When securitisation fails and succeeds at the same time: the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and functional actors in the US

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores how the 2015 Iran nuclear deal ended up being hailed as both a dangerous historic blunder and a significant peace initiative, despite both sides relying on the same securitisation discourse (Balzacq, T. (2010). Securitization theory: How security problems emerge and dissolve. Routledge). It aims to understand how a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian threat gained acceptance, despite years of confrontational US approaches. The central argument posits that functional actors undermined the securitising actor's authority to define the course of action. Traditional pro-Israel entities were challenged by other pro-Israel actors, notably J Street, which contested the notion that rejecting the deal was common sense for Israel's interests. This, in turn, influenced certain lawmakers’ perspectives. Overall, the paper redirects attention from the securitisation process to the overlooked contestation over the securitising actor's status and its implications for the audience and outcomes of securitisation.