The Neighborhood Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Towards Iraq and Its Impact on Regional Security in West Asia

Due to its geopolitical and geostrategic location, the West Asian region has been considered one of the most important and sensitive regions of the world since the last century. Apart from the issues arising from oil competition between major countries, the West Asian region has witnessed various political, social, economic, and military events and changes in recent decades. Also, recent security arrangements in the region and the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and the resulting political and social developments in the Middle East, the formation of the US Rapid Reaction Force and the relevant actions and reactions, the formation of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council and its regional effects, the outbreak of the eight-year imposed war by Iraq against Iran, Iraq's military invasion of Kuwait and its political and military consequences, The formation of a new world order after the second Persian Gulf crisis and the US invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq is considered a turning point in regional and international politics. In this regard, neighborhood policy is one of the new concepts in international relations and can be evaluated in line with regional treaties and cooperation. The Islamic Republic of Iran and its western neighbor Iraq together occupy an important pole of regional and global energy and have a very important position in the geography of the region. In the current division of neighbors into three areas or categories of understanding, dealing and confrontation, the current Iraq can be placed in the understanding area. Therefore, Iran's economic, trade, cultural, social, and security policy toward Iraq is of particular importance. The findings of the study indicate that Iraq, by being in the sphere of communication of the Islamic Republic of Iran and emphasizing convergence in the cultural-religious-economic fields, can be considered a country with a high level of convergence with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and this convergence will help increase the level of regional security in West Asia by reducing tension in the region.