The Energy Factor in Iran–Turkmenistan Relations

The collapse of the Soviet Union brought about major upheavals in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Among the newly independent states, those that were endowed with energy resources set out on the path of economic growth. The energy resources in Central Asia also attracted outside powers to the region. Moreover, the status of these countries as landlocked, and Russia's monopoly over energy pipelines, led these countries to search for new partners in order to reduce their dependency. This added a new dimension to the political, economic and security equations of the region. In this article, Turkmenistan is studied as a former Soviet republic and Iran as a regional actor that has interests in the region's energy dynamics. The role of energy in the relations between Turkmenistan and Iran is examined. The article proposes that the energy factor has produced a favorable atmosphere for closer relations between the two countries. However, Tehran needs to overcome a number of challenges in expansion of its relations with Turkmenistan, the most important of which is the United States' effective opposition to any Iranian initiative in the field of energy in the region.     

Seismic Fragility Curves for Un-Anchored On-Grade Steel Storage Tanks: Bayesian Approach

In this article, Bayesian approach is used for estimation of seismic fragility of un-anchored on‐grade steel storage tanks based on historical data and American Lifeline Alliance tanks database. The approach properly accounts for epistemic as well as aleatory uncertainties. The point and interval estimates of the fragility are formulated based on structural reliability method that implicitly or explicitly reflects the influence of epistemic uncertainty. The fragility curves developed herein are compared to corresponding relations currently available in the technical literature, the comparison suggest that actual tank performance is better than that predicted in the literature. Finally, application of fragilities in loss estimation methodology is investigated and showing a considerable scatter in the results corresponding to different fragilities.     

Dams,Drought and Water Shortage in Today’s Iran

Iran has a long history of effective and sustainable water resource management under arid and semi-arid conditions. However, today the country is faced with serious challenges in the water sector, including rising water demand and shortages, declining groundwater levels, deteriorating water quality, and increasing threats to the environment and various ecosystems. If these issues persist, tragedy will be the inevitable result. Over the last three decades tremendous efforts have been made to supply water, primarily through an extensive program of development, with dam building at the forefront. This paper offers an introduction to the different factors and elements influencing the water balance in today’s Iran and presents a perspective on the trend of dam building in recent times.     

Book reviews

Eskandar Beg Monshi, History of Shah ^CAbbas the Great. Trans. Roger M. Savory. Persian Heritage Series 28, Boulder: West‐view, 1978, 2 vol., xxxix, 1326, index, glossary.

From June to October: The Middle East between 1967 and 1973. Edited by Itamar Rabinovich and Haim Shaked. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Books, 1978. 419 pp.

A Persian Sufi Poem: Vocabulary and Terminology. By Bo Utas. Scandinavian Institute of Asian Studies Monograph Series No. 36. London and Malmo: Curzon Press, 1977. 294 + 54 pp.

A Survey of Persian Handicraft: A Pictorial Introduction to the Contemporary Folk Arts and Art Crafts of Modern Iran. Edited by. Jay Gluck and Sumi Hiramoto Gluck; Teheran, New York, London, Ashiya (Japan); Survey of Persian Art; 1535/ 1977. 416 pp.

Die Afshar: Nomadismus in Raum Kerman/Zentraliran. By Georg Stöber. Marburg/Lahn: Marburger Geographische Schriften, Heft 76, 1978. 322 pp. DM 39.00.     

Soviet Cultural Legacy in Tajikistan

This paper is a report on the Soviet cultural legacy in Tajikistan. It takes an in-depth look at the institutions that were created to manage artistic and cultural activities, budgeting, training and promotion under the Soviets. The paper suggests that, except for art and culture related to religion, other genres were enhanced, albeit with an emphasis on ideology. However, independence in 1992, along with the civil war that erupted immediately afterwards, had a devastating effect on art and culture in Tajikistan and on the lives of the artistic community. The paper is part of a comprehensive study of post-Soviet art and culture in Central Asia in the critical years immediately after the Soviet collapse. For this study, over one hundred interviews were conducted with officials, musicians, dancers, writers and singers, as well as visits to centers of art and culture in those republics.