Strategies for the development of international sport diplomacy in the volleyball federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran

In recent years, Iran's volleyball sport has made significant progress and the Iranian national team has been able to compete in the World Volleyball League. This situation has provided the Iranian Volleyball Federation with diplomatic opportunities. The purpose of this study was to develop strategies for the development of international sport diplomacy in the volleyball federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This study was conducted qualitatively by interviewing Iranian volleyball officials (N = 4), academic experts in sport diplomacy (N = 4) and internationally experienced coaches and referees (N = 5). Data analysis with theme analysis techniques revealed that the five emerging themes included: challenges, principles of effective international sport diplomacy, international sport diplomacy success factors, international diplomacy development strategies in volleyball federation, and the implications of international sport diplomacy, including 18 sub-themes and 43 open codes. All these aspects are analyzed and discussed in the present study. En los últimos años, el deporte de voleibol ha logrado un progreso significativo en Irán y el equipo nacional iraní ha podido competir en la Liga Mundial de Voleibol. Esta situación ha brindado oportunidades diplomáticas a la Federación Iraní de Voleibol. El propósito de este estudio fue desarrollar estrategias para el desarrollo de la diplomacia deportiva internacional en la federación de voleibol de la República Islámica de Irán. Este estudio se realizó de forma cualitativa entrevistando a funcionarios de voleibol iraníes (N = 4), expertos académicos en diplomacia deportiva (N = 4) y entrenadores y árbitros con experiencia internacional (N = 5). El análisis de datos con técnicas de análisis temático reveló que los cinco temas emergentes incluían: desafíos, principios de la diplomacia deportiva internacional efectiva, factores de éxito de la diplomacia deportiva internacional, estrategias de desarrollo de la diplomacia internacional en la federación de voleibol y las implicaciones de la diplomacia deportiva internacional, incluyendo 18 subtemas y 43 códigos abiertos. Todos estos aspectos se analizan y discuten en el presente estudio.

“Doomed to Good Relations”

This article sheds new light on the end of the Cold War and the fate of anti-imperialism in the twentieth century by exploring how the Soviet Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran achieved a rapprochement in the late 1980s. Both the USSR and Iran had invested significant resources into presenting themselves as the leaders of the anti-imperialist movement and “the global movement of Islam,” and both the Soviet and Iranian governments sought to export their models of anti-imperialist postcolonial statehood to Afghanistan. However, by the mid-1980s both the Soviet Union and revolutionary Iran were forced to confront the limits to their anti-imperialist projects amid the increasing pull of globalization. Elites in both countries responded to these challenges by walking back their commitments from world revolution and agreeing to maintain the Najibullah regime in Afghanistan as a bulwark against Islamist forces hostile to Marxism-Leninism and Iran's brand of Islamic revolution. This joint pragmatic turn, however, contributed to a drought in anti-imperialist politics throughout the Middle East, leaving the more radical voices of transnational actors as one of the only consistent champions of anti-imperialism. Drawing on new sources from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, as well as sources from Iran, Afghanistan, and the “Afghan Arabs,” the article sheds empirical and analytical light on discussions of the fate of anti-imperialism in the twilight of the Cold War.

Will Islamic Water Management Principles Be Included If the Helmand River Treaty Is Revisited?

Despite the importance of water management in Islamic culture, the role of religion has been underemphasized by scholars. Using the three criteria of equity, responsibility and sustainability, this study aims to assess whether Islamic water management principles are incorporated into the revision of the transboundary Helmand River Basin under the administration of the Taliban regime. In August 2021, Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, with a goal of ruling Afghanistan based on Islamic Sharia law, presumably including the management of the transboundary watercourses. One such basin is the Helmand, shared with the downstream Islamic Republic of Iran, with whom Afghanistan will likely revisit the transboundary Helmand River Treaty, possibly based on Islamic water management principles. We examine how principles of Islamic code may influence future negotiations, including the construction of dams on the upper Helmand River Basin initiated under the former administration.

Alleged Violations of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights (Iran v. U.S.) (Judgment on Preliminary Objections) (I.C.J.)

On February 3, 2021, the International Court of Justice delivered its judgment on preliminary objections in Alleged Violations of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights (Islamic Republic of Iran v. United States of America). The judgment rejected all of the United States’ preliminary objections, declared the admissibility of Iran's Application, and held that the Court has jurisdiction “on the basis of Article XXI, paragraph 2 of the Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights of 1955.”

Mutual Perception in Contemporary Relations between Russia and Iran: Image of Russia and Iran in History School Textbooks of the Two Countries

Russia and Iran have maintained continuous diplomatic relations since 1592. During the post-Soviet period, relations between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran have strengthened significantly. The leaderships of both countries seek to turn their relations into a strategic partnership. However, the main obstacle to achieving this goal is the negative perception of the other by the peoples of both countries. The purpose of this study is to understand how modern Russians and Iranians see each other and the relations between their governments. This article examines data from sociological surveys, opinions of Russian and Iranian experts, and analyzes the images of Iran and Russia presented in school-level history textbooks of the two countries. We note negative stereotypes and a distrust of Russia among modern Iranians. Russia receives far more attention in Iranian history textbooks than Iran in Russian ones. For Iranians, the image of Russia as a neighbor is more important than the image of Russia as a great world power. However, the image of Russia in general is negative; Russia is seen as a country to be feared. The negative image of Russia among Iranians is formed through selective and often erroneous interpretation, rather than historical facts. Although opinion polls in contemporary Russia divulge a generally positive image of Iran, the country is not seen as important to respondents - it remains distant, exotic, and incomprehensible. Modern Russians have very faint ideas about their Southern neighbor, Iran. Persia and Iran receive so little attention in Russian school textbooks that it is difficult to talk about the image of this country as positive or negative.

Dinamika Hukum Keluarga Islam dan Isu Gender di Iran: Antara Pemikiran Elit Sekuler dan Ulama Islam

This article examines the dynamics of family law in the Islamic Republic of Iran where there are upheavals and struggles between the secular elites and ulama from 1927 to the present day. This study applied a library research by digging up information related to the theme of the study. The results of this study indicate that the Islamic Republic of Iran is dominantly Shia Imamiyyah (Jafari) but it also accommodates the Hanafi (Sunni) School in the field of marriage law. Iranian family law has gone through many changes. Since 1928 the issue of divorce and marriage which was originally regulated in Irans Qanun Madani came into force in 1930, the Marriage Law was then enacted in 1931. After three decades, in 1967 there was a reformation, the Marriage Law was replaced by the Family Protection act, then it was replaced with the Protection of Family in 1975. These laws are a combination of Islamic Law and French civil Jurisprudence, though they seem more secular. However, since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, these laws have been abolished and all laws in Iran have been returned to sharia law. As a result, the laws become repressive against women, except in the field of inheritance which provides gender equality. While there have been many highly educated women in Iran, since 2006 many women have filed for divorce. On the other hand, the practice of mutah marriage has begun to be abandoned and polygamy is opposed by the community.

Explanation of Executive Model of IRIB News in Crisis Management

INTRODUCTION: Due to the vulnerability of the country to various disasters and events, the role of directing public opinion, and the attention of the general public and political elites to Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the present study aimed to obtain and explain an executive model of IRIB news in crisis management. METHODS: This study was conducted based on an applied research method in terms of objective, and it is qualitative research using an exploratory approach in terms of method. The statistical population consisted of experts, managers, and professors of media and crisis (Crescent Society and Crisis Management Organization). The data were collected using a semi-structured in-depth interview technique, and a saturation was observed using a targeted sampling and after 25 interviews. In addition, the Strauss method in grounded theory was applied to analyze the data. Moreover, in the process of theory analysis, MAXQDA (version 2020) was applied, and a total of 120 concepts and 20 categories were identified. FINDINGS: Some categories, such as the unprofessional nature of media, unprofessional coverage of news, biased news organization, lack of media independence, public distrust, and tendency toward alternative media, are the requirements for explaining an executive model of news in crisis management, which are axially coded as causal conditions. In addition, appropriate news coverage, information, analytical programs, people's voice, crisis management principles and organization, education and informing, and culturalization, were the seven main categories selected as the main strategies to develop the model. CONCLUSION: Some categories, such as the improvement of media performance, de-escalation instead of crisis-making, rumor prevention, obtainment of public trust, accountability of officials, organizing and mobilizing human forces, social cohesion, increasing resilience, as well as reconstruction and rehabilitation, are of the consequences of using appropriate strategies to explain IRIB news in crisis management.