Supervisors info:
Δρ. Γρίβας Κωνσταντίνος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Σχολής Ευελπίδων,Τμήμα Τουρκικών Σπουδών και Σύγχρονων Ασιατικών Σπουδών, ΕΚΠΑ
Δρ. Γώγος Κωνσταντίνος , Εκλεγμένος Λέκτορας, Τμήμα Τουρκικών Σπουδών και Σύγχρονων Ασιατικών Σπουδών, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
This paper attempts to capture the geopolitical echo of Iran's economic re-integration into the international system. In view of the gravity of the above-mentioned transitional situation, qualitative, quantitative as well as socio-cultural elements ultimately come to the question of if and how Iran's economic reintegration into the international economic system is taking place after the imposition of financial sanctions. In more detail, it is attempted to analyze the issue through the Systemic Geopolitical Analysis, introduced by Professor I.Th. Mazis. According to Professor Mazis, "a geopolitical analysis of a geographic system of imbalance of power distribution is called the geographic method, which studies, describes and predicts the behaviors and the effects of the relations of opposing and discrete political redeployment actions and of the ideological metaphysics cover them, within the geographic complexes that these policies apply "(Mazis, 2002). In the Geopolitical Analysis, are studied four aspects of exercising the influence of power of nation actors or other forms of international actors (new poles of international power). These aspects are named, according to Professor Mazis, "geopolitical pillars" and these are: Defense / Security, Economy, Politics, Culture / Religion. (Mazis, 2002).
In the reading of the Islamic Republic, the first thought is the theocratic regime. Taking power of the "cult" affected Iran's image both inside and outside the country. This has not been the case only thanks to the new consolidation of the theocratic regime. Before the Iranian world calendar reached its last page, it has completed many other pages with events that were crucial to the advancement to today's Iran and the course to the Islamic Revolution.
In order to highlight the sequence of events between the secular pre-revolution and the theocratic post-revolutionary Iran, a relevant chronology is presented with the most important events of the 20th and 21st centuries, which is presented as Appendix I. In Chapter One of this paper is detailed the nature the Shiite schism, the notion of "Islam" and the "clergy" position in the post-revolutionary Iranian government. This chapter includes an interview given by Professor of Islamic Law, Kyriakos Th. Nicolaou-Patragas on Shi'tism and Governance in Iran. Below is a synthesis of Shii’a - Iranian identity as well as details of the inner division of Shiite Islam. Finally, the chapter contains information on the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, accompanied by the translated into its Greek Preamble, as well as information on the institutions and executive bodies of Iran.
Chapter Two of the thesis deals in full with the analysis of the components that led Tehran to economic isolation. More specifically, the chapter provides information on the principle of the construction of the Iranian nuclear program under Shah and how this combined with the US-Iranian diplomacy crisis between US and of Khomeini’s Iran (1979) led to a series of US-imposed financial sanctions the United Nations Security Council and the European Union (the EU), which deeply affected the Iranian economy. The main points of the World Bank's official report are given here, and it is itself presented as Appendix II. Subsequently, there are key points of the Joint Comprehensive Plan ofAction (JCPOA) signed between the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany and Iran. The agreement aimed to serve Iran's nuclear program only for peaceful purposes, by exchanging the total lifting of the economic sanctions that had so far been imposed on the country . The chapter includes the introduction and part of the JCPOA, which refers to the possibility of re-sanctioning. Then, an opinion poll is conducted on the impact and performance of the JCPOA, through official financial reports from international financial institutions and analysts, and the links between the Iranian economy and the SWIFT system are later added to the possibility of lifting the sanctions imposed. Subsequently, the Obama Doctrine is outlined on the basis of the negotiating strategy towards the Tehran nuclear program and the attitude the Donald J. Trump Government has so far held towards the Agreement and Iran in general. Finally, there are economic agreements that Iran has concluded with the US, the EU, Russia and China after the signing of the JCPOA. The chapter closes with the conclusions drawn after the individual analysis of the above.
In Chapter Three after decoding the title of the subject, having identified the boundaries of the Geographic Complex and having defined the exact area to be studied, after attempting to define the geopolitical factor and to complete the determination of the systemic structure and internal structure of the geopolitical spaces in subsystems and super-system. Then, we draw conclusions from the Systemic Geopolitical Analysis, which according to Professor Mazis, is "the geographic analytical method that studies, predicts and describes the redistribution of power on the planet. (Mazis,2002) ". At this point, it should be made clear that work is not intended to deal with other countries in the region (eg Turkey, Egypt, Israel or, in general, Middle East countries) as it is planned to emphasize Iran's relations with its great actors International System. Additionally, it is attempted to draw conclusions for analyzing subsystems and super system through additional information aimed at highlighting the strength of the Islamic Republic of Iran after the lifting of the sanctions made by the signing of the "Geneva Interim Agreement" differently known as "Joint Plan of Action" in November 2013 and later known as P5 + 1 . Finally, we draw out General Conclusions along with the Final Conclusion. The subject of this paper is "Economic Reintegration of Iran into the International System: A Geopolitical Analysis".
Keywords:
Iran, EU, Russia, China, Sanctions, Restrictive Measures, Economy, Middle East, JCPOA, P5+1
