Look East policy: Regional Policy of of Iran Towards Countries Located in the Sphere of the Iranian Civilization

Since the end of the Cold War, an important process of new regionalism has been expanding in the international arena and countries have tried to implement their regionalist policies either bilaterally, in the form of joint agreements, or through institutionalization and multilaterally, by forming regional organizations and entities or through multi-lateral agreements meant to realize one’s objectives. Undoubtedly, the Islamic Republic of Iran is no exception to this rule, and the review of its policies in the recent years shows the special attention of the country to expanding relations with various countries in Asia, including East and Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and Central Asia. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the dimensions, aspects, types, and characteristics of relations with countries located in the sphere of the Iranian civilization within the framework of the regionalist policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran through look East policy. The author's main argument is that the look East policy and expansion of relations with neighboring countries have never been of strategic importance in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. A review of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran shows that after the ninth government came to power in the country, a regionalist approach was put on the agenda based on re-defining foreign policy priorities. In other words, the new approach was “look to East” and expanding relations with various Asian countries became an axis in foreign policy. Although the look East policy was important at that time, it was not a strategic policy and was influenced by Iran's relations in the structure of the international system centered on the nuclear issue and the great powers, namely the P5 + 1group.With United States’ withdrawal from the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action), and the gradual ineffectiveness of this agreement, the re-expansion of the Islamic Republic of Iran's relations with Asian and neighboring countries reemerged on the agenda of the twelfth government.