Iran's "Look East" policy entails more than burgeoning relations with the People's Republic of China, India and the former Soviet republics of Central Eurasia. Crucial to the Islamic Republic's eastward turn are its recent overtures to Indonesia, which include not only diplomatic and economic initiatives but also a cluster of joint military projects. Why Tehran has stepped up its efforts to align with Jakarta can provisionally be explained in terms of recent moves by the Arab Gulf states, most notably the United Arab Emirates, along with Iran's expressed sympathy for Indonesia's long-standing commitment to non-alignment.
International Relations/Affairs
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