Morteza Karimi; Somayeh Sadat Shahzeidi; Ebrahim Jafare
Abstract
Introduction
Iran is a rugged landscape with varied morphologies. Kermanshah Province is a mountainous region which lies between the Iranian plateau and Mesopotamia at Zagros Mountain Range. This area has geopolitical military value and importance. Past experiences have shown that large military units ...
Read More
Introduction
Iran is a rugged landscape with varied morphologies. Kermanshah Province is a mountainous region which lies between the Iranian plateau and Mesopotamia at Zagros Mountain Range. This area has geopolitical military value and importance. Past experiences have shown that large military units are not suitable for operations in this area. This is a problematic area for opposing forces, because natural geographical conditions make coordination difficult. During the Imposed War, the area has been continuously attacked by the enemy, due to its prevailing geographic conditions. After the war, the presence of US forces and more recently ISIS terrorists in Iraq have increased the sensitivity of the region. Now, despite the presence of a Shi'a government in Iraq, the region is continuously provoked and made insecure by transborder forces. Considering the policy of our enemies (America, terrorists, etc.) in the region, the vicinity of Iranian city of Qasar-e Shirin to the city of Khanqin in Iraq has made it possible to use the region as a source for offensive operations against Iran or conducting any operation in the region. Regarding military threats from the west, this axis is the best place to advance and dominate the western regions. It is also used by armed insurgents seeking to threaten and perform ruinous operations in the region. In this regard, it is necessary to examine and analyze topographical phenomena and defensive capabilities of this axis from a natural and human geographic perspective. Qasr-e-Shirin axis in Kermanshah has several capabilities for territorial defense of the province. One of the most important capabilities is the use of geographic topographic factors affecting widespread military regular and irregular operations. These factors result in channeling and delaying of operations and show the effects of topography on the implementation of military movements, disrupting the order of operations and loss of commanders’ concentration. Few researches have considered this important issue and geographical capabilities of this axis, as a means for defending the western region, have not been investigated scientifically and systematically.
Materials & Methods
The research method is descriptive-analytic. Thus, the following process was predicted to achieve the objectives of the plan.
-Secondary research
-Investigating natural factors in the studied area considering 1: 50000 and 1: 250000topographic maps, data and indexes are recorded on digital model of the region.
- Digital capturing and 3D reconstruction of the region by Surfer Software.
- Field observations, photographing and filming geographical phenomena in the region, adapting to documentary data and using the comments of military experts and senior commanders in the region and province.
-Analyzing the morphology and studying topographic phenomena and defense capabilities of this axis from a geographic perspective.
Results & Discussion
The axis extends from Khosravi to the entrance of Kermanshah city with a length of 188 km.This road was previously called Iran's security corridor. Now, it is called Karbala Highway and has a significant and strategic role in the relationship between the two countries, Iran and Iraq, and other countries with similar religious interests. The new and old route connecting Tehran to Karbala or Baghdad cross this region. The geographic location of the region and the direction of these elevations are parallel to the border. The ground slope gradually decreases from east to west, and the elevations continue up to the Mesopotamia.
In the eight years of Iranian Sacred Defense, Qasr-e-Shirin, Diyala, Khanqinin, Dehliz-e patag were considered to be operational axes. Therefore, due to being mountainous; ethnic, racial, religious convergence and divergence of indigenous inhabitants with the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq, this axis was studied and analyzed with the aim of protecting territorial zones of the Islamic Republic of Iran and creating a defensive plan for the region.
Perhaps, it can be claimed that the most appropriate axis for advancing toward the central parts of Iran is the western region of the country (Qasr-e Shirin axis, Eslamabad-e Gharb, Kermanshah). Therefore, it is necessary to study the defensive features and identify its strengths and weaknesses. Also, recognizing natural landscapes, identifying passages, routes, and important defensible bridges makes it possible to use natural and topographical features and prevent the enemy from advancing toward the center of the country.
Conclusion
Kermanshah Province and the city of Qasr-e-Shirin are bordered by Iraq. They are also located near the centers of Takfiri, ISIS, and terrorist crisis, which can cause insecurity on local, regional and national levels. In order to ensure security, some aspects need to be investigated, which to some extent rely on natural and human factors and the presentation of a territorial defense plan in the region. Regarding the geographic location of the region, natural factors are a positive point. By taking control of sensitive areas, it is possible to control and stop military movements. Examining geographic factors, we can mention the following issues:
(A) Elevations in the Kermanshah province: going from east to west, the ground elevation decreases, and Kermanshah highlands overshadow the Mesopotamian plain, which provides the possibility of performing any offensive and defensive operation for Iran.
(B) Studying communication pathways in border regions of Kermanshah province, it can be concluded that communication pathways have an important role in achieving military, political, economic goals. Routes connecting Qasr-e-Shirin to Sar-e Pol Zahab, Eslamabad-e Gharb and Kermanshah have strategic military, political, and economic value. During Iran-Iraq war, these road was used for military and political purposes, but today they are used for economic purposes.
C) By examining the geometric features of the border between Kermanshah province and Iraq, it can be concluded that the convex form of Qasar-e Shirin border is of military importance for Iran and thus, Iraq first occupied this area during Iran-Iraq war. Finally, this axis passes through mountainous narrow areas, and thus it is the best place to delay, stop, and channel enemy's ground movements.
Kamal Omidvar; Nesa Sepandar; Shahab Shafiee
Abstract
Extended abstract
Among the natural disasters, floods involve the highesthuman casualties. The economic damages of flood in developing countries, including Iran, is much more, and its occurrence is very high particularly in the cold months of the year in the west of the country. By studying the synoptic ...
Read More
Extended abstract
Among the natural disasters, floods involve the highesthuman casualties. The economic damages of flood in developing countries, including Iran, is much more, and its occurrence is very high particularly in the cold months of the year in the west of the country. By studying the synoptic maps of the Earth’s surface and the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere, many Earth-surface phenomena such as flood, based on the spatial arrangement of the pressurecurves or the height and the location of patterns on these maps, the pattern of daily weather conditions can be controlled and the origin of many of these phenomena can eventually be determined. Precipitation is the major climate phenomenon resulting from the complex interactions of the climate system and it has a complex behavior due to the bond with various components of the climate system. The occurrence of precipitation requires the provision of several conditions. The availability of moisture, deep instability and cooling, are the prerequisites for the occurrence of precipitation. All of these conditions must appear in its strongest state for the occurrence of super heavy rainfalls.The western region of Iran is a suitable area for exacerbating and extending rainfall and sometimes flooding due to the presence of mountains. This is because the role of mountains in in capturing air humidity plays a significant role in increasing the atmospheric precipitations.There are two types of approaches in synoptic studies: circulatory to environmental, and environmental to circulatory. In the study of precipitation, the environmental to circulatory classification and approach are used. The reason for thisis that, the temporal and spatial variations of rainfall are severe,and the environmental to circulatory method allows the researchers to concentrate on the precipitation and, consequently, on the synoptic patterns whichtheyintendtostudy.In this study, the heavy and pervasive rainfall in the province of Kermanshah on October 27-30, 2015, was selected and it was attempted to analyze the synoptic and thermodynamic conditions of the occurrence of this torrential rain. In this research, the environmental to circulatory approachwas used. To conduct such studies, two databases are required. In this paper, which was conducted with the aim of analyzing the heavy rainfall synoptic situation in Kermanshah province (on October 27-30, 2015), two databases have been used. First, the daily rainfall data from October 25 to 31, 2015 were extractedby referring directly to digital files sent by the stations to the Iranian Meteorological Organization, and then, the high atmospheric variables on the same date were used for synoptic and thermodynamic analysis of the aforementioned precipitation and to see how the synoptic systems entered the region. Data related to the station’s level pressure, geopotential height, orbital and meridional components of wind and moisture at different levels of the atmosphere from the database related to high atmosphere data were obtained from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Center for Environmental Prediction, and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP / NCAR) with a spatial resolution of 2.5 by 2.5 arc degrees. Then, for the synoptic analysis of the aforementioned rainfall, daily maps of the Earth’s surface and the levels of 850 and 500 hPa were plotted in the GrADS software. Drawings of these maps were carried out 48 hours prior to the start of the rainfall until the day of full stop. The instability indices KI, LI, SW and SI were also usedfor the thermodynamic analysis of the high atmosphere data of Kermanshah and obtaining the extent of instability in the study days. In the analysis of the Earth’s surface synoptic mapson the day of torrential rains, the southern system appearsas a low-pressure field and has the highest power in the Red Sea and Sudan region, and the low-pressurecurrent has been drawn to the center of Iran, and extends over a vast areafrom the east and south of the European high pressure to the west and center of Iran and the conditions of instability are dominant in these areas. The ascending currents have increased because of the intensity of pressure reduction. It seems that the intense pressure gradient between the Sudan’s low-pressure and the European high-pressure current is one of the causes of the occurrence of torrential rains during the studied period in the province of Kermanshah. All stations in Kermanshah province have reported rainfalls under this very strong pressure and moisture from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. Enhancement of the low level system of the Earth’s surface and the downfall of cold weatherin high latitudes by polar troughat the level of 500 hpa contributes to the occurrence of atmospheric instability and the onset of rainfall in the west of the country. The trough is located on the eastern Mediterranean in such a way that, its axis at the end of the Mediterranean trough passes over the Red Sea. on the eastern part of this trough’s axis (Red Sea descent), there is air turbulence from the west of the Red Sea to the north of the Caspian sea, which causes low pressure of the Earth’s surface to be raised to high latitudes. If this trough is strengthened while moving eastward, it will contain thunderstorm, rain and snow, in case of having enough moisture on its way, which is from southwest to the northeast, while passing over the heights. At the beginning of the heavy rainfall, the subtropical jet stream is onNorth Africa and the polar jet stream is on the areas located on the north of the Caspian and Black Sea. The amount of precipitation increase dramatically as these two jet streams get closer to each other, the polar jet stream changes position to the lower latitudes, and the subtropical jet stream moves towards the northeast. In the study of instability indices, there has been dispersed thunderstorm according to the LI instability index.The probability of dispersed shower on October 28 is very low according to the S1 index and the study area will witness very storms with low intensity on this day according to SW index. According to the KI index, this probability reaches to 60-80% in Kermanshah province on October 28 (peak day of precipitation).
Mohammad Rauf Heydarifar; Naser Rezaie
Volume 23, Issue 89 , May 2014, , Pages 32-42
Abstract
Trend of security issues in Iran’s western borders, including Kermanshah province shows some threats and problems caused by borders’ intrinsic attributes. The present study seeks to present an appropriate study of the geographic-political situation of the province’s borders, help to ...
Read More
Trend of security issues in Iran’s western borders, including Kermanshah province shows some threats and problems caused by borders’ intrinsic attributes. The present study seeks to present an appropriate study of the geographic-political situation of the province’s borders, help to manage present threats and opportunities by a more comprehensive understanding of borders features and facilities, and suggests appropriate solutions to face and neutralize these threats. The study affects our understanding of the province’s borders, helps in gaining a strategic position for the province, and influence Iran-Iraq relations. We hope that this research opens an appropriate and effective way to develop borders and increase our knowledge of Kermanshah province from a geopolitical standpoint (which has not been addressed comprehensively).
