Titolo completo

Iran and Central Asia: Eurasian Geopolitics in a Changing World Order

Central Asia has played an important role in Iran's regional and international relations since the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The region occupies a prominent place in Iran’s contemporary geopolitical imagination and Tehran has consistently sought to leverage its cultural and historical ties to strengthen relations with Central Asian states. While often viewed as an ‘ideological’ actor due to its revolutionary heritage and policies in the Middle East, Iran’s policies towards Central Asia have been driven largely by pragmatic concerns. An analysis of Iran’s engagement with Central Asia through a realist-constructivist framework highlights how identity-based concerns – such as a shared culture and ideational affinities with other Eurasian powers – intersect with material interests, including economic cooperation and efforts to enhance inter-regional connectivity.
Keywords: Iran; Central Asia; Eurasian geopolitics; inter/trans-regional transport and infrastructure; international organisations