The Islamic Revolution Approach

The Islamic Revolution Approach

Policy-Making of Russia and the United States in the South Caucasus and Its Impact on the National Interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Ali Jahani 1
reza nasiri hamed 2
Jalil Nayebian 3
1 Department of Political Science, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran (Corresponding Author)
3 Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
Abstract
The South Caucasus has become one of the most important arenas of geopolitical competition between Russia and the United States following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The main research question of this study is: how has the policy-making of Russia and the United States in the South Caucasus affected the national interests and security of the Islamic Republic of Iran? The research hypothesis is based on the assumption that the geopolitical rivalry between Russia and the United States in the South Caucasus, aimed at controlling the balance of power, energy routes, and strategic corridors, has increased security and geopolitical pressures on Iran and has further complicated its surrounding security environment. This study employs a descriptive-analytical method and relies on realist theory to examine the dimensions of competition between the two powers in the South Caucasus and its implications for Iran. The findings indicate that the United States, through the expansion of its political, security, and energy-oriented influence in the region, has sought to limit Iran’s geopolitical role, while Russia, despite sharing some interests with Iran in countering Western influence, has primarily aimed to preserve its traditional sphere of influence and geopolitical dominance in the South Caucasus. Consequently, the competition between these two powers has made Iran’s security and geopolitical environment in the South Caucasus more complex and sensitive.

Introduction
The South Caucasus has emerged as a critical geopolitical arena following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Its strategic location at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, along with its energy resources and transit corridors, has made it a focal point of competition between Russia and the United States. This section outlines the geopolitical importance of the region and situates the research problem within the broader context of great-power rivalry and its implications for the national interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Materials and Methods
This study employs a descriptive-analytical research design and is grounded in realist theory, particularly neo-realism and geopolitical approaches. Data have been collected through library-based sources, including books, peer-reviewed articles, and policy reports. The analytical framework focuses on examining the strategic behaviors of Russia and the United States in the South Caucasus and interpreting their implications for Iran’s security and national interests.

Results
The findings indicate that the United States has pursued a strategy of expanding political, economic, and security influence in the South Caucasus, aiming to integrate regional states into Western-oriented structures and develop alternative energy corridors bypassing Russia and Iran. In contrast, Russia has sought to preserve its traditional sphere of influence through military presence, conflict management, and regional alliances. These competing strategies have intensified geopolitical competition and significantly increased pressure on Iran’s northern security environment.
Discussion
The analysis shows that the South Caucasus functions as a core space of geopolitical rivalry within Eurasia. The United States’ efforts to reshape energy routes and expand NATO-linked influence have contributed to the marginalization of Iran’s transit role, while Russia’s dominance has simultaneously constrained Iran’s independent maneuverability. Although Iran shares some strategic alignment with Russia in opposing Western expansion, Russia’s own hegemonic interests often limit full convergence. Consequently, Iran is compelled to adopt a multidimensional balancing strategy to protect its national interests amid a highly unstable and competitive regional environment.
Keywords
South Caucasus
Geopolitical Competition
United States
Russia
Policy-Making
National Security
Islamic Republic of Iran
Allison, Roy. (2004). Strategic Reassertion in Russia’s Central Asia Policy. International Affairs, 80(2), 277-293.
Asmus, Ronald. (2010). A Little War That Shook the World: Georgia, Russia, and the Future of the West. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
  Baev, Pavel. (2019). Russian Energy Policy and Military Power. London: Routledge.
  Blank, Stephen. (2004). U.S. Policy in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Carlisle: Strategic Studies Institute.
  Broers, Laurence. (2021). Armenia and Azerbaijan: Anatomy of a Rivalry. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
  Brzezinski, Zbigniew. (1997). The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives. New York: Basic Books.
  Carothers, Thomas. (2006). Promoting the Rule of Law Abroad. Washington DC: Carnegie Endowment.
  Cornell, Svante E. (2001). Small Nations and Great Powers: A Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict in the Caucasus. London: Routledge.
  Cornell, Svante E. (2017). The International Politics of the Caucasus. London: Routledge.
  De Waal, Thomas. (2018). The Caucasus: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  De Waal, Thomas. (2021). “Unfinished Business in the South Caucasus.” Carnegie Europe.
  Delcour, Laure & Wolczuk, Kataryna. (2023). “Armenia Between Russia and the West.” Eurasian Geography and Economics, 64(1), 21-39.
  Dragneva, Rilka & Wolczuk, Kataryna. (2017). The Eurasian Economic Union: Deals, Rules and the Exercise of Power. London: Chatham House.
  Fouskas, Vassilis & Gökay, Bülent. (2005). The New American Imperialism: Bush’s War on Terror and Blood for Oil. Westport: Praeger.
German Marshall Fund. (2022). The South Caucasus after the 2020 War.
  Goble, Paul. (2023). Russia’s Diminishing Influence in the South Caucasus. Jamestown Foundation Report.
Ismailzade, Fariz. (2005). “The Caucasus and Russia: Azerbaijan’s Strategic Dilemma.” Caucasian Review of International Affairs, 1(1), 87-96.
  Jones, Stephen F. (2013). Georgia: A Political History Since Independence. London: I.B. Tauris.
  Kaplan, Robert D. (2012). The Revenge of Geography. New York: Random House.
  Krauthammer, Charles. (1991). “The Unipolar Moment.” Foreign Affairs, 70(1), 23-33.
  Krickovic, Andrej. (2015). “When Interdependence Produces Conflict: EU-Russia Energy Relations as a Security Dilemma.” Contemporary Security Policy, 36(1), 3-26.
Kucera, Joshua. (2023). “The South Caucasus in the Shadow of Ukraine.” Eurasianet.
Laruelle, Marlene. (2018). Russian Nationalism: Imaginaries, Doctrines, and Political Battlefields. London: Routledge.
  Lo, Bobo. (2015). Russia and the New World Disorder. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press.
  Mankoff, Jeffrey. (2009). Russian Foreign Policy: The Return of Great Power Politics. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
Markedonov, Sergey. (2010). The Big Caucasus: Consequences of the Five Day War, Threats and Political Prospects. Moscow: Russia in Global Affairs.
Mitchell, Lincoln. (2009). Uncertain Democracy: U.S. Foreign Policy and Georgia’s Rose Revolution. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
  Nichol, Jim. (2009). Georgia [Republic]: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests. Congressional Research Service.
  Sakwa, Richard. (2015). Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands. London: I.B. Tauris.
  Shaffer, Brenda. (2021). Azerbaijan and the New Energy Geopolitics of Southeastern Europe. Washington DC: Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
  Shiriyev, Zaur. (2021). “The Second Karabakh War and Russia’s Role in the South Caucasus.” Russian Analytical Digest, 266, 13-16.
  Socor, Vladimir. (2006). “The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline.” Jamestown Foundation.
  Starr, S. Frederick. (2004). The Caucasus and Central Asia. Washington DC: Silk Road Studies Program.
  Starr, S. Frederick & Cornell, Svante E. (2005).
  Trenin, Dmitri. (2011). Post-Imperium: A Eurasian Story. Washington DC: Carnegie Endowment.
  Tsygankov, Andrei. (2016). Russia’s Foreign Policy: Change and Continuity in National Identity. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
Valiyev, Anar. (2022). Azerbaijan after the Second Karabakh War. Caucasus Survey, 10(1), 68-81.
 
 
Allison, Roy. (2004). Strategic reassertion in Russia’s Central Asia policy. International Affairs, 80(2), 277–293.
Amir Ahmadian, Bahram. (2004). Security of Azerbaijan and NATO. Central Asia and Caucasus Studies Quarterly, 12(3), 42. {in persian}
Asmus, Ronald. (2010). A Little War That Shook the World: Georgia, Russia, and the Future of the West. Palgrave Macmillan.
Baev, Pavel. (2019). Russian energy policy and military power. Routledge.
Blank, Stephen. (2004). U.S. policy in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Strategic Studies Institute.
Broers, Laurence. (2021). Armenia and Azerbaijan: Anatomy of a rivalry. Edinburgh University Press.
Brzezinski, Zbigniew. (1997). The Grand Chessboard: American primacy and its geostrategic imperatives. Basic Books.
Carothers, Thomas. (2006). Promoting the rule of law abroad. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Cornell, Svante E. (2001). Small nations and great powers: A study of ethnopolitical conflict in the Caucasus. Routledge.
Cornell, Svante E. (2017). The international politics of the Caucasus. Routledge.
De Waal, Thomas. (2018). The Caucasus: An introduction. Oxford University Press.
De Waal, Thomas. (2021). Unfinished business in the South Caucasus. Carnegie Europe.
Dehghani Firouzabadi, Seyed Jalal. (2009). Foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. SAMT Publications, Tehran. {in persian}
Dehghani Firouzabadi, Seyed Jalal; Moradi, Ayat. (2010). Foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the South Caucasus. IRAS Bi-quarterly, 5(6). {in persian}
Delcour, L., & Wolczuk, K. (2023). Armenia between Russia and the West. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 64(1), 21–39.
Dragneva, R., & Wolczuk, K. (2017). The Eurasian Economic Union: Deals, rules and the exercise of power. Chatham House.
Eskandari, Majid. (2011). Analysis of behavioral patterns of Iran and Russia in Central Asia within the framework of geopolitical discourse. Iran and Eurasia Developments Bimonthly, Issue 33, June–July. {in persian}
Fouskas, V., & Gökay, B. (2005). The New American imperialism: Bush’s war on terror and blood for oil. Praeger.
German Marshall Fund. (2022). The South Caucasus after the 2020 War.
Goble, P. (2023). Russia’s diminishing influence in the South Caucasus. Jamestown Foundation.
Ismailzade, F. (2005). The Caucasus and Russia: Azerbaijan’s strategic dilemma. Caucasian Review of International Affairs, 1(1), 87–96.
Jafari Valdani, Asghar; Safavi, Seyed Yahya; Hakim, Hamid. (2015). Geopolitical changes in the Caucasus and the impact of fixed geopolitical factors on the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Afaq Security Quarterly, 8(28). {in persian}
Jones, S. F. (2013). Georgia: A political history since independence. I.B. Tauris.
Kaplan, R. D. (2012). The Revenge of Geography. Random House.
Kazemi, Ahmad. (2005). Security in the South Caucasus. Office of Political and International Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tehran. {in persian}
Khoshayand, Hamid. (2017). The place of the Caucasus in the diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Aran Quarterly, Issue 32. {in persian}
Koolaee, Elaheh. (1997). Russian peacekeeping forces: fears and hopes. Central Asia and Caucasus Studies Quarterly, 5(2), 26. {in persian}
Koolaee, Elaheh. (1998). Geopolitical consequences of Caspian Sea oil exploitation. Central Asia and Caucasus Studies Quarterly, Issue 13. {in persian}
Krauthammer, C. (1991). The unipolar moment. Foreign Affairs, 70(1), 23–33.
Krickovic, A. (2015). When interdependence produces conflict: EU–Russia energy relations as a security dilemma. Contemporary Security Policy, 36(1), 3–26.
Kucera, J. (2023). The South Caucasus in the shadow of Ukraine. Eurasianet.
Laruelle, M. (2018). Russian nationalism: Imaginaries, doctrines, and political battlefields. Routledge.
Lo, B. (2015). Russia and the new world disorder. Brookings Institution Press.
Mankoff, J. (2009). Russian foreign policy: The return of great power politics. Rowman & Littlefield.
Markedonov, S. (2010). The big Caucasus: Consequences of the five day war, threats and political prospects. Russia in Global Affairs.
Mitchell, L. (2009). Uncertain democracy: U.S. foreign policy and Georgia’s Rose Revolution. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Nichol, J. (2009). Georgia (Republic): Recent developments and U.S. interests. Congressional Research Service.
Sakwa, R. (2015). Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the borderlands. I.B. Tauris.
Saqafi, Amer. (2000). Foundations, approaches, and strategic policies in Russia. Central Asia and Caucasus Studies Quarterly, Issue 26. {in persian}
Schneider, Krieg. (2006). Security and strategy in the contemporary world. Translated by Akbar Askari & Farshad Amiri. Strategic Studies Research Center, Tehran. {in persian}
Shaffer, B. (2021). Azerbaijan and the new energy geopolitics of Southeastern Europe. Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Shiriyev, Z. (2021). The Second Karabakh War and Russia’s role in the South Caucasus. Russian Analytical Digest, 266, 13–16.
Smolanski, Oss. (1997). Russia and the Caucasus: The Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Translated by Ghasem Maleki. Central Asia and Caucasus Studies Quarterly, 5(2), 15. {in persian}
Socor, V. (2006). The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. Jamestown Foundation.
Starr, S. F. (2004). The Caucasus and Central Asia. Silk Road Studies Program.
Starr, S. F., & Cornell, S. E. (2005). (Incomplete source details in original list; publication metadata not fully specified).
Trenin, D. (2011). Post-imperium: A Eurasian story. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Tsygankov, A. (2016). Russia’s foreign policy: Change and continuity in national identity. Rowman & Littlefield.
Valiyev, A. (2022). Azerbaijan after the Second Karabakh War. Caucasus Survey, 10(1), 68–81.