Geopolitical Interests and Contemporary Conflicts in the Middle East

Abstract

The Middle East continues to be a central theater for international geostrategic competition, influenced by a multifaceted interplay of regional and international interests. The present paper focuses on the conflict dynamics of regional conflicts in the region, which are fueled by strategic competitions, competition for resources, and ideological schisms. The major powers such as the United States, Russia, China, and regional players like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have disparate agendas that fuel tensions. The competition for energy resources, especially oil and natural gas, and control over strategically located waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz increases economic and military interests. Sectarian cleavages, in particular, between Sunni and Shia elements, drive proxy wars in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, while other non-state actors, including ISIS and Hezbollah, compound the instability in the region. New dimensions, including cyber warfare and unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, compound the nature of these conflicts. The research also discusses how changing alignments, like the Abraham Accords, affect the situation, as well as how external interventions shape results. Through the examination of these elements, the research reveals how geopolitical interests fuel instability while calling for diplomatic measures to solve basic causes. It contends that durable peace depends on the balance of power, inclusive governance, and avoidance of external interference, shedding light on possible avenues for resolving conflict in this sensitive region.