University of Tehran Press Journal of Iran and Regional Studies 2645-6060 2 1 2019 06 01 Russia's Military Intervention in the Syrian Crisis 109 130 82722 EN Mohammadreza Takhshid University of Tehran Morteza Shoja University of Tehran Journal Article 2018 09 11 The purpose of this descriptive and analytical study is to investigate the reasons for Russia's military intervention in the Syrian crisis. The question is, why did Russia intervene militarily in the Syrian crisis? The findings show that there is a link between Russia's involvement in the crisis and its leaders' understanding of their country's position in the international system. From the Russian leader’s point of view, their country is a great power in the structure of the multi-polar international system. Therefore, the country must maintain its presence in geopolitical areas. But the overthrow of the Syrian government, which is Russia’s only ally in the region, will reduce the country's position not only in the Middle East, but also in the international system. The geopolitical dynamics before the Arab uprisings in Russia's periphery also jeopardized its position in the structure of the international system. From their point of view, the Arab uprisings are considered to be the continuation of the same declining trend. Therefore, Russia's intervention in the Syrian crisis was a reaction to this limitative process. https://jices.ut.ac.ir/article_82722_3ba80c68455c34a4382a8eb03defd90a.pdf