The Iranian Association of International Studies International Relations Researches 2251-8444 2 5 2012 09 22 Arms Trade and Regional Integration in Persian Gulf: A case study of PGCC and Iran Arms Trade and Regional Integration in Persian Gulf: A case study of PGCC and Iran 53 78 41908 FA Arsalan Ghorbani Sheikhneshin Professor, Department of Political Science, Kharazmi University 0000-0002-4005-1684 Journal Article 2014 02 04 The Persian Gulf has been a vital and strategic region and a center of regional and international security issues. The geostrategic location, massive energy resources, rivalries among trans-regional powers, foreign dependencies as well as regional disputes and crises have been the factors behind disintegration and lack of integration in the region. Heavy arms deals and increasing military-security dependencies can alter formation of regional security and integration in the Persian Gulf and lead the region into a new phase of disintegration. The main purpose of this paper is to study effect of arms trade and foreign dependency on the regional integration/convergence system in the Persian Gulf while it will focus on outcomes of the arms trade in Iran-PGCC integration. According to dependency theory, lack of integration among Persian Gulf states is resulting from their structural dependency on trans-regional and capitalist power systems. Because of foreign dependency, heavy arms purchases from the West and asymmetric resistance of Iran against trans-regional powers, intra-regional integration has declined. Simultaneously, political, economic, ethnic and social tensions have increased, and political instability has prevailed in the region. Consequently, it will result in further disintegration in the Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf has been a vital and strategic region and a center of regional and international security issues. The geostrategic location, massive energy resources, rivalries among trans-regional powers, foreign dependencies as well as regional disputes and crises have been the factors behind disintegration and lack of integration in the region. Heavy arms deals and increasing military-security dependencies can alter formation of regional security and integration in the Persian Gulf and lead the region into a new phase of disintegration. The main purpose of this paper is to study effect of arms trade and foreign dependency on the regional integration/convergence system in the Persian Gulf while it will focus on outcomes of the arms trade in Iran-PGCC integration. According to dependency theory, lack of integration among Persian Gulf states is resulting from their structural dependency on trans-regional and capitalist power systems. Because of foreign dependency, heavy arms purchases from the West and asymmetric resistance of Iran against trans-regional powers, intra-regional integration has declined. Simultaneously, political, economic, ethnic and social tensions have increased, and political instability has prevailed in the region. Consequently, it will result in further disintegration in the Persian Gulf https://www.iisajournals.ir/article_41908_a34335a3bede0f17a7af733b697ad848.pdf