Opportunities and threats of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq due to the presence of Israel

Kurdistan region of Iraq has been one of the most disputed regions in the western neighborhood of Iran, which is also adjacent to Iranian Kurdistan from the east. This issue has caused tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kurdistan Region every few years. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to understand the situation of the Kurdistan region of Iraq in terms of opportunities and threats it has for the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is clear understanding the above issue is important and necessary to strengthen and understand the type of confrontation of the Islamic Republic with the Kurdistan Region in order to obtain more and better national interests. Therefore, the main question of this article has been raised as follows: What are the opportunities and threats of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq? The findings indicate that at 4 cultural, economic, geopolitical and security levels, relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have created opportunities and challenges that, according to the foreign policy apparatus of both sides, these opportunities They can become a threat or vice versa. However, it seems that in the form of threats, most of them are summarized in the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and Israel and the Iraqi Kurdistan's struggle for independence. In both cases, the active diplomacy of the Islamic Republic can turn these threats into opportunities with proper management. The research method in this article is descriptive-analytical.

Introduction

The Kurdistan region of the Republic of Iraq (KRI), which borders Iranian Kurdistan to the east, has long been a disputed area on the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI)'s western borders. This issue fuels tensions between KRI and IRI every few years. This study aims to identify and discuss the opportunities and threats that KRI offers and poses to IRI. Therefore, the study findings help us understand how IRI treats KRI to ensure more and better IRI's national interests. The main research question is as follows: What are the opportunities and threats that IRI finds and faces in KRI?

Theoretical Framework

Countries traditionally take two different approaches to foreign policy in international relations: realism and idealism. A “realist" foreign policy prioritizes national security and national interests over ideology and morality. Realists view foreign policy from the perspective of interests rather than values. This implies that they focus more on a country’s foreign policy and less on its domestic policy. In practice, realists prioritize their primary interests, such as security and prosperity, in their relations with foreign countries, and place less emphasis on what these governments do within their borders. By contrast, an idealist approach to foreign policy holds that the foreign policy of a country should primarily reflect its moral and philosophical values. If a government endeavors to combat poverty, protect human rights, and promote religious liberty domestically, because it believes that these are just or moral stands, it must also attempt to accomplish these goals overseas. Idealists believe that this will eventually lead to a more peaceful world. They believe that they should actively engage in international affairs to share the values they cherish throughout the world and shape other nations so that they also reflect these values.

Methodology

This study employed a descriptive-analytical method to achieve its objectives.

Findings and Discussion

The study findings indicate that there are opportunities and challenges related to the relations between IRI and KRI on cultural, economic, geopolitical, and security levels. The foreign policy attitudes of both parties can convert these opportunities into threats or these threats into opportunities. In any case, it seems that most of the threats have their roots in the relations between KRI and Israel and in the attempt by KRI to achieve independence. In both cases, proper management of IRI's active diplomacy can transform these threats into opportunities.

Conclusion

In addition to its common borders with Iran and its location inside Iraq, KRI is one of the areas that have historical and cultural ties to IRI. After the fall of the Baathist regime in Iraq, IRI recognized the high economic and trade potential KRI and started economic relations with it. These relations are still continuing. Geopolitics has been one of the main opportunities for IRI to establish relations with KRI. However, as mentioned above, it can also be considered a threat due to KRI's appeasement of IRI's opposition groups and its interactions with Israel. Israel is constantly creating security and political threats throughout the region to weaken IRI's power and expand its own power all the more with the idea of a Greater Israel and the slogan of "From the Nile to the Euphrates."  Therefore, KRI's interactions and relations with this regime are considered a threat to IRI. Another threat is the efforts made by KRI to gain independence from Iraq. Given KRI's possible objectives of establishing an independent Kurdish state, not only will Israel not cause KRI to form an independent state, but it may serve as the main obstacle to the realization of KRI's independence from Iraq. The reason for this is that if Israel supports KRI's independence from Iraq, it will heighten the sensitivity of Iraq's internal factions and will probably cause them to take action against the establishment of an independent Kurdistan state on the former Iraqi territory and also against the other countries in the region. Under no conditions can it be economically viable for KRI to ally itself with a regional power other than Iran. Therefore, clarification is required to identify the opportunities and threats. This will allow IRI, by taking into consideration the strategic infrastructure in northern Iraq, to prepare the ground for improving and upgrading its relations with KRI in order to achieve its national interests and improve its national security