Scientific Association of Waste Management Human Ecology 3041-9255 4 13 2026 01 21 Analysis of the challenges of Iran's geopolitical territorial expansion in Iraq (in sub-national comparison) Analysis of the challenges of Iran's geopolitical territorial expansion in Iraq (in sub-national comparison) 1617 1628 233540 10.22034/he.2025.501231.1051 FA Karim Bayrami PhD student in Political Geography, R.S.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. 0009-0005-7679-5326 Ebrahim Rumina Associate Professor of Political Geography, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Mahtab Jafari Assistant Professor, Political Geography, R.S.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Rebaz Ghorabinejad Assistant Professor, Political Geography, R.S.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2025 02 07 Governments, as the main actors in the geopolitical arena, seek to establish geopolitical relations with other actors in order to ensure security, maintain and gain more benefits, as well as to improve their position and dignity at the global level. Meanwhile, Iran, as one of the most important regional players in Southwest Asia, has many geopolitical interests, which include increasing the level of influence beyond its borders, especially among its neighbors, including Iraq. is Based on this, the current research examines the various challenges that exist in the path of expanding Iran's geopolitical territory in Iraq. Considering the regional and international importance of this issue and the effects of territory expansion on regional and international relations, the present research has analyzed the most important challenges of Iran in this field at both sub-national and national levels with a descriptive and analytical approach. The results of the research show that: the most important challenges for the expansion of Iran's geopolitical territory at the sub-national level for the country of Iraq are: the existence of a political break in the relations between the Shiites of Iraq and Iran, the existence of religious and political extremist ideas (Baathism ) were among the Sunnis of Iraq. Governments, as the main actors in the geopolitical arena, seek to establish geopolitical relations with other actors in order to ensure security, maintain and gain more benefits, as well as to improve their position and dignity at the global level. Meanwhile, Iran, as one of the most important regional players in Southwest Asia, has many geopolitical interests, which include increasing the level of influence beyond its borders, especially among its neighbors, including Iraq. is Based on this, the current research examines the various challenges that exist in the path of expanding Iran's geopolitical territory in Iraq. Considering the regional and international importance of this issue and the effects of territory expansion on regional and international relations, the present research has analyzed the most important challenges of Iran in this field at both sub-national and national levels with a descriptive and analytical approach. The results of the research show that: the most important challenges for the expansion of Iran's geopolitical territory at the sub-national level for the country of Iraq are: the existence of a political break in the relations between the Shiites of Iraq and Iran, the existence of religious and political extremist ideas (Baathism ) were among the Sunnis of Iraq. https://www.landscapeecologyjournals.ir/article_233540_a872d0c1fbc7549c3e3898259fd6fd5c.pdf