فصلنامه آفاق امنیت
پیاپی 49 (زمستان 1399)

The assassination  of General Qassem Soleimani on January 4, 2019 by the US terrorist army shaped one of the most critical national security challenges in the fourth decade of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. After the hostage crisis, the assassination of General Soleimani is regarded as the most objective physical and ontological confrontation between the Islamic Revolution of Iran and the United States. The profound ontological and ideological conflicts between resistance discourse, led by the Islamic Revolution of Iran, and the liberal discourse, led by the United States, was reproduced and manifested internationally. In this regard, this study is intended to find out the effects of General Qassem Soleimani’s martyrdom by the US terrorist army on the ontological security of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. The researcher hypothesizes that General Soleimani's martyrdom reproduced the ontological security of the Islamic Revolution and protected and confirmed the ontological components of the Islamic Revolution such as political Islam, political identity, anti-Americanism and anti-Zionism, anti-arrogance, martyrdom spirit and resistance. This basic research follows a descriptive-analytical method and employs documentary method for data collection. Documentary method was used for data collection and conceptual and anthological theoretical framework was used for data analysis.

The development and use of robotic systems and the enhancement of their independence have paved the way for their being used as weapons in armed conflicts. Meanwhile, the use of automatic UAVs, which are able to fight targets on time without human control, have raised serious concerns about individual criminal liability and compliance with international humanitarian law. In this respect, some NGOs have called for the entire banning of the development, production and use of such automatic weapons. Considering the concept of meaningful human control and emphasizing human presence in all stages, from manufacturing to the use of automatic devices for armed conflict, this study is aimed at solving the challenge of criminal responsibility. Therefore, in case of violation of the fundamentals of humanitarian law, individual criminal responsibility and even joint responsibility will be raised against the involved people such as the programmers, designers, combatants and commanders. Hence, the use of such devices without human control or supervision is prohibited, and the responsibilities of individuals in the use of automated devices cannot be denied at all. All in all, the issue of meaningful human control conveys that individuals must establish connection to this type of devices, and in case of violation of the fundamentals of humanitarian law, the criminal responsibility will be raised against people associated with this type of devices.

The emergence of the Islamic Republic of Iran as an influential regional power in the West Asia in recent years, and the demonstration of its power in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen indicate a transformation in Iran's regional policy compared to the past. In addition to the increasing relative capabilities of the country and lack of solidarity in the geopolitical developments of the marginal regions, this show of power has occurred as a result of regional activities of the Iranian advisory forces centered on the Quds Force. This study is intended to explain the role of advisory forces in the regional policies of Iran and to explain how their activities have increased regional power and influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Findings indicated that the Quds Force, as practical arm of the Islamic Revolution, has played a vital role in transforming Iran's regional policies by actualization of the three regional roles (leadership, guarding and support). Quds Force has tried to expand the influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran by employing local resistance forces. In consequence, the success of the Quds Force in organizing a political bloc called the “the Axis of Resistance”, confrontation with ISIS as the most critical intra-regional threat, and inhibiting the influence and intervention of supra-regional powers such as the United States, have resulted in increasing Iran's influence and its regional position. It is worth mentioning that this is an analytical-descriptive research whose data were collected by library and internet resources.

Understanding the drivers, events, and trends influencing the shaping of future, can help identify and explain alternative futures from a futurist perspective. Yemen is located in Southwest Asia and is of special strategic importance. Understanding the future political scenarios of Yemen is essentially important for the strategic planning of the Islamic Republic of Iran in this country. This exploratory research investigates key drivers and actors for exploring scenarios of the alternative political future of Yemen up to the horizon of 2029. This is a combined research applying quantitative and qualitative methods using futurist techniques such as review of literature, elite panel, analysis of cross referential and balanced works, scenario writing, and using Wizard and Excel software for designing the scenarios of the future of the political future of Yemen until 2029. 21 experts were referred to in the implementation of this study. Among the 78 drivers for Yemen's future, three key drivers were identified by experts, and six scenarios were identified based on the output of the Wizard software and expert confirmation. Then, the stories were written and the scenarios were subjected to the "wind tunnel" test. Afterwards, the significance of the realization and validation of the scenarios were identified in the expert panel. Scenario number one was selected as the most desirable one for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Key influential players for this scenarios were identified.

Mohammad Ben zayed has made some changes in the UAE's regional politics since taking Power.The UAE, led by Mohammed Ben zayed , has pursued an interventionist foreign policy aimed at promoting Abu Dhabi as a regional power.The main question of the present study is what changes have taken place in the UAE regional policy since the coming to power of Mohammed Benzayed?The findings of the article, based on the theoretical propositions of neoclassical realism, show that the fundamentals of UAE foreign policy, including changes in perceptions, perceptions, and in general interests, identities, and decision preferences, are changing. Recipients of the country's relative power at the regional level and in the international system have been a factor that has encouraged Abu Dhabi to play the role of a new region based on its active presence in regional crises.

The findings of article, by using the theory of threat balance and the Descriptive analytical method and written and virtual sources, show the fragility of the political and security geopolitics of the UAE and Israel, especially after ISIS; failure in Libya, Yemen and the effort to find a strategic ally and Israel feel threatened by the Islamic Republic of Iran being as close as possible to the borders of the occupied territories); Second; Non-dependence on the United States alone, especially in the military and security fields; Intense rivalries between Amir Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the future kingdom of the UAE (Emir of Abu Dhabi's attempt to achieve the future kingdom of the UAE and avert the danger of political rivals), Fourth; The economic benefits of the Zionists include their presence in the UAE (oil, the use of UAE military bases and the sale of military weapons) and, ultimately, Trump's success in the US presidential election. The consequences of this problem can be examined in four major dimensions. First; The gradual normalization of the political relations of the Arabs of West Asia with Israel (collapse of the ugliness of the relations of the Arabs with Israel) Second; The escalation of insecurity for the Islamic Republic of Iran, the third infiltration of the insecurity crisis to the borders of all countries in the region, And finally the escalation of militarism and armed conflicts in the Persian Gulf.

The Peripheral geopolitical regions play a special role in the foreign policy of countries. One of the most important peripheral geopolitical regions is the South Asian. This erea is near to the Indian ocean and intersects with three geopolitical regions: East and Asian South East, Central Asia and West of Asia. اn relation to Iran, this region is one of the most important geopolitical regions. Iran has a deep cultural and historical connection with the drawers of this region and on the other hand, it has economic and security interests. As a result, what is happening in South Asia is affecting Iran's national interests and security. Therefore, the present article tries to examine the basic geopolitical challenges of this region by focusing on the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The method of this research is descriptive-analytical, the method of collecting findings is library and field study and the method of data analysis is quantitative combination (Friedman test) and qualitative. Field and library findings indicate that there are 15 challenging variables in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in South Asia.