ABSTRACT
Iran, in the early 1990s, stood at a landmark juncture of both domestic and international developments. The end of the war with Iraq, the death of Ayatollah Khomeini and the presidency of the relatively moderate Hashemi Rafsanjani opened a window of opportunity for plans to create a degree of change in major domestic and foreign policies. This chapter introduces the South Caucasus, its significance in the international system and its importance for major regional and external players. It focuses on Iran’s foreign policy and examines Iran’s policy in two regional systems of the Middle East and the South Caucasus. The chapter also focuses on Iran’s bilateral relations with Azerbaijan and examines Iran’s relations with the Republic of Armenia. It provides historical background about Armenia and its relations with Iran over several millennia. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
