Chapter Five. Factional Rivalries And Foreign Policy

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the foreign policy of the IRI since the Islamic revolution of 1979 until 2008. It starts with an overview of the formal process of decision-making in the IRI. The chapter analyzes the foreign policy of the IRI under Ayatollah Khomeini as the Supreme Leader, during the presidency of Hashemi Rafsanjani and the presidency of Khatami, and finally since the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005. It focuses mainly on relations between Iran and its neighbors in the Persian Gulf, Russia, CEA, China, India, and the US. Though foreign affairs played a negligible role in Ahmadinejads electoral campaign, foreign policy has turned out to be a cornerstone of his government. Khatamis presidency inaugurated important changes in Iranian foreign policy, especially better relations with the EU. He continued Rafsanjanis foreign policy with regard to the Persian Gulf as well as Russia and CEA.Keywords: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini; foreign policy decision-making; Hashemi Rafsanjani; IRI; Islamic Republic of Iran; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad