DEFINING STATE SOVEREIGNTY State sovereignty is a broad concept... it's actually a two-in-one concept: state and sovereignty. In order to grasp the correct meaning of the concept I will divide it and define each concept separately. I will start by defining state which in simple language means a community of people living together in a demarcated territory with an internally and externally recognized institution to protect them. Sovereignty for its part can be defined as the externally recognized right and freedom of a state (the unit of analysis of sovereignty) to conduct its own affairs. Sovereignty provides the state with territorial integrity and allows it to enjoy recognition in international politics. If we now combine the two concepts we can define state sovereignty as the freedom of the state to make decisions within its defined geographical boundaries. Internally, state sovereignty involves the distribution of power within the state while externally it concerns the role of the state within the international order and its ability or otherwise to operate as an independent and autonomous actor (Heywood 2004, pp90 ). MEANING OF THE CONCEPT The meaning of state sovereignty lies in its structure – it combines two key concepts of IR – State and sovereignty – key players in international relations. State sovereignty also implies obligation and authority: the state's obligation to its citizens (and the actors themselves) as well as its power (authority) to make decisions within its defined geographical boundaries. Above all, it is a fundamental part of contemporary politics and international law, according to the Westphalian conception. It is a concept that provides order, stability and predictability in international relations (I...... middle of paper ......r even when no state wants it. The classic example of this is the First World War. Allo Likewise, Iran's nuclear program, which has sparked heated debates and objections from the superpowers, the United States in particular, is also a global security issue on which liberalism stands firm, and the realist concept of balance of power I Realists on the one hand would support Iran's move by saying that as a sovereign state it has the right to develop nuclear weapons and that the move would actually be healthy for the country, on the other they would see it as a costly and dangerous move that could end up triggering the nuclear race (Dunne, Kurki,). CONCLUSION As I said earlier in this essay, both theories have a direct link to state sovereignty and whatever evolves around the concept can be explained (using the theories) from different perspectives..=====================