Omnibalancing in Tajikistan's foreign policy: Security-driven discourses of alignment with Iran

This paper examines the growing alignment between Tajikistan and Iran within the analytical framework of omnibalancing developed by Steven David. It argues that the regime of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has been pursuing closer relations with Tehran in an effort to balance threats at the system, regional and domestic levels. While cultural factors and affinity based on the idea of Aryanism may have contributed to the rapprochement between Tajikistan and Iran, in the final analysis Rahmon's foreign policy decision-making has been driven by realism and pragmatism. There are limits to the Tajik-Iranian alignment which is not likely to evolve into a formal alliance in the foreseeable future.