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Browsing PSIR by Author "Abdul Rehman Ajmal"

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    THE ARAB SPRING AND IRAN
    (UMT.lahore, 2021-04-29) Abdul Rehman Ajmal
    Iran since the Arab Spring has witnessed several internal and external challenges. Iranian regime has withstood all these odds in the changing regional and international politics. International sanctions on Iran by the United States affected the country’s economy but through flexibility in its policies, the country has managed to maintain the regime’s stability. The research shows some important findings wherein the role of identity in Iran has emerged as the locus of Iranian society. The historical Persian civilization is the source of pride and steadfastness for Iranians. In modern Iran, Shia Islamic identity adds more value to the ancient Persian identity. Geopolitics in Iran is also linked with identity as both are co constitutive in the country’s politics. For this, ‘Realist Constructivism’ approach is helpful in providing a diverse analysis of Iran. In all this, the importance of ‘Discourse’ is evident. The state, by using discourse has shaped country’s attitude especially amid the Arab Spring. This also helped in failing the external attempts of toppling the regime. It has been recommended that Iran should keep a strong dominance of territorial identity based on being an ‘Iranian’. Also, the government should address the demands of the Iranian public and prefer cooperative measures rather than the coercive ones. Finally, the state should thoroughly study the implications of a policy before its application to avoid discrepancies in its regional involvements