انجمن ژئوپلیتیک ایران فصلنامه بین المللی ژئوپلیتیک 1735-4331 21 4 2025 12 22 Poor Frontiersman – Sound Frontiers: A Paradox in Drug Trafficking in Eastern Borderline Regions of Iran Poor Frontiersman – Sound Frontiers: A Paradox in Drug Trafficking in Eastern Borderline Regions of Iran 306 340 224013 10.22034/igq.2025.506949.2014 FA Majid Hosseini Assistant Professor of Political Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. 0009-0005-0295-2106 Yashar Zaki Assistant Professor of Political Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-7117-0360 Rasoul Afzali Professor of Political Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran,Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-8863-044x Journal Article 2025 03 04 The paradox of security-development (PSD) has been a major global issue in borderline regions, particularly occurring in developing economies presented with drug trafficking. International drug trafficking in such regions is hidden under a cloud of political issues, which in turn has triggered the undertaking of martial-security tactics in matters of drug trades. Herein, this study proceeds with an audit of PSD in eastern borderline regions of Iran, with an analysis of the impacts of martial-security policies on border residents and international drug trades using qualitative methods and interviews with 75 frontiersmen, border officials, and drug traffickers. The findings indicate that policies have not been able to control drug smuggling into the country. Reducing and eliminating drug-trafficking in the eastern borders of Iran requires a perspective which views the issue as independent alongside development-based strategies instead of the existing security policies. One resolution to this puzzle is coordinated border management (CBM), centered on expanding development capacities in eastern borderline regions of Iran, to enable continuing security measures against illicit drug deals. The paradox of security-development (PSD) has been a major global issue in borderline regions, particularly occurring in developing economies presented with drug trafficking. International drug trafficking in such regions is hidden under a cloud of political issues, which in turn has triggered the undertaking of martial-security tactics in matters of drug trades. Herein, this study proceeds with an audit of PSD in eastern borderline regions of Iran, with an analysis of the impacts of martial-security policies on border residents and international drug trades using qualitative methods and interviews with 75 frontiersmen, border officials, and drug traffickers. The findings indicate that policies have not been able to control drug smuggling into the country. Reducing and eliminating drug-trafficking in the eastern borders of Iran requires a perspective which views the issue as independent alongside development-based strategies instead of the existing security policies. One resolution to this puzzle is coordinated border management (CBM), centered on expanding development capacities in eastern borderline regions of Iran, to enable continuing security measures against illicit drug deals.

https://journal.iag.ir/article_224013_040259bc533335943e2fccaf76fadd42.pdf