The Islamic Trust Studies Group B01 “The Ideas of the Muslim Community and State Systems” is delighted to announce a workshop featuring Dr. Seyed Ali Alavi, a distinguished expert in International Politics of Middle East. Dr. Alavi is the esteemed author of Iran and Palestine (Routledge, 2020). We will be joined by discussant Tomohiko Uyama (SRC/ILCAA).

 

Your participation is eagerly anticipated.

 

Date & Time: March 26, Wednesday, 2025, 15:00~16:30 (JST)

 

Seyed Ali Alavi (SOAS)

“Iran and the International North-South Transport Corridor in the Turmoil of Eurasian Security Landscape”

Discussant: Tomohiko Uyama (SRC/ILCAA)

 

“Iran and the International North-South Transport Corridor in the Turmoil of Eurasian Security Landscape”

Since the onset of the Ukraine conflict, the concept of Greater Eurasia has faced significant challenges. A key ramification of the Russia-Ukraine war, both in the medium and long term, pertains to the future of Eurasian projects. Russian aggression against Ukraine, coupled with the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, has not only heightened collective security concerns in Europe but has also destabilized the broader Eurasian security framework. In this context, the war underscores the strategic importance of Iran and Central Asian nations due to their unique geographical positioning. Iran, in particular, emerges as a crucial nexus in the International North-South Transport Corridor. Boasting borders with Central Asia, South Caucasia, Europe via Turkey, and the Arab states in the Persian Gulf, Iran is uniquely positioned. Its robust transportation infrastructure, encompassing extensive railway networks, freeways, and ports, positions Iran as a vital bridge between Asia and Europe.

In light of Russia and Afghanistan’s diminished roles in geopolitical equations, it becomes imperative for global economic powers to pivot towards Central Asia, Iran, and the Middle East to sustain the Greater Eurasian project. This realignment is essential to maintain a conduit connecting East Asia with Europe, traversing a region pivotal as the epicenter of global energy resources. This presentation will not only underscore Iran’s critical role as the linchpin of Eurasia but will also delve into the various challenges and obstacles that lie ahead in realizing this vision.

 

Dr. Ali Alavi is a Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Iranian Studies at SOAS University of London and the co-Director of the SOAS Centre for Iranian Studies. He leads the MA Iranian Studies programme, a distinguished course uniquely offered at SOAS, and convenes a range of dynamic modules, including Remapping Area Studies in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as courses on Iran: History, Culture, and Politics, Palestine Studies, and Decolonising Otherness.

Dr. Alavi holds a degree in International Politics, alongside an MA in the International Politics of the Middle East, and a PhD in International Studies, from SOAS University of London. His 2020 book, Iran and Palestine, Past, Present, Future (Routledge), makes a significant contribution to the discourse on Middle East Studies.

Dr. Alavi’s research interests encompass a diverse range of topics, including cyberspace and the Middle East, the role of ideologies in shaping the Middle East and Iran, the shifting dynamics of alliances across Greater Asia, and the Middle East, and Iran’s evolving role within the global geopolitical landscape. With a keen focus on the Global South, his work seeks to unravel the complex connections that link the Middle East to the wider world, particularly Central Asia and East Asia.

 

Language: English

Participation Conditions: Open to public/Admission free; Pre-registration is required.