengthened when people can view and truly appreciate international issue in many different perspectives, such as realist, idealist, liberalist, constructivism, feminist, world economic system analysis, etc. When people are able to see issues and solutions to problems in many different ways world peace might be reachable.
Iran’s restoration of power will bring stability into region by ending any threat of with Iran, ultimately avert a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and allow the Islamic republic to become the center stage of the area’s geo-politics (Dorsey 55). With the various international sanctions lifted, Iran will potentially reinstate its status in the region by finally being able to revive its stagnant economy and its frustrated population. There is a consensus among the supporters of this deal that this will increasingly reduce any risk of nuclear proliferation due to the reassurance to key countries in the region like Saudi Arabia and Israel that the Iranian nuclear program will be solely peaceful. Alexander Glaser, Zia Milan, Seyed Hossein Mousavian, and Frank con Hippel claim that the Iran deal is a big step for other states in the Middle East to use the next years to agree on a region-wide agreement on establishing a Middle Eastern nuclear-weapon-free-zone which they finalize will construct a path to regional stability. For these scholars, the JCPOA will have positive long-term implications for region stability because of the possible pathway to negotiations with states like Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey on having a nuclear-free-zone and ending what was a possible arms race among the regional powers. Mohammed Ayoob makes a similar argument however he acknowledges that Saudi Arabia and Israel will be upset of the agreement and will attempt to derail the deal in any way, but that Iran will eventually balance the power in the region. Ayoob continues on the idea that this deal will improve American-Iranian relations which will force Israel and Saudi Arabia to back down on their aggressive policies towards
Throughout the course of this paper, I seek to explore the use of realism theory to both explain and account for the Arab-Israeli conflict. More precisely, how has realism theory played a key role in Israeli and Palestinian relations, and will it impact future diplomatic efforts? The viewpoints and stances of various nations, religious organizations, and geopolitical alliances will be examined in an effort to better understand the past, present, and future of Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Contemporary realism theory will also be examined for the sake of giving the noted international relations theory wider parameters and new boundaries. It is no surprise that the global community has had a significant impact on the region, yet the next step is to link such to the international relations theory.
Scott D. Sagan, the author of chapter two of “More Will Be Worse”, looks back on the deep political hostilities, numerous crises, and a prolonged arms race in of the cold war, and questions “Why should we expect that the experience of future nuclear powers will be any different?” The author talks about counter arguments among scholars on the subject that the world is better off without nuclear weapons. In this chapter a scholar named Kenneth Waltz argues that “The further spread of nuclear weapons may well be a stabilizing factor in international relations.” He believes that the spread of nuclear weapons will have a positive implications in which the likely-hood of war decreases and deterrent and defensive capabilities increase. Although there