Abstract:
Looking at some features of new regionalism theories, the
present article aims at considering the role of such an approach in
providing an appropriate framework in order to understand the
regional cooperation between Iran and Russia in Eurasia. In fact,
the main question of the present article is the way Iran and Russia
could achieve convergence in identities and norms and also
cooperate with each other in Eurasia despite the disparity in
defining common interests at the level of bilateral relations. The
authors argue that Iran and Russia could have achieved a shared
definition of identities and norms governing the patterns of their
foreign relations with taking advantage of regional convergent
capabilities. Based on this framework, the two countries have
tried to cooperate closer together in order to resolve regional
problems and have easily arrived at shared interests on a regional
level. This policy has become possible since the level of analyzing
the relations between the two countries changed from a microlevel
bilateral relation into a more macro-level one within a
regional and international context.
Machine summary:
Elaheh Koolaee* Mandana Tishehyar** Abstract Looking at some features of new regionalism theories, the present article aims at considering the role of such an approach in providing an appropriate framework in order to understand the regional cooperation between Iran and Russia in Eurasia.
In fact, the main question of the present article is the way Iran and Russia could achieve convergence in identities and norms and also cooperate with each other in Eurasia despite the disparity in defining common interests at the level of bilateral relations.
However, it is a fact that in the past decades political units while accepting globalization of some patterns and environmental methods in the international arena have tried to redefine their interests and identities in the regional framework next to their neighbors and surrounding countries.
In fact, it can be seen in some areas that regional and trans-regional powers utilize the obtained power from convergence in the framework of regional arrangements in order to present new issues and provide new approaches towards the structure of international systems rather than having the compatibility with global trends.
This pragmatic approach to cooperation for achieving collective security and providing interests for regional actors from convergence has been a first step towards regionalism as a bridge between two study levels of micro (including political units) and macro (including international structure) regionalism.
Having considered the above-mentioned theoretical framework in the field of new regionalism at the age of globalization, this study continues the discussion with a case study in the area of cooperation between the two countries of Iran and Russia in Eurasia based on the new regionalism approach.