Applying the Concept of Paradiplomacy to Strengthen Cooperation between Arvand Free Zone and Khor Al-Zubair Free Zone

Ahmad Abdollah, Ziad; Ghaderi Hajat, Mostafa; Ahmadipour, Zahra; Roumina, Ebrahim

doi:10.22034/igq.2026.575882.2162

Applying the Concept of Paradiplomacy to Strengthen Cooperation between Arvand Free Zone and Khor Al-Zubair Free Zone

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Ziad Ahmad Abdollah ¹

Mostafa Ghaderi Hajat ²

Zahra Ahmadipour ³

Ebrahim Roumina ⁴

¹ PhD Student in Political Geography, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

² Associate Professor of Political Geography, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

³ Full Professor of Political Geography, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Associate Professor of Political Geography, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/igq.2026.575882.2162

Abstract

The border regions of Iran and Iraq, despite having deep historical, civilizational, and socio-cultural ties, as well as sharing security and economic opportunities and threats, have experienced extensive losses during the eight-year war between Iraq and Iran. In the current situation, the concept of "paradiplomacy" as a new approach in political geography, emphasizing the role of local governments and linking common security, economic, and socio-cultural interests, has become one of the important tools for the development and convergence of border regions. Accordingly, the hypothesis of the present study is that due to historical-civilizational, cultural-social connections, the existence of common economic interests, and similar security threats, the border regions of Iran and Iraq have the necessary capacities to implement the paradiplomacy model, and this approach can be used to promote relations between the Arvand Free Zone in Iran and the free zones of Basra province, Iraq, especially the Khor Al-Zubair Free Zone. The research method used is a descriptive-analytical method based on library data.

Keywords

Iran

Iraq

Arvand Free Zone

Khor Al-Zubair Free Zone

Paradiplomacy

Subjects

Geopolitics

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