THE IMPACT OF CONFLICTING MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC CULTURES ON THE GEOPOLITICS OF THE REGION

Abstract

The contemporary Middle East’s strategic culture is premised on conflicting
historical legacies that are heavily influenced by multidimensional security issues. Iran’s
fixation with its historical, ancient civilization fixation, grandeur and Shia religious
philosophy and on the other hand, Arab states’ Sunni version of Islam has further deepened
the religious-sectarian divide in Middle East. The Sunni Arab states are led by Saudi Arabia,
the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and other Middle Eastern states that are vying for the
regional dominance. This has motivated Iran to gain indigenous military and technological
capabilities in the realm of conventional, ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. Iran is a
signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), but, it had breached its guidelines
and gained full nuclear-fuel cycle capability without disclosing it to the International
Atomic Energy Agency. Moreover, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed
between the P-5+1 and Iran, which now in the perspective of Trump Administration have
many loopholes. Presently, the Arab Sunni states and Washington are demanding
amendment of the treaty. Furthermore, the regional proxy conflicts stretching right from
Syria to Yemen and Bahrain are furthermore aggravating the security structure of the entire
Middle East. In addition, the religious-sectarian and cultural divide has created a dangerous
fault-line that is being fuelled by the regional/extra-regional states and the Non-State
Actors (NSAs).