IRAN’S POLICY TOWARDS IRAQ AND SYRIA – IDEOLOGY OR STRATEGY?
IRAN’S POLICY TOWARDS IRAQ AND SYRIA – IDEOLOGY OR STRATEGY?

Author(s): Octavian Biclineru
Subject(s): Military policy
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: Iran; USA; Iraq; DAESH;
Summary/Abstract: The US intervention in Iraq (2003), the Arab Spring (2010) and the international actions taken against DAESH (2014) enabled Iran to strengthen its influence in the Middle East. Iran’s actions constantly spread fear among the Sunni Arab leaders, Israel and the US, because they have the power to influence governments in countries as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Iran’s influence over these governments would make it the ultimate leader in the region.The Iranian expansion has been called by many names – ”the Shiite crescent”, ”the Shiite full moon”, ”the Shiite belt”, ”the Shiite arch” ”the Shiite corridor” or ”the Shiite land corridor”. As far as the Shiite geopolitical area is concerned, it includes the Shiites in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, although one can find shiites in Afghanistan, Azerbaidjan, Pakistan and Turkey as well. Although the Shiite presence is viewed with both mistrust and conviction, it can be in fact a recurrent cliche present in political speeches, the press, in geopolitical debates, and among geopolitical analysts.

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