Transformation of the Regional Politics of United Arab Emirates: Muhammad Ben Zayed’s Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Corresponding author: PhD candidate in international relations, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Tehran, Iran

2 PhD candidate in international relations, Faculty of Humanities, Guilan University, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

The process of shifting of the UAE's regional position from a minor power to a special regional power is accelerating these days. This is both related to the internal factors, including the emergence of a new generation of pragmatic and developmental leaders, and regional and international actors, especially Abu Dhabi's secret relations with the Zionist regime, and enhancing a strategic alliance with the United States. The UAE has arranged and pursued its regional plan in the form of new movements in the geopolitical sphere of West Asia and North Africa. As a symbol of the new generation of UAE leaders, Mohammed bin Zayed has planned transformations in the UAE's regional politics since his taking office. The UAE, led by Mohammed bin Zayed, has pursued an interventionist foreign policy aiming at promoting Abu Dhabi as a regional power. The main question of the research relates to the effects of the mental-perceptional model of Mohammed bin Zayed on the development of regional politics in the UAE. The findings of this study, based on the theoretical propositions of neoclassical realism indicated that Muhammad bin Zayed's threatening opinion of political Islam, coupled with Abu Dhabi's domination over the UAE's security and economic policy, and the marginalization of Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah, while shaping the identity and preferences of the UAE, has paved the way for the Emirate to make great effort for playing regional role based on its active attendance in regional crises. The research follows an explanatory method whose data is collected through the library method and internet resources.

Keywords

References

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Security Horizons
Volume 13, Issue 49 - Serial Number 49
Winter Quarterly
February 2021
Pages 115-145

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History

  • Receive Date: 18 August 2020
  • Revise Date: 03 November 2020
  • Accept Date: 15 November 2020
  • Publish Date: 20 January 2021

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