Iran's Influence in Syria and it's Potential Implications For Jordan's National Security
Abstract
Jordanian-Iranian relations have experienced a long history of political and ideological disputes. Intervention in Syria is the pivotal variable that grants Iran a strategic opportunity to target Jordan. This study assesses Iran's growing influence in Syria and potential threats to Jordanian national security. This thesis finds that, during Syrian civil war, Iran has established significant hard power through a network of militias and proxies; simultaneously, it has created long-term soft power by politically, economically, socially, and religiously influencing governmental institutions and Syrian society. This influence enables Iran to target Jordan's security, political, and economic domains. Iran could employ proxies and drones to target the Jordanian borders, enabling the flow of infiltrators and the smuggling of weapons, explosives, and drugs into Jordan to establish a status of instability. At political and economic dimensions, Iran could significantly obstruct a political solution to the Syrian crisis and Jordanian-Syrian rapprochement. This obstruction is a pressing factor on Jordan due to its concerns about the presence of Iranian-backed militias in southern Syria and the failure to resolve the Syrian refugee crisis. In cooperation with its allies, Jordan should pursue a diplomatic approach and implement several military and economic measures to counter potential Iranian threats.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1225442
Entities
People
- Mohammad A. Mohammad
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School