The /ɪə/ symbol is used in most dictionaries to describe the vowel in NEAR. However, it represents an old-fashioned pronunciation. There are two options for pronouncing this vowel with contemporary British English pronunciation.
The first is [iːə], which is the FLEECE vowel followed by the schwa. The tongue movement can be seen on the diagram with the white arrow and white circles.
The second option is [ɪ:], which is a long KIT vowel. The tongue position can be seen with the green circle.
Most speakers use both pronunciations interchangeably. I suggest that you do the same or choose the pronunciation you find easiest. You can listen to both pronunciations on this worksheet. When this vowel is unstressed it is [iə] and not [ɪ:].
