A Documentary Analysis of the Role of the Shanghai Pact in Enhancing Eurasian Security: A Qualitative Approach
Keywords:
Shanghai Pact, Eurasian security, power balancing, economic resilience, qualitative documentary analysisAbstract
In light of ongoing geopolitical transformations and the intensification of great-power competition, Eurasia has become one of the principal arenas of global security and economic dynamics, and the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in shaping a multipolar order and enhancing regional security has gained increasing significance. Nevertheless, despite the expansion of cooperation within this organization, the precise dimensions of its impact on Eurasian security—particularly in connection with the membership of countries such as Iran—have not yet been comprehensively and systematically examined in scholarly research. The present study aims to explore the role of the Shanghai Pact in enhancing Eurasian security through a qualitative documentary analysis. To this end, official documents, research reports, scholarly articles, and relevant library-based data concerning the political, security, and economic performance of this organization over the past two decades were reviewed and coded. The findings indicate that the Shanghai Pact exerts influence in four main domains: (1) power balancing and political–security convergence in response to Western hegemony, (2) economic resilience and the strengthening of energy security, (3) infrastructural development and regional economic convergence, and (4) support for the “Look East” policy and the reduction of dependence on the Western bloc. Through their synergistic interaction, these four domains have transformed Eurasia into an emerging pole within the global multipolar order and have played a vital role in regional stability and security. In particular, the results suggest that Iran’s permanent membership, while deepening the Look East policy, provides new opportunities for circumventing sanctions, attracting investment, and strengthening the country’s geopolitical position. Accordingly, the Shanghai Pact can be analyzed not only as a security institution but also as a comprehensive platform for economic resilience and the enhancement of regional convergence.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Mojtaba Ranjbar (Author); Ali Mohammad Haghighi; Amin Ravanbad (Author)
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