Iranian Foreign Policy Research Articles

Iran’s Foreign Policy Towards Iraq Post 2003

This article explores the nature of the fundamental variables that have significantly influenced Iranian foreign policy, focusing on its stance toward Iraq in the post-2003 era. Where the demise of the Baathist regime in Iraq presented Iran with an unprecedented and transformative opportunity to recalibrate its relations with a nation that had traditionally been perceived as one of its most formidable adversaries. Iran's ascension and its role as the primary foreign power broker in Iraq materialized through strategic leveraging of its extensive border with Iraq, coupled with its enduring relationships with influential Iraqi political figures, political factions, and various militant groups. This ascent was achieved by harnessing the dimensions of soft power, particularly in domains such as economics, religion, and the dissemination of information. Drawing from neo-realism, it suggests that nations should strengthen their economies, build domestic military capabilities, forge beneficial alliances, and pursue opposing actions on the global stage. According to this theory, Iran aimed to extend its influence in Iraq by supporting and empowering political and armed groups. Leveraging its extensive border and established relationships with Iraqi figures, parties, and armed groups, Iran has become the foremost foreign facilitator in Iraq. Its soft power, encompassing economics, religion, and information, played a crucial role in this expansion. Furthermore, Iran's involvement in Iraq was closely tied to its broader aspirations for a more prominent position in the Gulf region, aligning with its political, economic, military capabilities, and geopolitical significance.

Does Leadership Matter? Ahmadinejad, Rouhani, and the Change in Iranian Foreign Policy

Following Rouhani's victory in the 2013 presidential elections, Iran's foreign policy (IFP) underwent significant changes after over a decade under Ahmadinejad. To date, only a few academic studies have attempted to incorporate a specific individual-level theory into their respective analyses, even though a large body of literature contends that leadership change is the decisive factor in differences in Iran's policy towards the US and the EU. This study analyzes the leadership styles of Ahmadinejad and Rouhani to reveal the possible impact of decision-maker personalities on foreign policy, and to develop an account of the moderation in IFP. Accordingly, it asks, “How does leadership style influence IFP towards the 'Western world'?" Theoretically, the study benefits from Hermann’s ‘Leadership Trait Analysis’ to find out the impact of leaders’ personalities on foreign policy behaviors of states. Empirically, it analyzes both presidents’ spontaneously selected political speeches, consisting of their answers in interviews and press conferences. Methodologically, the study utilizes the software Profiler Plus to assess individual traits of leaders. Interpreting leadership trait scores of two presidents, the study concludes that certain leadership features allow the construction of foreign policies that are more moderate.

THE ROLE OF SHIISM IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

The Iranian Revolution of 1979 caused Iran to shape its foreign policy along with its domestic political structure, within the framework of a certain Shiite understanding of Islam. Within this context and through the use of the explanatory case study method, this study aims to examine the effect of Shiism within the foreign policy of the post-Revolution Islamic Republic of Iran. First, the foreign policy-making process of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its various elements were discussed within the framework of the views of the Republic’s founder, the Supreme Leader Khomeini. Second, the effect of Shiism within and on Iranian foreign policy and affected regions will be explored and discussed. This study reports that Shiism is the most significant determining element in Iran’s foreign policy following the 1979 Revolution, that the country’s foreign policy approaches are not entirely Shiism-oriented, that there are deviations from this strictly Shiite approach, and that Iran’s foreign policy also includes realpolitik approaches.

Transformation of Iran's Foreign Policy Post-Ebrahim Raisi: Analysis of Nuclear Strategy, International Relations, and Middle Eastern Geopolitics

In the midst of constantly changing global political dynamics, foreign policy becomes a primary reflection of how a country navigates international challenges and opportunities. Under Raisi's leadership, Iran was known for its hardline and confrontational approach towards the West, while strengthening its relationships with Eastern powers such as China and Russia. Raisi's approach also focused on increasing economic self-sufficiency through resistance to international sanctions. Following Raisi's death, Iran is at a critical juncture in determining the direction of its foreign policy. Therefore, this research aims to analyze Iran's foreign policy after Raisi's leadership to understand whether Iran will continue the hardline strategy implemented by Raisi or adopt more moderate foreign policy reforms. This study focuses on the implications for nuclear strategy, relations with Western countries, and geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East. Using foreign policy theory and policy analysis approaches, this research is expected to provide an in-depth understanding of the direction of Iran's foreign policy post-Raisi's leadership, as well as the potential adoption of more moderate strategies in facing international challenges and opportunities. The research reveals that under President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's foreign policy blends pragmatism with traditional ideological principles. His administration is committed to alleviating economic pressures from Western sanctions through inclusive diplomacy and constructive dialogue, aiming to ease or remove these sanctions and revive the JCPOA to enhance economic stability. Regionally, Pezeshkian supports the Axis of Resistance, reinforcing Iran's influence in the Middle East by backing allied militias and fostering strategic alliances with global powers like Russia. Pezeshkian's approach balances military support for regional allies with economic diplomacy to secure Iran's strategic and economic interests.

The Impact of Security Arrangements in West Asian Countries on the National Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran: A Copenhagen School Perspective

This study examines the impact of security arrangements in West Asian countries on the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the perspective of the Copenhagen School. Given Iran's geographical and geopolitical position, as well as the existing tensions and challenges in the region, Iran's national security is influenced by military, economic, environmental, and social threats. The Copenhagen School, with its comprehensive approach to security, divides this concept into five dimensions: military, political, economic, social, and environmental, and emphasizes the importance of regional security in achieving national security. In this research, the military threats posed by terrorist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda and their impacts on Iran's national security are addressed. Additionally, the environmental threats resulting from these groups' activities and their effects on Iran's water and air resources are examined. Moreover, the economic and social impacts of regional instability and the efforts of extra-regional powers to influence and intervene in the domestic affairs of West Asian countries and Iran are analyzed. The research method of this study is based on descriptive analyses and the use of library resources. The findings of this study indicate that Iran's national security is heavily influenced by regional security developments and that achieving sustainable security requires interaction and cooperation with regional countries and international organizations. In this regard, Iran's foreign policy should be based on active diplomacy and multilateralism, aiming to create sustainable security arrangements and strengthen regional cooperation. This study provides strategies to enhance Iran's national security, emphasizing Iran's significant role in regional and international developments, and offers recommendations for improving regional relations and reducing tensions.

Devil on the doorstep v. bandits in the backyard: Iranian and American theory-laden perceptions and judgements during three US-led Middle East operations

ABSTRACT This article employs conceptual tools from the philosophy of science to shed new light on prolonged Iran-US hostility. Iranian and American elites evidently have negative attitudes towards the other nation, but these attitudes lack systematic and theoretical analysis. We apply the post-positivist concepts of theory-laden perception and judgement to anticipate the impact of established attitudes on foreign policy experts. After considering the cognitive training of each foreign policy community in the 1980s, the article hypothesises each group’s perceptions of and judgements about the other’s behaviour during Operation Desert Storm (1991), Operation Enduring Freedom (2001), and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003). The concurrence of theory-laden judgements with each nation’s actual decisions indicates the likely contributions of American and Iranian foreign policy experts to the lack of substantial long-term bilateral cooperation, while the instance of a lack of concurrence indicates the possibility of future change. Our cross-disciplinary methodology demonstrates the utility of venturing outside the traditional boundaries of international relations scholarship.

Iranian foreign policy towards Syria (a study in pillars and means)

The development of the Syrian crisis and its transformation into a war has imposed new challenges on Iran. This development may lead to the fall of one of its allies in the Arab Levant, and this in turn will negatively affect its communication with Hezbollah and the Palestinian resistance factions loyal to it. It also creates obstacles to Iranian influence in the region and affects Syria’s relationship with Hezbollah in the event of the collapse of the Syrian regime, of which Lebanon is a natural geographical extension. Iran’s relationship with Hezbollah is of great importance, as it facilitates the transit of weapons and armed groups, whether from Iran or even from the Syrian people themselves. For these reasons, Iran moved towards Syria through several means and mechanisms, whether economic, military, or even cultural, in order to maintain its presence in the Middle East and its extensions to support the Palestinian resistance factions.

Discursive delegitimization of Rouhani's nuclear diplomacy and the Iran nuclear deal by Iranian conservatives on Twitter

AbstractThe reformist‐moderate and the conservative discourses have co‐existed and contended for primacy in the Iranian foreign policy since the 1979 revolution. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, has been at the core of this discursive contest in recent years. This article investigates how Iranian conservative tweeters delegitimized the JCPOA and President Rouhani's nuclear diplomacy. We use Van Leeuwen's discursive construction of legitimacy (2008) to analyze three popular conservative Twitter accounts. Findings show that the Iranian conservatives used the strategies of authorization, moral evaluation, and rationalization for legal and political criticism of the JCPOA, offending Rouhani's administration and allies, and questioning their political competence. This research partly reveals the conservatives' anti‐negotiation and anti‐West logic and their refusal to offer a diplomatic alternative to the JCPOA.

IRAN'S ANTI-COMMUNIST RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES AND THEIR IMPACT ON SOVIET IRANIAN RELATIONS 1979-1989

This research sheds light on the study of the role of religious ideology in Iranian foreign policy towards the Soviet Union, since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran in 1979, and how Ayatollah Khomeini wanted to export the principles of his Islamic revolution towards all countries of the world, including the Soviet Union with a communist orientation, according to the issue velayat-e faqih, until 1989.

Эволюция внешнеполитической концепции Ирана в 1920-1930-е гг

The article highlights issues aimed at solving the problems of political and economic independence facing Iran, which affect the foreign policy concept of Iran. The development of Iranian society after the establishment of the Pahlavi monarchy took place in a complex and controversial international situation. The existence of the Soviet state near the northern borders of Iran, on the one hand, and the attempt to maintain and strengthen its control by Britain and other Western powers, on the other hand, influenced the features of economic and political development. Reflecting directly the interests of a certain circle of people, however, Iran’s foreign policy was subordinated to the tasks of restricting the economic and political positions of foreign capital in the country. Iranian diplomacy was called upon to provide favorable external conditions for ongoing internal measures to weaken economic dependence on the leading powers and strengthen the country’s international position. Solving the problem of overcoming economic backwardness, the monarchy in the process of changing the structure of the economy had to take into account three aspects: sectoral, territorial and socio-economic. As history has shown, the most difficult thing for Iran was to change the socio-economic structure due to the fact that the interests of the Shah and his inner circle were in the first place, and only then the interests of the country. The article did not set the task to consider the foreign policy of Iran in relation to all the leading powers of the West and the countries of the Persian Gulf. In view of these considerations, the main attention is focused on highlighting the key issues of Iran’s relations with the USSR and England. Accordingly, the main purpose of the work was to identify the most important moments in the evolution of the foreign policy of the Shah’s state in the 20-30s. XX century, and the reasons that influenced this process. The study of Iran in the system of international relations in the years under review is of considerable interest for understanding the evolution of the foreign policy concept, methods and techniques of Iranian diplomacy, which, despite changes in the socio-economic and political structure of Iran and the systems of international relations, maintained internal continuity. A significant role in the foreign policy of Reza Shah was played by dynastic interests, however, in matters relating to political relations with Germany, he tried to follow an independent national foreign policy

Defending Iran: From Revolutionary Guards to Ballistic Missiles by Gawdat Bahgat and by Anoushiravan Ehteshami

Much has been written on Iran’s domestic politics and foreign policies to help guide policymakers. Nevertheless, the country often remains poorly understood. This book by Gawdat Bahgat and Anoushiravan Ehteshami, both respected experts, offers a timely and relevant synthesis of what is known and not known about Iran’s defense policy; it should become essential reading for scholars, students, and practitioners. The book covers extensive grounds. It dives into the domestic sources of Iran’s conduct, especially ideology and threat perceptions. It explains the structure of Iran’s security forces and, usefully, of its military-industrial complex—the target of much investment before and after the 1979 revolution. It also offers detailed chapters on the tools in Iran’s portfolio to deter its adversaries and project its power, especially its missile and space programs, its cyber capabilities, and its naval and drone forces. Several themes emerge. Often neglected in public debates, one of these is the issue of continuity in Iranian foreign policy. Much changed after 1979; Iran suddenly went from close partner to adversary to the United States. But as Bahgat and Ehteshami clearly explain, it is possible to identify important elements of continuity because of the permanent impact of structural pressures; the authors show that Iran is, in broad terms, a normal state in this sense. Iran was and still is, notably, an ambitious but insecure regional power surrounded by a high number of actual or potential competitors.

Religious and Political Factor in Iran's Foreign Policy in Central Asia

This article highlights the role of the religious factor in Iran's foreign policy in Central Asia. In order to determine the priority directions of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the stages of formation and development of foreign policy towards Central Asia were analyzed. The significance of the concept of "Shiа crescent" (Shiа triangle) has been studied as the main direction of Iran's foreign policy and its reflection in cooperation with the countries of Central Asia and the Middle East. In the foreign policy of official Tehran in relation to the countries of the region, the reasons for rejecting the idea of "exporting" the revolution and the reasons for reorientation to a pragmatic policy were also analyzed. Iran's approaches to solving security problems in Central Asia have been studied. Special attention was paid to the strategic importance of Iran for Central Asia, at the present stage, common interests and directions for the development of economic relations between Iran and the Central Asian states were highlighted. In the 90s of the last century, Iran, using religious rhetoric, tried to lay the foundation for a policy towards the countries of Central Asia. It can be said that the countries of the region found themselves in such a difficult situation as the choice between a secular regime and a religious renaissance. Despite the confessional differences with the countries of the region, it should be noted that Iran sought to support political Islamic groups in the region. Key words: Iran, Shiism, Central Asia, religious factor, exporting the revolution, Islam.

Raisi and Iran's Foreign Policy Toward the South Caucasus

Raisi and Iran's Foreign Policy Toward the South Caucasus

THE MAIN IDEAS AND DIRECTIONS IN THE FORMATION OF THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

We all know that the sharp changes that took place during the transition from competition to conflict in recent years affected the structure of the world order and its governance standards, the behavior of states, and their interactions within the international system. In the article, the author discussed the main ideas and trends in the formation of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the current modern international relations, its position towards the countries in the region, in particular, the relations with the state of Israel, the unilateral actions of the United States, current trends in foreign policy, as well as the priorities of Iran's foreign policy.

İran: ulusal direniş bağlamında nükleer eşik devleti olmak

For almost four decades, Iran's foreign policy rhetoric and actions have drawn the attention of the international community. Iran acquired a leadership role in the advocacy of oppressed people against oppressors after the 1979 Revolution. In this direction, it has exhibited two-pronged foreign policy behaviour over the years. One is the axis of resistance politics, and the second is the advancement of a nuclear program. The Iranian-led coalition network known as the ‘Axis of Resistance’ includes Shiite paramilitary groups in Iraq, the Syrian Ba'ath regime, Palestinian resistance organizations, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Since the USA adopted the 'Axis of Evil’ rhetoric against Iran in 2002, Iran has simultaneously deepened its relations with the axis of resistance in the face of this pressure and has advanced its nuclear activities, which has transformed it into a nuclear threshold state. In this article, we argue that these two main foreign policy activities are inseparable and they are ultimately the consequence of Iran's adopted national role, i.e., the leader of the oppressed. Therefore, we discuss that with its resistance to the pressures relevant to the nuclear program, Iran intends to give a clear message to the proxies on the axis of resistance. We applied role theory on the relationship between the axis of resistance concept and nuclear policy to contribute to the prominent foreign policy debates over Iran's two inseparable foreign policy behaviours.

Soft Power in Iran's Foreign Policy

This research intends to analyze the concept of soft power within the framework of international relations. The concept of soft power as a modern issue in the field of international relations has in a short period of time gained great importance and has become an important tool in foreign policy of countries. It means that in the current era, this concept consists of one of the main pillars of foreign policy of the state. Iran, as a state with culture and old civilization, has also been reflected as a regional lying force in its foreign policy as a tool. In this context, the research is discussing the main tools that Iran relies on soft power in foreign policy. In addition to discussing the opportunity to use soft force in Iran's foreign policy, the research also discusses the problems and challenges facing Iran's foreign policy in its implementation.

IRAN’S PRAGMATIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TALIBAN AFTER THE U.S EXIT CHALLENGES AND DETERMINANTS

The withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan in august 2021 led to a dramatic shift in the Afghan political landscape. The aim of this study is to analyze the Iranian foreign policy towards Afghanistan. The main questions being: What are the challenges between Iran and Taliban? And what are the determinants of Iranian foreign policy towards Afghanistan after the U.S. exit? Whereas, the motivating factors for Iran are both Internal such as economic uplift to counterweight western sanctions through bilateral and multilateral trade guaranteeing national security and territorial integrity by neutralizing Extremist Islamic radical offshoots (IS-K) and separatist organizations (Jaish-Ul-Adl). Further part of this study also highlights the external factors trying to fill the vacuum left by the United States, and in the meanwhile analyzing Iran’s role as well. In order to analyze the problem the assistance of current literature available on the web was opted where the tool of thematic analysis was utilized to generate codes leading to construction of proper themes potential of providing the outcomes of the research problem. Although various researches have been carried out in this area, but their findings were restricted to the explanation of Iran’s potential security vulnerabilities associated with the change in Afghanistan's political landscape. This study also seeks to analyze the benefits Iran may procure from Afghanistan under the new administration while keeping into account the potential barriers as well, while considering the role of other regional actors as well. This study has the potential of having political and academic implications as it leads to further questions that would pave ways for conduct of further studies in this area with the primary anchoring point being modes of security for instance Iran’s economic security with respect to Afghanistan

PRAGMATISM IN IRAN’S FOREIGN POLICY AND RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

The South Caucasus region has been one of the key directions of Iran’s foreign policy since 1991. Iran is closely interested in the processes that take place in the region, as it has historical ties, neighborly relations and common security interests. In the first years after the countries of the region regained their independence, analysts predicted that Iran would be able to establish closer ties with Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus. Such predictions were based on the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a Muslim state and prefers an ideological approach to foreign policy. However, it soon became clear that Iran’s foreign policy is undergoing a transformation. There are elements of the transition from idealism to pragmatism in the country’s foreign policy. Contrary to expectations, Iran’s relations with Christian Armenia began to develop better than with Muslim Azerbaijan. The article examines the place of pragmatism in the foreign policy of Iran in the context of relations with Armenia. At the same time, it analyzes the effectiveness of the idealist approach in the foreign policy of Armenia, as a secular state. The article suggests that, although the conceptual foundations of Iran’s foreign policy are defined by the principles of idealism, they are pragmatic in their relations with Armenia. If we look at the Iran’s policy on the Caucasus since the 1990s, we can conclude that this policy was largely realistic and pragmatic, rather than ideological. In fact, the years when the Caucasus states, including Armenia, regained their independence coincided with Iran’s withdrawal from an ideological approach to foreign policy. At that time, Iran’s new regional foreign policy was based solely on national interests due to the ongoing geopolitical processes, and the expansion of the revolution was no longer a priority.

Revolutionary Ideals and International Aggression

AbstractThis article assesses the international conflict propensity of leaders that come to power through revolutions. I argue that when revolutions result in the overthrow of governments perceived as enabling the interference of outside powers in internal affairs, the leaders that assume office afterward are especially inclined to provoke international conflict. I code these revolutions as “external” and juxtapose them against “internal” revolutions motivated by domestic grievances rather than animus against foreign meddling. Regression analysis and survival analysis suggest that leaders assuming office following external revolutions are more prone to conflict than leaders that assume office through internal revolutions. To illustrate the relationship between external revolution and international aggression, the paper utilizes a case study to examine Iranian foreign policy under Ayatollah Khomeini.

The Genesis and Evolution of Iran's Foreign Policy

According to the article, in the late XX and early XXI centuries, Iran's foreign policy strategy has suffered a number of changes under the influence of reforms in the country, and during this historical period, the political elite changed the direction of Tehran's foreign policy based on the current situation. The sources of Iran's foreign policy development and the mechanisms of its implementation will be explored. The foreign policy of Iran's presidents and the methods of its implementation will be analyzed, and their aspects aimed at protecting the country's national interests will be compared. The article states that the Iranian Foreign Policy Office tried to show the world community that it supports the idea of liberalizing international relations at a time when Tehran gave priority to the development of Tehran's foreign policy based on the ideas of realism.