Introduction

According to Cyrus Schayegh (2011, p. 273), “The term ‘Levant’ denotes what is often referred to in Arabic as Bilad al-Sham: Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and their margins, i.e. the border zones shared with Turkey, Iraq, and the Sinai Peninsula.” In Arabic Levant is called بلاد الشام (Bilād ash-Shām) or المشرق العربي (al-Mashrīq al-‘Arabiyy). “Levant” originated from the French idea for “rising”—the rising of the Sun in the East. The Levant region includes Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Israel. The region is bounded by the Taurus Mountains to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, the northern Arabian Desert to the south, and Upper Mesopotamia to the east (Cyrus Schayegh. (2011). The Many Worlds of ‘Abud Yasin; or, What Narcotics Trafficking in the Interwar Middle East Can Tell Us about Territorialization. The American Historical Review, 116(2), 273–306).

Barry Buzan. (1983). People, States, and Fear: An Agenda for International Security Studies in the Post-Cold War Era. London: Wheatsheaf Books.

Tehran considers 15 neighbours. In addition to those referred above, Tehran includes the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), and Nakhchivan.

Azerbaijan has close historical and cultural ties with Iran. It was part of Iran before Tsarist Russia forced Iran to give it up, and most of the people in Azerbaijan are Shiites.

The naval forces of the North American Central Command (CENTCOM) and the 5th United States Navy Squadron are installed in Bahrain, and the Air Command of Central Command forces in Qatar. In the case of Oman, the agreement not only provides for the installation of military bases but also allows access to the military bases of the Kingdom.