Urban development strategy represents a contemporary approach in urban planning and management, offering a framework for achieving sustainable urban development through poverty reduction, citizen participation, and increased investment. Like many cities in Iran, Ardabil faces numerous challenges, including inadequate governance, deteriorating infrastructure, substandard housing, weak public utilities, and insufficient social and health services. These issues underscore the necessity of strategic planning to address urban development effectively. This study aims to evaluate the indicators of urban development strategy in Ardabil. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, the research is grounded in field investigations. A sample size of 230 participants was determined using Sample Power software. Data analysis was conducted using one-sample T-tests and structural equation modeling (SEM) in AMOS Graphics software. The results of the one-sample T-test revealed that the status of urban development strategy indicators—livability, good governance, bankability, and competitiveness—in Ardabil is suboptimal, with mean scores of 2.21, 2.6, 2.62, and 2.15, respectively. Second-order factor analysis indicated that among the dimensions of urban development strategy, competitiveness, with a factor weight of 0.93, exerts the most significant influence, while bankability, with a factor weight of 0.62, has the least impact. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that an improvement in the good urban governance index leads to a 0.55 increase in bankability, a 0.76 increase in livability, and a 0.86 increase in competitiveness. These results highlight the interconnectedness of governance quality with other dimensions of urban development, emphasizing the need for integrated strategies to enhance Ardabil's urban sustainability. 

In vast areas, accessing satellite images with appropriate spatial resolution, such as Landsat images, is often challenging.  dditionally, the temporal resolution of the Landsat satellite does not allow for the examination of short-term changes in phenomena such as vegetation. The aim of this research is to utilize temporal and spatial fusion techniques of Landsat-8 and MODIS satellite images to prepare a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) map.  For this purpose, six image fusion algorithms—NNDiffuse (Nearest Neighbor Diffusion), PC (Principal Component), Brovey, CN (Color Normalized), Gram-Schmidt, and SFIM—were applied in an experimental area in Khuzestan province. After evaluating the results of these algorithms and selecting the most appropriate algorithm based on statistical indicators (spectral criteria such as the correlation coefficient and spatial criteria such as the Laplacian filter), the spectral and spatial information from the red and near-infrared bands of eight mosaic Landsat-8 images (30 m resolution) were combined with the red and near-infrared bands of one MODIS image (250 m resolution). To investigate vegetation cover, the NDVI was calculated using the fused satellite image for Khuzestan province. The results showed that the NNDiffuse fusion algorithm demonstrated very high accuracy among the tested algorithms in terms of spatial evaluation and spectral quality criteria. Consequently, this algorithm was selected to combine the red and near-infrared bands of Landsat-8 and MODIS images. Compared to the original Landsat-8 image, the NDVI map prepared using this algorithm had the lowest statistical errors, with an RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) of 0.1234 and an MAE (Mean Absolute Error) of 0.081.

Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, a new perspective on science and technology emerged in Iran. This scientific discourse was profoundly shaped by the principles of the Islamic Revolution and Islamic ideology, leading to the establishment of new values and objectives for the advancement of science and technology. In the post-revolutionary era, as policymakers recognized science and technology as pivotal drivers of societal progress and excellence, they devised scientific policies and strategies aimed at achieving revolutionary and Islamic ideals. This evolving attitude toward science and technology significantly influenced Iran’s scientific and technological development during this period. Given that the Islamic Republic of Iran has assumed a leading role in scientific leadership within the region since 1979, its contributions to the development of scientific capabilities under successive post-revolution governments are noteworthy. To explore this, a descriptive-analytical approach was employed, utilizing reliable data from both domestic and international sources. The research findings indicate that the prevailing discourse in different governmental periods included a focus on industrialization through import substitution and capital resource allocation (1981–1989), modernization and institutional development with an emphasis on advanced technologies (1989–1997), the promotion of advanced technologies, innovation, export expansion, and social justice centered on knowledge-based industries (1997–2005), the transition toward knowledge-based innovation in the economy (2005–2013), and the enhancement of international cooperation with an emphasis on identity and rationality in policy formulation and implementation (2013–2021). The results demonstrate that, in each phase, measures such as the expansion of higher education and scientific research, the establishment of universities and research centers, and the creation of domestic and international scientific networks were implemented in alignment with the dominant discourse. 

As China's economic, technological, and military power continues to rise, the United States has grown increasingly concerned about Beijing's expanding influence. Washington perceives China's regional ascendancy as a challenge to its hegemonic ambitions. China's growing military capabilities and political influence in East Asia have sparked concern and suspicion among some of its neighbors and the United States. In response, the U.S. has maintained an active presence in the region, citing reasons such as countering China's rise and supporting freedom of navigation. Washington's efforts to challenge China's maritime sovereignty reflect its broader concerns about China's rise and its determination to maintain hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region. This has led the United States to attempt to create a strategic encirclement against China, aiming to contain its regional influence and prevent a shift in the balance of power in East Asia that could disadvantage Washington. The research question addressed in this study is: What strategy does the United States employ to contain China's power in the South China Sea? The proposed hypothesis is that, given China's economic growth and the expansion of its maritime power are perceived as strategic threats to the region and the United States, Washington seeks to prevent China from becoming a regional hegemon in East Asia. By countering China's rise, the U.S. aims to shape the balance of power in favor of itself and its regional allies, thereby securing its goals and interests in the region. This study employs a descriptive-analytical method to examine how the U.S. strategy of containing China's power and isolating it regionally contributes to maintaining the balance of power in East Asia, while advancing the influence and interests of the United States and its allies. 

The persistent drought conditions and the increasing reliance on groundwater resources over the past decades have significantly expanded the areas affected by land subsidence across various regions of the country, leading to substantial damage. To mitigate the impacts of subsidence, a comprehensive and precise understanding of this phenomenon is essential. In recent decades, the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometric technique has emerged as a widely used method for measuring subsidence. This study utilizes field data, including piezometric wells, groundwater level fluctuations during minimum and maximum periods, and exploitation wells, to calculate aquifer discharge rates using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation. The aim is to analyze the time series of subsidence in the Esfarayen plain. Additionally, radar data from Sentinel-1 images were employed to estimate the subsidence rate during the first eight months of 2023. The findings reveal that subsidence in the study area ranged from 1 to 12 mm over the eight-month period, with 75.2% of the basin area classified as medium to highly critical. This indicates that the Esfarayen plain is in a critical state. The highest levels of water extraction and subsidence were observed in the southern regions of Sankhasat, Kharasha, Arg, Gazan, Jafarabad Kharaba, and Mehdiabad of Kal Beko wells, all of which fall within the highly critical zone. These areas require efficient groundwater management strategies to control and mitigate land subsidence. 

One of the contemporary approaches to tourism involves leveraging virtual spaces and information technology, which have transformed tourism perspectives and eliminated boundaries between physical and digital environments. This research investigates the potential of virtual spaces in promoting tourism development in Konarak County. The study is classified as "applied" in terms of its objective and "descriptive-analytical" regarding its nature and methodology, utilizing "documentary and survey (questionnaire)" data collection techniques. The target population comprises expert professionals, with 35 individuals selected using a two-stage Delphi sampling approach. The content validity of the questionnaire was established through professional evaluation, while reliability was confirmed via Cronbach's alpha test (α = 0.852). Data analysis employed t-tests, path analysis, and DEMATEL methodology. T-test results indicated that virtual spaces (M = 4.22) surpassed the baseline threshold (3), demonstrating a significant impact on tourism development in Konarak County. Path analysis revealed that information technology infrastructure had the greatest influence (factor = 0.608), while e-commerce exhibited the least effect (factor = 0.250) on tourism development. DEMATEL analysis indicated that the telecommunications platform index (5.971) displayed the highest level of interaction, whereas the information index (5.671) showed the lowest interaction. The social network index (1.402) emerged as the most effective factor, and the telecommunications platform index (2.088) was identified as the most influential factor.The findings suggest that establishing technological infrastructure and promoting Konarak County's attractions through media platforms (television, news websites, etc.) represents a significant advancement toward the county's developmental objectives. 

Based on climatic model simulations, global temperatures can be expected to rise by 1 to 5.5 degrees Celsius by 2100. Given the consequences of climate change, recognizing this phenomenon is important in order to have a specific strategy to reduce its effects. In order to study the trend of climate change using Kendall Mann method was evaluated and according to the selected criteria affecting green space and weighting by AHP method, green space adaptation index for Sabzevar city until 2040 was calculated. Changes in urban green space were assessed using satellite imagery and the NDVI index. The decrease in the area of ​​green space along with the expansion of the urban area in the period under study is clearly visible (during the statistical period under study, which corresponds to the historical period of climate models and observational data of Sabzevar). This study also shows that the increase in temperature in the next decade (2030-2021) will continue with greater intensity. In the next step, the per capita urban green space was calculated. According to the results of studying climate data, creating green space in proportion to climate change can play an effective role in adapting the city of Sabzevar to climate change. The use of climate-friendly green space and its changes will reduce greenhouse gases and provide a more suitable climate for humans and their activities. Due to the horizontal growth of the city and the rate of population growth, the amount of adaptation will decrease from 0.48 (in the basic period) to 0.32 in the period 2030-2021. A total of 15 indicators in four cultural, managerial, technological, ecological and plant criteria or each other in ArcGIS software were combined based on the coefficients of importance obtained by experts in the Expert Choice software

The application of structural analysis to development drivers facilitates a more nuanced understanding of the developmental landscape of provinces and enhances regional equilibrium in decision-making processes. This study examines the ten cities within Ilam province through a comprehensive assessment of 44 combined development indicators. Methodologically, this research is classified as applied in nature and employs a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing contemporary futurology techniques. Theoretical data were gathered through documentary methods, while empirical data were collected via surveys. Development drivers were identified through documentary analysis and environmental scanning, complemented by empirical data obtained through the Delphi method. Data processing employed the structural interaction analysis method using MIC MAC software. Findings from the interaction analysis reveal a dispersion of propulsive forces within a complex and intermediate context of impact and effectiveness; the clustering of drivers illustrates the concentration of both effective and regulatory forces. Among the 44 identified development drivers, the borders of Ilam province and managerial decision-making processes emerged as significant effective drivers. The results indicate that development in Ilam province is characterized by pronounced imbalances, with a trend towards increasing inequality. It is suggested that only through improved and more comprehensive planning can these disparities be partially mitigated.