Iran’s foreign policy towards Central Asia: the case of Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Due to the commonality that has formed between the countries of the Central Asian region and the Islamic Republic of Iran under the influence of the historical and cultural context, unity on the ground of religious beliefs, as well as considering the threats that require consolidation and the development of a common strategy, contacts between these states are currently extremely active and multifaceted. However, this was not always the case, and in this regard, it is worth emphasizing that the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been and remains extremely significant in optimizing the climate in the foreign policy arena. Having freed itself from destructive outside influence and become more pragmatic in matters of state welfare, Iran today has the status of an authoritative subject and initiator of international relations, which is manifested in its focus on mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, economic, cultural and intellectual spheres, in its striving for its own economic prosperity, to ensure stability and security both within the country and throughout the Central Asian region. The article is devoted to the analysis of the foreign policy pursued by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the specificity of which is quite clearly demonstrated by the example of its relations with Kyrgyzstan. In addition, the author formulates the main provisions on which mutually beneficial cooperation can be built not only between these countries, but also throughout the region under consideration.