24 July 2024, NIICE Commentary 9377
Parag Gilada

The West Asian region has been an active centre of geopolitics, the situation prevailing in Iran now has also added to this aspect. De-radicalization here refers to efforts aimed at countering extremist ideologies and reducing violence by addressing the root causes of radicalization, such as poverty, injustice, and political marginalization. This paper will establish the effect that major countries will face from the de-radicalization of the West Asian Region.

Recent Developments in Iran

The recent outrageous helicopter crash of the Prime Minister and officials of the minister rank. Three helicopters; they lost one; it went up in flames when it crashed

In May 2024, a helicopter crash in Iran’s East Azerbaijan killed the Iranian President along with seven other passengers. The accident has raised several accusations of malice because the concentration of the number of influential people in a single helicopter can be the second major reason that created a base for the tragedy.

 In the aftermath of Raisi’s death, the Iranian people voted for Masoud Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiac surgeon who is sought to bring deradicalization and open negotiations with all partners of the now frozen talks on the nuclear deal Iran made in 2015; changing their prospects of social emancipation and political democracy positively.

Notably, the trend of deradicalization is gradually gaining importance in the Gulf region’s agenda. It will be difficult to identify preconditions and factors prompting this issue, but deradicalization will remain one of the major factors defining further geopolitical reality.

Nations like UAE and Saudi Arabia are synchronously orienting their actions and policy toward deradicalizing, and modernizing their cultures and rules to be more just and free.

The deradicalization drive of the Western Asian nations has played a role in deciding the future of major projects in the region. For example, connecting West Asian regions with Russia and Central Asia, bypassing the western routes, the Chabahar Port project, and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) are vital. The impact on Iran of these policies is seen.

India adopted a different strategy keeping in mind the Chabahar Port deal by making a 10-year agreement with Iran to maintain the port instead of the annual rental. This deal implies there is an added layer of guarantee of India’s strategic penetration in the region. Nevertheless, new instabilities appear in the internal situation of Iran, which may enter the frames of the newly established balance.

The political ties between India and Iran are said to have been good in the past and both nations have had traditional relations in one form or the other for centuries. Originally, the title used for the Iranian king was Shah of Iran: it was borrowed from the Gupta empire, which controlled India. Historical relations of this kind have deepened with time, and this is clear to observe through Iran supporting India during the 1994 Kashmir issue at the United Nations.

There is great optimism in the future of India-Iran relations owing to the numerous historical and strategic relationships penned down. The most recent agreement signed in the context of security cooperation is the 10-year deal regarding the operationalisation of Chabahar Port. There is no doubt that it made sure that this relationship was healthy and beneficial for both parties.

Iran’s Internal Calculations

Nevertheless, noteworthy is that even in the conditions of the internal turmoil, it is worth highlighting that Iran did not immediately accuse such external factors, such as Israel or the CIA, of provocation with the helicopter. This restraint implies some inner-thinking and best practices, perhaps in aversion to further aggravation of the conflict.

Iran turning into a democracy in future is in line with a process of deradicalization that is gradually emerging in the context of the Gulf region. Some countries, such as Tajikistan and China, are already beginning to act against radicals ensuring that moderate forms of religion are supported.

Future Outlook of Deradicalization

The future of Iran highly depends on how it solves two problems: internal unrest and the possibilities of radicalization. While on one side the regime faces its ideological goals and on the other, the realities of politics, realistic, viable and contextually appropriate counter-radicalization strategies will be essential. If such measures are not taken actively then there is the possibility of further developments of segregation in the society and the growth of radical opinions that can become a big threat to Iran and the stability of the region.

Conclusion

Even though the internal leadership issues and external threats are still dangerous for Iran, the processes of deradicalization and strategic reorientation seem to be much more promising as a concern for Iran’s future. In this way, the improvement of its internal politics and employing a more pragmatic foreign policy would be beneficial for Iran, as a regional power and would contribute to stable Middle Eastern politics. The next few years will prove the extent to which Iran can turn the identified opportunities into its advantage and how it can manage the existing threats.

Parag Gilada is a final-year student of Global Affairs, at OP Jindal Global University, India.