Through the reflection on the regional developments and the Iranian policies and Iran’s comprehensive behavior in the Middle East and towards the regional question. It has become very obvious the Iranian approach or Iran’s grand strategy in the region. In fact, now the Iranian regional expansionism is a regional reality can be concluded from various and many regional situations, especially through the regional developments in the recent years in which this reality has become clearer and even directly exposed.

The Iranian regional expansionism belongs to the very beginnings of the Iranian current theocratic regime after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The first shape of this Iranian policy was the adoption of the principle and policy of exporting the revolution to the regional and neighboring countries, especially the Arab countries in the Gulf that have Shiite populations.

This policy was partially stalled by the first Gulf War between Iran and Iraq. However, after a long recovery from this long war, and particularly along with the period of the oil’s price rises, which provided a financial cover at the Iranian regime’s disposal, there is a revival of Iran’s expansionism in the region.

Iran considers itself a regional power, as it has a weight and strength enable it to have a key role and a significant influence in the region, according to the Iranian perception. In fact, in some cases, the Iranian behavior and rhetoric indicate that Iran considers some parts in the neighboring Arab region as its vital space that marks the zone of the Iranian influence in the region.

In this regard, I think that Iran’s eternal geopolitical ambition is to stretch its presence into the Mediterranean eastern coasts, and eventually to have influence over this continuous area or arch, or at least to reach the Mediterranean with ensuring Iranian bases or presence on the eastern coast. This Iranian ambition obviously imitates the historical realities of the Persian Empire, the matter that has significance, and should be definitely realized.

This geopolitical objective can be evidenced by the history of the post-revolution Iranian policy towards Lebanon and Syria, and the achievements of this policy through the reality of Hezbullah in Lebanon and the enduring and strong alliance with ruling Baath regime in Syria.

Furthermore, the Iranian recent influence and presence in Gaza strip through the deliberate control of the affiliated Hamas over the strip, which many diplomatic leaks and political reports suggests a key Iranian role in this action of Hamas, constitutes a further evidence of this Iranian policy and geopolitical objective.

Hence, Iran adopts an expansionist strategy in the Middle East, and obviously has, in this regard, a key and vital interest in extending its presence and influence into the Mediterranean, which gives Iran a significant geopolitical position in the region.