International Relations This Week: 15 Feb to 21 Feb 2023

International relations is a very important segment of the UPSC syllabus. In this series, we present an analysis of the most important international issues and developments that occurred over the past week relevant for the IAS exam. In this article, you can learn more about the India-Iran controversy, the relationship between China and Iran, Israel’s new citizenship law and the IAEA.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. India-Iran controversy
2. China-Iran relationship
3. Israel's new citizenship law
4. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
5. Iran

1. India-Iran controversy

Context: Iran’s Foreign Minister has cancelled his visit to India. 

Introduction:

• Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian cancelled his travel to India for the Raisina dialogue scheduled for March 3 and 4. 
• Iran is upset over a promotional video of the Raisina Dialogue which includes a 2-second shot of Iranian women cutting their hair in protest, along with an image of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

India-Iran Relations:

• India-Iran relations span centuries marked by meaningful interactions. The two countries shared a border till 1947 and share several common features in their language, culture and traditions. 
• During much of the Cold War period, relations between the Republic of India and the erstwhile Imperial State of Iran suffered due to different political interests. 
• Non-aligned India later fostered strong military links with the Soviet Union while Iran enjoyed close ties with the United States. 
• Post the 1979 Iranian revolution, relations between Iran and India strengthened momentarily. 
• In modern times, the two countries have maintained friendly relations, with India viewing Iran as an important regional partner and a gateway to Central Asia and the Caucasus.
• Both South Asia and the Persian Gulf have strong commercial, energy, cultural and people-to-people links.

Some key aspects of India-Iran relations include:

1. Economic ties: India and Iran have significant economic ties, with India being one of Iran’s largest oil importers. 
   1. India has also invested in the development of the Chabahar port in southeastern Iran, which serves as a key transit point for Indian goods to Afghanistan and Central Asia. 
   2. Additionally, the two countries have signed agreements on trade, investment, and infrastructure development.
2. Cultural ties: India and Iran have a shared cultural heritage, with Persian culture and literature having a strong influence on Indian art, music, and language. The two countries have also collaborated on cultural exchange programs, such as the Iran-India Cultural Festival.
3. Strategic partnership: India and Iran have a strategic partnership that focuses on issues such as counter-terrorism, energy security, and regional stability. The two countries have also cooperated on security issues related to Afghanistan, where they share concerns about the Taliban and other extremist groups.
4. Regional dynamics: India and Iran’s relationship is shaped by their respective positions in the region. Iran is a major regional power with influence in the Middle East, while India is a rising power in South Asia. 

Read more on Iran Nuclear Deal.

Issues:

• The two countries have occasionally been at odds over regional issues, such as Iran’s relations with Pakistan and India’s ties with Israel.
  • Iran supported Pakistan at Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir issue and the Citizenship Amendment Act.
• The tensions between the United States and Iran have had an impact on India’s ties with Iran in several ways:

1. Energy imports: The United States has imposed economic sanctions on Iran, which has significantly reduced Iran’s oil exports. As a result, India, which relies heavily on Iranian oil, has had to reduce its imports from Iran and seek alternative sources of energy. 
   1. Currently, India has zeroed-out oil imports under American pressure.
2. Trade relations: The US sanctions have also affected India’s trade relations with Iran. Many Indian businesses have had to halt or reduce their trade with Iran due to the sanctions, which have impacted India’s exports to Iran and its bilateral trade with the country.
3. Chabahar port development: US sanctions have made it difficult for India to pursue the Chabahar project, as some of the companies involved are reluctant to do business with Iran due to the risk of sanctions.
4. Regional dynamics: The tensions between the US and Iran have also affected the regional dynamics in which India operates. The US and its allies have been pressuring India to reduce its ties with Iran and align more closely with their own policies. This has created a dilemma for India, as it values its strategic partnership with the US but also sees Iran as an important partner in the region.

Read more on US Sanctions on Iran

Crisis in Iran:

• Iran erupted into protests in October 2022 against the brutality of the regime in enforcing the hijab law via what is known as the “morality police,” or the Gasht-e Ershad (Guidance Patrol). 
• The uprising had been ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police.
• Mahsa Amini was allegedly beaten by the morality police who had detained her for “incorrectly” wearing the mandatory hijab. 
• India has been silent on the protests. 
• In November 2022, India was among the countries that abstained from voting on a resolution adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council to set up a fact-finding mission into the alleged human rights violations in Iran.

2. China-Iran relationship

Context: Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. It marked the first state visit by an Iranian president to China in two decades.

Highlights of the visit:

• The three-day visit was aimed at helping to implement a 25-year cooperation alliance between the two nations, at a time when both countries are facing pressure from Western countries over a range of issues.
• China and Iran signed 20 agreements to further boost mutual cooperation in different security, economic, and infrastructure sectors. 
• The two countries also signed, under the China-Iran Strategic Partnership Plan (CISPP), a pact signed in 2021 that would see Beijing invest up to $400 billion in Iran’s economy over a 25-year period in exchange for a steady supply of Iranian oil.

China-Iran relations:

• China and Iran have had diplomatic relations since 1971 and their relationship has been shaped by shared strategic, economic, and political interests. 
• China is Iran’s top trading partner and the largest buyer of Iranian oil. Iran is also an important market for Chinese goods and services. In recent years, China has invested heavily in Iran’s infrastructure, including its oil and gas sector, railways, and ports. 
• China and Iran have a strategic partnership that focuses on issues such as regional security, counter-terrorism, and energy cooperation. Both countries share concerns about the influence of the United States in the region, and have been working to strengthen their ties as a way to counterbalance US influence.
• Iran is a key country in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China sees Iran as a key transit point for its energy imports and a hub for regional trade and commerce.

Issues:

• Iran-China relationship faces various challenges and uncertainties, particularly in the context of shifting global and regional dynamics.
• The recent visit by Ebrahim Raisi reflected Tehran’s frustration with China’s hesitancies about deepening its economic ties with Iran.
• • Despite being the biggest trade partner, China invested just $162 million in the first year of Raisi’s presidency.
• China’s treatment of its own Muslim minority groups, such as the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, has been a source of tension between China and Iran, which is home to a large population of Shia Muslims.
  • Iran has faced criticism from its own citizens and the international community for not speaking out against China’s treatment of the Uyghurs, which has put pressure on its relationship with China.
• The Iranian nuclear program has been a point of contention between Iran and the international community, including China. While China has opposed international sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, it has also supported efforts to ensure that Iran’s nuclear activities are peaceful and transparent.
• China’s growing influence in Iran has also raised concerns among other regional powers, such as Saudi Arabia and Israel, who see China’s involvement as a threat to their own interests. This has created a complex regional dynamic that affects China’s relationship with Iran.

3. Israel’s new citizenship law

Context: Israel on February 15 passed a new citizenship law.

Introduction:

• Israel’s Parliament Knesset has passed a law that allows it to deport and “strip convicted terrorists who receive funding from the Palestinian Authority or an associated organisation of their citizenship”. 
• The new law is an amendment to Israel’s 1952 Citizenship Law and applies to both Israeli citizens and permanent residents imprisoned after “a conviction for terror, aiding terror, harming Israeli sovereignty, inciting war, or aiding an enemy during wartime”. 
• Now, an interior minister can now revoke their citizenship or residency status after a hearing, upon consultation with an advisory committee and after following the approval of the justice minister before recommending this revocation to the courts.

Whose citizenship will be revoked? 

• This law aims to take away the citizenship of “convicted terrorists” if they receive funding from the Palestinian Authority (PA) or any of its associated organisations. 
• The requirement to receive PA-linked money makes the law inapplicable to Jewish citizens. 
• A “convicted terrorist” can either be a Palestinian citizen of Israel or a Palestinian resident of occupied and annexed East Jerusalem holding Israeli residency. 
• The law enables citizenship to be revoked even if the person lacks a second citizenship, provided they have a permanent residence status outside of Israel. Once citizenship is revoked, the person would be denied entry back into Israel.
• The new law is aimed at serving as a deterrent to terrorism.

Rising Tensions:

• In May 2021, Israel and Hamas engaged in an 11-day conflict that saw rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel and Israeli airstrikes targeting Hamas militants and infrastructure. The conflict led to the deaths of over 200 Palestinians and 12 Israelis, and has contributed to a heightened sense of tension and insecurity in the region.
• Palestinian residents of Israel have killed at least 11 Israelis since the start of the year, whereas close to 50 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the beginning of 2023, often during Israeli operations. 
• On February 8, Israel called for the immediate demolition of several Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem that it said were built without permits. 
• There has been a rise in tensions between Jewish and Arab communities in Israel as well, particularly in mixed cities such as Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Lod. 
  • This has been fueled by a range of factors, including the recent conflict with Hamas, the displacement of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem, and the presence of far-right Jewish extremists.
• Israel has faced a prolonged period of political instability, with four elections in two years and ongoing disputes over the formation of a government. 
• There has been a rise in far-right Jewish extremist groups, who have been involved in violent attacks on Palestinians and clashes with Israeli police. This has added a new dimension to the tensions in Israel and has led to concerns about the safety and security of both Jewish and Arab communities.
• Israel’s proposed judicial reforms have sparked controversy and opposition from civil rights groups, legal experts, and some politicians.
• There have also been protests against the sweeping judicial reform plans introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government.
  • Critics of the proposed reforms argue that they represent an attack on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in Israel. They argue that the reforms are politically motivated and could lead to a weakening of democracy and an erosion of civil rights in the country.

Read more on Israel-Palestine Conflict.

4. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Introduction:

• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organisation that is responsible for promoting the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear energy around the world. 
• It was established in 1957 as an autonomous body under the United Nations and is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
• The IAEA plays a critical role in global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote peaceful uses of nuclear technology. 
• It works closely with other international organisations, such as the United Nations and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, to promote nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.

Primary functions of IAEA:

1. Promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology: The IAEA promotes the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, such as energy production, medical applications, and scientific research. It provides technical assistance and advice to member states on the safe and secure use of nuclear technology.
2. Safeguarding nuclear materials: The IAEA is responsible for verifying that member states are using nuclear technology for peaceful purposes only and that nuclear materials are not being diverted for military purposes. It carries out inspections and monitoring activities to ensure that member states are complying with their international obligations.
3. Promoting nuclear safety and security: The IAEA works to promote nuclear safety and security around the world by developing safety standards, providing training and technical assistance, and conducting safety reviews and assessments.
4. Advancing nuclear science and technology: The IAEA supports research and development in the field of nuclear science and technology, and facilitates the exchange of information and expertise among member states.

5. Iran

Key Details:

• Iran is located between the Caspian Sea in the north and the Persian Gulf in the south. 
• The country is officially named the Islamic Republic of Iran. Until the 1980s in the Western world, Persia was historically the common name for Iran.
• Persia was a monarchy until 1979 when the last Persian Shah Reza Pahlavi was overthrown in a popular uprising, headed by Ayatollah Khomeini.
• Iran borders Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. 
• It shares maritime borders with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
• Large parts of the country occupy the Iranian Plateau (or Persian Plateau, a geological formation in Western and Central Asia). 
• A broad portion of Iran’s coastal regions in the Persian Gulf is part of the Arabian plate.
• The highest mountain in Iran is Mount Damavand at 5,610 m (18,410 ft), a potentially active volcano in the Alborz mountain range south of the Caspian Sea, about 70 km northeast of Tehran.
• Most rivers in Iran are relatively short, shallow streams, the only navigable river is the Karun (Karoun) with a length of 725 km.
• The largest city and capital is Tehran. Other major cities are Mashhad, Isfahan, Karaj (a suburb of Tehran), Tabriz, Shiraz, Ahvaz, and Qom. 
• The official religion is Shia Islam.

Image Source: nationsonline.org

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