Quarterly Journal of West Asia Political Research

Abstract The Taliban militia forces, with a number of less than seventy-five thousand people, overcame the three hundred thousand-strong Afghan army in eleven days. The people of Afghanistan also experienced the rule of this extremist Islamist group at 1996 to 2001, until the Taliban government fell following the September 11 incident and the US attack on Afghanistan, and the US sought to establish a nation-state in this country. After more than twenty years, the US government decided to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan. With the beginning of the withdrawal of American forces, the Taliban militias succeeded in forming the second Islamic Emirate in this country in the shortest possible time in 2021. The rapid victory of the Taliban raised questions, the most important of which are: First, were these developments a scenario and project designed by the US? Second, what was the reason for the Taliban's rapid victory in Afghanistan and how will their government in the new era be fundamentally different from their government in the previous era? Third, what consequences could the Taliban's re-dominance in Afghanistan have for the Islamic Republic of Iran? Therefore, the purpose of writing this article is to state the reasons for the Taliban's re-emergence in Afghanistan and explain its consequences in the region, especially for the Islamic Republic of Iran, in a descriptive-analytical manner and using library tools including books, newspapers and internet resources.

Abstract The Syrian crisis is one of the most challenging security and political events in the Middle East region, and each of the actors in the international scene has adopted different approaches to the developments in Syria based on their interests. America's strategy as a global superpower is always influenced by intelligence-security organizations active in Syria. Intelligence organizations are one of the influential institutions in the policy-making and foreign policy of countries regarding regional and global developments. According to their functions, these organizations are the tools of political decision-makers to make decisions in important international developments. At the same time, they influence the process of foreign policy, but they are also strongly affected by politics. In fact, just as political variables strongly influence information, intelligence organizations also influence the foreign policy approach of countries. One of the important questions regarding intelligence organizations is their position and the way they influence the foreign policy of countries. The structure of American intelligence and security organizations has a long history, and since intelligence services usually play an overt and covert role in the foreign policy of societies, the United States of America is not exempt from this and has undoubtedly been influenced by these organizations. The executive role of these organizations in the Syrian crisis is one example of how they are used as a tool in this country's foreign 

Abstract This article re-examines the relationship between human being, nature, and the concept of sanctity within Mulla Sadra's Transcendent Philosophy (al-Hikmah al-Muta'aliyah) and investigates the capacities of this philosophical system for founding a theory of global peace. Its central question is how the ontological principles of Sadrian philosophy—such as the principality of existence (asalat al-wujud), the gradation of existence (tashkik al-wujud), substantial motion (al-harakat al-jawhariyyah), and human being's divine vicegerency (khilafat Allah)—can lead to a theory of environmental ethics and peace studies. The research findings indicate that the Sadrian view of nature as the "Great Human Being" (al-insan al-kabir), the ontological perspective on the origin of conflicts, and the theory of "gradational unity of existence" provide a robust foundation for shaping "environmental spirituality" and "foundational peace." In this approach, peace is not a contractual matter but an existential truth and a sacred objectivity rooted in the inner unity of all levels of existence, and human beings, as God's vicegerents (khalifat Allah), bear the responsibility of actualizing it in the world.

Abstract The 2026 War between Iran, the United States, and Israel, as a geopolitical turning point, has transformed the previous security order of the Middle East and confronted the security architecture of the Islamic Republic of Iran with new challenges, an event that necessitates a review of the country's defense priorities and security doctrine. In this regard, the present study seeks to answer the question of what are the structural effects of this war on Iran's defense doctrine and how to cover regional strategic gaps. According to the research hypothesis, the 2026 War has led to the erosion of traditional balanced patterns and has made the necessity of transitioning from purely hardware security to hybrid deterrence and smart defense diplomacy more apparent than ever before. This study has been conducted using a descriptive-analytical and future-oriented method, based on the theoretical framework of structural realism and the theory of regional security complexes, through strategic data analysis and scenario writing. The findings show that this conflict has led to a change in the balance of power and the need to redefine Iran's strategic depth. Finally, the results of the study show that in order to contain the destructive effects of geopolitical and stabilize its regional position, the Islamic Republic of Iran needs to utilize new capacities in the field of network and economic security and strategic alliance building in the post-war environment.

Abstract Since its establishment, Israel has constantly seen itself under threat and has prepared itself for any battle. In its military record, this regime has experienced six major wars with the Arabs, two wars with Iran, and numerous wars with paramilitary groups such as the PLO, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Ansar Allah. The main question of the research is what changes have Israel's military strategies undergone before and after October 7th, 2023? The hypothesis tested in the research is that Israel has made its military strategy more aggressive and based on preemptive war. The library-documentary method was used to answer the research question. The research findings show that Israel, which used strategies such as preventive war, transferring the war to enemy territory, early warning, deterrence, short-term wars, and surprise attack in its wars; After the October 7, 2023 war (Operation Al-Aqsa Storm), it has changed its military strategy and has resorted to cyber deterrence, the Dahiya doctrine, preemptive warfare, and a more grassroots strategy. The essence of the new strategy is based on the gradual destruction of the militant groups opposing Israel (by assassinating their commanders and leaders and disintegrating their organizational structure and internal discipline) and the destruction of the urban, civil, and economic infrastructures where they live (to prevent their growth and proliferation and prevent their continued existence).

Abstract The main question of this study is: “What developments has the Resistance Axis experienced in political and military fields before and after the martyrdom of General Qassem Soleimani?” After evaluating the socio-political texts and available sources in this field, the results of the research showed that during the 22-year period of Martyr Soleimani's command of the Quds Force, resistance groups in the Middle East region have grown day by day, so that today, in addition to Lebanon and Palestine, these groups have also been established in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Even the Yemeni Ansar Allah formed a government in Sanaa. In Palestine, the new generation of resistance has expanded into the occupied territories, and in current Iraq, numerous groups are demanding the expulsion of American soldiers from this country, so the sum of these developments has strengthened and deepened the “Geopolitics of Resistance” in the region. Another important point that is understandable after the martyrdom of General Soleimani is the “network” nature of these groups. For example, Hezbollah of Lebanon played a constructive role in the Syrian crisis and the war against terrorists. In addition, Hezbollah in the recent war in Gaza on the northern front and the Yemenis also responded practically to defend Gaza by launching missile attacks on the ships of the Zionist regime. This fact is also true for the Iraqi resistance groups. Another important point before and after the martyrdom of General Soleimani is the “people-based” nature of the resistance groups. In other words, the popularity of the resistance axis is the main sources of power of these actors. In fact, General Soleimani, with his managerial and commanding qualities, had a unique ability to organizing local and indigenous forces.

Abstract The Gaza war, which began on October 7, 2023, and lasted 15 months, triggered intense global reactions due to the widespread destruction of buildings, hospitals, schools, and the killing of Palestinian civilians by the Israeli army. However, compared to the widespread protests in the West, those in Islamic countries were limited in scale and intensity, showing no signs of igniting Arab nationalism. This raises the question: what factors have contributed to the decline of Arab nationalism in the Middle East? This research hypothesizes that the decline of Arab nationalism results from complex interactions among political, social, and economic factors. A qualitative explanatory method was employed, using library-based data collection. The findings reveal that Arab nationalism has historically faced numerous challenges, including reformist and secessionist movements. Furthermore, the positions of Arab countries and recent developments during the Gaza war have weakened national identity and Arab unity. These countries perceive a new wave of nationalism based on Islamism as a threat to their authoritarian regimes and thus strive to suppress Arab nationalism in the region. Additionally, internal rivalries among Arab states, economic dependence on the West, and the inability to form effective unions are significant contributors to this decline. Consequently, Arab nationalism has gradually been replaced by local and religious tendencies, which in some cases have deepened internal divisions and further weakened Arab solidarity.

Abstract Undoubtedly, ideology is one of the main influential elements in the foreign policy countries. The emergence and formation of the Taliban's ideology has had a major and important impact on the developments Afghanistan's foreign policy, and Iran's relations with its eastern neighbors are very important. Iran-Afghanistan relations as bilateral relations are affected many factors. The presence of countless Afghan immigrants in Iran, the issue water, drugs, and the economic and political relations these two countries have caused many and downs during different eras, which with the re-appearance of the Taliban in political power Afghanistan, can seriously damage the relations between two countries. to impress. The main problem of the research; The analysis of the effective and stable factors in Iran-Afghanistan relations in the recent period of the Taliban's rise to power. The research method in research descriptive-analytical and the method collecting data library and internet. While many analyzes point the political, military, security, historical and geopolitical factors in the future of Iran-Afghanistan relations, although complete ideological integrity was characteristic of the first period the Taliban, new period of Taliban based internal and external factors, ethnicity and ideology. has turned into two groups with different intellectual origins and has distanced itself from ideological unity. This ideological duality is an important and influential factor in Iran-Afghanistan relations in the new Taliban era.

Abstract The Syrian crisis is one of the most challenging security and political events in the Middle East region, and each of the actors in the international scene has adopted different approaches to the developments in Syria based on their interests. America's strategy as a global superpower is always influenced by intelligence-security organizations active in Syria. Intelligence organizations are one of the influential institutions in the policy-making and foreign policy of countries regarding regional and global developments. According to their functions, these organizations are the tools of political decision-makers to make decisions in important international developments. At the same time, they influence the process of foreign policy, but they are also strongly affected by politics. In fact, just as political variables strongly influence information, intelligence organizations also influence the foreign policy approach of countries. One of the important questions regarding intelligence organizations is their position and the way they influence the foreign policy of countries. The structure of American intelligence and security organizations has a long history, and since intelligence services usually play an overt and covert role in the foreign policy of societies, the United States of America is not exempt from this and has undoubtedly been influenced by these organizations. The executive role of these organizations in the Syrian crisis is one example of how they are used as a tool in this country's foreign policy towards Syria. In this research, the researchers intend to examine the role of American intelligence agencies in the foreign policy of the country during Trump's presidency towards Syria. The focus of this research is the influence of the American intelligence community on the foreign policy of the country towards Syria, specifically the role of the US Central Intelligence Organization (CIA) in US foreign policy towards Syria from 2017 to 2020.

Abstract Modernity, with its distinctive features, postmodernism with its corrective stance, and religion with its normative and behavioral framework, represent three competing spheres of order—Westphalian, postmodern, and Islamic—that continue to shape contemporary thought. Each seeks to impose its own cultural and political system on human society. While modernity, through its innovations and new intellectual paradigms, is not inherently incompatible with Islam, it nonetheless calls for an Islamic approach capable of generating dynamic mechanisms to meet the needs of Muslims and to foster more resilient and inclusive modes of thought. Such an approach can enhance the scope for free action and independent reasoning among Muslims. This study aims to explore the modern world and its philosophical underpinnings, as well as their implications for the lives of Muslims and the peoples of the East. The findings suggest that the encounter of contemporary Islamic societies with Western civilization has produced numerous setbacks and challenges. Intellectual dilemmas, alongside economic, cultural, and social disruptions, largely stem from the foundational principles of modernity, including anthropocentrism, reductionism, identity erosion, nihilism, consumerism, secularism, environmental degradation, and Westernization. These influences are evident in the social, political, and ethical dimensions of both individual and collective Muslim life. Employing a descriptive-analytical method, this research seeks to provide balanced and pragmatic strategies for addressing these challenges.