Turkey's Hydropolitical Hegemony and Iran's Environmental Security

The hydropolitical hegemony of Turkey in transboundary water management, particularly through policies and tools such as dam construction, water diversion projects, and large-scale agricultural irrigation development, has had significant consequences for the environmental stability and security of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a downstream country. This research examines the direct and indirect environmental impacts of Turkey's hydropolitical strategies on Iran's ecological systems, as well as the broader security implications arising from this hegemony. The main research question is to what extent Turkey's water management policies affect Iran's environmental security, and how these impacts can influence regional stability. The research hypothesis is based on the premise that Turkey's control over transboundary water resources limits Iran's access to water, leading to consequences such as the degradation of wetlands and ecosystems, reduction of biodiversity, decline in water quality, exacerbation of desertification, and decrease in agricultural productivity, thereby contributing to Iran's social, economic, and political instability. This qualitative study employs a descriptive-explanatory research method and utilizes internet resources, scientific articles, and relevant books to analyze the hidden dimensions of Turkey's hydropolitical hegemony and its effects. The analytical framework of the research is based on theoretical approaches of regional environmental security and hydropolitics.

کلیدواژه ها:

Hydropolitical hegemony ، Turkey ، Environment ، Islamic Republic of Iran ، Regional security