THE IRANIAN ROLE IN THE NILE BASIN COUNTRIES

Mahmoud Diaa el-Din Eissa Afifi Abd el-Magid
PhD student, Faculty of Economics and political science, Cairo University
diaaegypt@yahoo.com

Abstract

This study aims at clarifying the role played by Iran in the Nile basin region as it is an area of strategic importance in the eyes of those responsible for the Iranian foreign policy. This importance is closely linked with Iran's main interests (spreading its doctrine – regaining its position as a regional power in the Middle East in general and the Gulf Area specifically – achieving its economic interests). Not to mention that the Gulf area is appealing to Iran because of being an area which abounds with its natural resources and mineral wealth. Also, this area is an appropriate market for the Iranian commodities. Moreover, the area overlooks some international navigational routes that could be eminent paths that enable Iran to accomplishing its goals in the Nile basin countries. Accordingly, Iran was keen to sign several-joint-cooperation agreements with the majority of the region's countries in numerous fields (Economy-Trade-Energy-Agriculture-Religion & Culture-Social Work Services-Technical Approaches: like constructing dams). To meet these objectives the Iranian foreign policy uses several tools such as: the soft power diplomacy, developmental aids, oil diplomacy, augmenting the economic and commercial relations. Iran uses the following approaches: cultural - religious – doctrinal – Shiite expansion. Also,Iran employed several official agencies and charity organizations to achieve its goals. This paper was initiated on the assumption of considering Iran a medium-sized international power that can widely affect the Middle-East region. Consequently, this paper mainly questions the nature and characteristics of the Iranian role in the Nile basin region and how these aspects reflect on Iran's regional power and relative position among the other regional powers. My conclusion in this study was that Iran possesses the state's comprehensive power characteristics that make it a medium-sized regional power which is able to affect its surrounding regional range.

Keywords: Iranian role, Nile basin, medium-sized power, Iran's policy.