Iranian Influence and Middle Eastern Security Order: A Case Study of Iran-Iraq Political Rivalry Since 2011

Abstract

This paper will analyze the role of influences and effects of Iran on the Middle East order of security in terms of the Iran-Iraq political rivalry since 2011. Political instability in the country after the pulling out of the U.S. troops and sectarianism in Iraq provided means through which Iran could build its presence in the region by forming political alliances, investing in the economy, and sponsoring Shia militias. Combining neorealist and constructivist perspectives, the given analysis will put an emphasis on the fact that Iran can achieve strategic depth and use sectarian identity as a justification of the involvement. At the same time, the experience of Iraq on the way to sovereignty and control of non-state actors believes in the scope of foreign intervention. The results highlight the dual nature of the role of Iran as a stabilizing and destabilizing actor and depict how the governance of regional security has been transformed into a hybrid form that brings in both state and non-state actors. The research is valuable in relation to learning how power, identity, and agency interact with each other in a multifaceted manner to contribute to the present geopolitics in the Middle East.