Transcendent Policy

Transcendent Policy

Strategic Multilateral Policy-Making in Managing Regional Crises in Southwest Asia

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Abbas MosallaNezhad
Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/sm.2024.2026272.2200
Abstract
This study seeks to address the question: What are the characteristics of regional crises in Southwest Asia, and how can the foundations for regional security and stability be established? The research method is content analysis, utilizing Stephen Walt’s theory of the balance of threat and multilateral cooperation, which is based on collective defense mechanisms to strengthen deterrence against crisis-causing actors. Strategic policy-making in the age of regional crises and a turbulent environment requires an understanding of the ontological and epistemological factors of crisis, conflict, and confrontation. In the post-Cold War years, signs of security challenges in various geographical domains have emerged, leaving their mark in the form of crises, conflicts, security tensions, and terrorism. Any strategic policy-making to confront such threats can be based on tactical multilateralism. The main reason for employing such measures lies in the constant chaos and instability in the global system. In such a situation, structural changes in the international system and the regional environment are considered the main factors for the expansion of crises. In the current context, where signs of global disorder have appeared, decentralized actors are perceived as the primary source of organized and escalating conflicts across various geographical regions, especially from Southwest Asia to the Eastern Mediterranean. In this conflict-ridden environment, the lack of structural action by states has created a breeding ground for the emergence of threats and decentralized actors. The rise of proxy actors, strategic and geopolitical identity, along with signs of unending disorder in international politics, has led to escalating crises and security conflicts for regional states and major powers. These signs prevent the realization of stability, balance, organized action, and predictability among nations and emerging political forces. Multilateralism becomes essential in situations where signs of a "volatile balance" have emerged, resulting in the instability of regional actors.
Keywords
Multilateralism
Crisis Management
Southwest Asia
International System
Balance of Threat
Stephen Walt
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