On main foreign policy priorities of Iran’s government

Abstract

The article discusses the main foreign policy priorities of the government of Iran headed by President E. Raisi and its activities in achieving these goals in the fi rst year of its existence. It is emphasized that the ongoing changes in this area do not fundamentally change Iran's foreign policy, the main purpose of which is to ensure favorable foreign policy and foreign economic conditions for the functioning of the Islamic State and for Iran's transformation into a regional center of power. President E. Raisi declared that Iran's main foreign policy priorities are "relations with neighboring states" and "multilateral economic integration." In regional policy, the priority is the development of cooperation along the so-called "axis of resistance", namely, the establishment of strong ties between Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon under the auspices of offi cial Tehran. The above-mentioned "axis of resistance", in fact, is a mechanism for multilateral political and economic regional integration in Western Asia, which is designed not only to strengthen political ties and promote the formation of an anti-American and anti-Israeli bloc, but also to allow Iran, under Western sanctions, to signifi cantly increase the volume of its economic cooperation with the above-mentioned countries. The Afghan issue also occupies an important place in the foreign policy activities of the Iranian Government, which is interested in resolving the Afghan crisis and is taking steps to prevent a new wave of Afghan refugees, the growth of drug and arms smuggling into its country, on the one hand, and on the other hand, to resume and expand economic cooperation with Kabul. Another priority direction of the foreign policy of the new government of Iran is the Asian track. The Government of President E. Raisi seeks to build and intensify Iran's political and economic strategic cooperation on a long-term basis with such friendly and influential states as Russia and China.