Iranian Dialectics in the Ancient Middle East and Caucasus

This article examines Iran's foreign relations in the ancient region now known as the Middle East (or West Asia) and the Caucasus, spanning from the establishment of Elamite civilization (3200–539 BC) to the fall of the Sasanian Empire in the 7th century CE. The analysis is conducted within the framework of the Iranian Dialectics, emphasizing the interplay between national and ultra-national variables. In the national domain, key factors include the belief systems of policymakers, the interest to political survival, the dynamics of political economy, Persia’s geopolitical positioning, and its geographical realm. In the ultra-national context, the dominant world order and the international division of labor are pivotal variables shaping Iran’s interactions. These components collectively play a critical role in defining Persia’s relationships with both regional and extra-regional actors in the ancient Middle East and Caucasus. Based on these variables, four key indicators are identified: the agent-structure dynamic, symmetrical and asymmetrical interdependence, the influence of bureaucratic and non-governmental entities, and the international systemic status. Unlike the Iranian Negative Dialectics, which emphasizes disjunctions and fragmentation, the Iranian Positive Dialectics emerges as a primary outcome of agent-structure interactions in the Middle East and the Caucasus, highlighting the constructive interplay between these variables.