University of Ljubljana
Faculty of social sciences
Author: Nina Bakovnik, 21040080
Mentor: Zlatko Šabič, Professor, Ph.D.
Foreign policy profile of Iran
Subject: International Organizations
Ljubljana, November 2007
The Islamic Republic of Iran, formerly known as Persia, is one of the world’s oldest major civilizations with an extremely rich cultural heritage and an important geostrategic position in the Eurasian area. Iranplays a substantial role in international energy security and world economy due to its large reserves of crucial natural resources, petroleum and natural gas. In the international community Iran has a reputation of being extremely independent in its positions and is at the moment a strong regional power.[1]
Foreign policy of Iran has throughout the history shifted between revolutionary and non-revolutionary one. The pro-Western foreign policy, led by the Shah in a political system of absolute monarchy, which was being pursued since the Second World War, was replaced after the Islamic revolution, when the religious dictator Khomeini took charge of the country. His foreign policy, which was especially hard and ambitious, striving to spread the Islamic revolution to other countries and supporting mostly Shia but also Sunni militants in other countries (for example the controversial Hezbollah militia in Lebanon), reached its peak in the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, when Iraq invaded Iran due to uncertain sovereignty over the waterway between the countries. During the war Iran became completely isolated, as even the United States (US) supplied Iraq with chemical weapons. Iran’s defeat in the war as well as Khomeini’s death in 1989 thus brought about another change in the policy’s direction, this time to a more defensive and pragmatic type of foreign policy.Iran’s new foreign policy, led by a reformist semi-democratic government, significantly improved its political and economic relations with the European Union (EU), China, India and Russia and its overall position in the international community.[2]
Since the end of the period of dictatorship the key decision-maker of foreign policy in Iran is the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), which is currently under the leadership of Ali Larijani and is in general composed of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and military leaders. SNSC works in close coordination with the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who also has the right and duty to final confirmation of all decisions, however the decisions are usually made by consensus.[3] Although many claim that the current president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is fostering some kind of revolutionary foreign policy, the President has on the contrary very little influence on the foreign policy of Iran due to the aforementioned structure of decision-making.
In broad terms, Iran's foreign policy can be summed up in three main guidelines: opposing theUS due to its military power, which threatens Iran in the Persian Gulf, and Israel due to its strongposition to support the Palestinians; pursuing elimination of outside influence in the region, as“Iran sees itself as a regional power and opposes the influence of global powers such as the US or the United Kingdom in its region.It seeks to reduce their presence in the Persian Gulf wherever possible.”[4]; and maintaining friendly diplomatic contacts with developing and non-aligned countries,due to Iran’s effort to build and expand trade and political support.Iran's foreign policy is furthermore mainly focused on relations with other states in the region and on relations with other Islamic countries. This includes its active participation in the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM).[5]
September the 11th and the following war on terror, led by the US and its allies, also influenced contemporary Iranian foreign policy in a large way. It brought new conflicts and new insecurities to the already unstable region and labeled Iran as a part of the ‘axis of evil’, that is why Iran needed to adapt its policy in order to successfully sustain its national security. These adjustments were mainly: a flexible policy towards the US; deepening the alliance and cooperation with Russia and the EU;improving Iran’s role in the international community, especially in international organizations; improving relations with the Arab world, Turkey, Pakistan and Iraq; regional cooperation and new security arrangements, including military build-up. On account of being surrounded with pro-American countries, Iran pursued preventive diplomacy in order to attain the status of neutrality and peaceful disarmament of Iraq. The idea of expanding regional economic cooperation to security cooperation also arose from this situation, yet for the timebeing it remainsonly as an ongoing issue, which Iran is dealing with.[6]
Nevertheless, Iran is still involved with many of the armed groups in the Middle East, though not in the same manner or for the same reason as during the Khomeini’s rule. It is not trying to export its revolution, but it merely wants to have armed allies, who are capable of mobilizing their troops, if war should happen to arise, especially on the Israel’s border. Iran is also maintaining bilateral relations with its neighboring states in order to progressively gain on its regional dominance, on account of which it would then be able to counter the United States in the region.[7]
Relations with the United States
Political relations between Iran and the US began in the 19th century and have mostly remained friendly and cooperative until the Iranian Revolution in 1979. The exception was in the period after the Second World War, when Iran became democratic for a brief period of time, opposite to its usual political system of absolute monarchy. At that point Iran pursued to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, but the US and Britainwould not allow this to happen, that is why they conspired against Iran in order to overthrow its government, which they eventually succeededto do and brought back dictatorship to Iran. At that point a strong hatred of Iranian people towards the US started growing.[8] Nevertheless cultural relations between the countries remained well. Before the revolution Carter’s administration also aggravated the relations, as it was very critical towards the Shah, especially concerning human rights issues. After the revolution, when Khomeini became the leader of Iran, a few incidents took place, which further worsened the already existing tensions between Iran and the US, namely: the Iran hostage crisis, when Muslim students took over American embassy, after which the US broke diplomatic contacts with Iran; the Hezbollah bombings, in which many Americans were killed, and were allegedly supported by the Iran; and the Iran air flight 655 tragedy, in which the US shot down an Iranian commercial airplane, along with many economic sanctions imposed upon Iran by the US. The reformist Iranian government, following the death of Khomeini, raised high hopes for the improvement of relations between countries, yet this had not occurred in a wished intensity. On the contrary, since George W. Bush came to power in the US, the relations keep on worsening. The US is continually taking aggressive actions against Iran due to its alleged support of terrorism, subversive activities in the Persian Gulf and most importantly its nuclear program, which is perceived by the US as being of military rather than civilian nature. On the other hand Iran keeps making series of peaceful proposals to the US in effort to manage their differences, among them an offer to help stabilize Iraq after the invasion in 2003.[9]
Relations with the European Union
There have been no contractual relations between Iran and the EU since the time, when Shah ruled Iran. However a Comprehensive dialogue had been established in 1995 and extended in 1997 between the reformist government of Iran and the EU, which gives way to a constructive debate of both sides concerning global issues (such as terrorism and human rights), regional issues (for example the Middle East Peace Process) and possible areas of cooperation (for example energy). This Dialogue improved relations between Iran and the EU, yet it is very limited. The need for a contractual relation remains important. President Khatami, elected in 1997, also made a significant positive impact on the relations between countries, as he made relations with EU a major policy objective.[10] Unfortunately, the dialogue has not quite reached its fulfillment, as it was suspended by Iran in 2003. Since then, the relations between Iran and the EU have been focusing mostly on Iran’s nuclear program, as the EU is pursuing to convince Iran to suspend uranium enrichment. Nevertheless, the EU remains Iran’s main trading partner, as well as partner in the fight against narcotics and in Afghan refugee assistance program.[11]
Relations with theRussian Federation
The beginnings of political relations between Iran and Russia reach far back in the 16th century; however they were not friendly and cooperative until the end of the Iran-Iraq war, as territorial and ideological aspirations of Russia towards Iran were preventing such development. After the Iran-Iraq war and more so after the Cold war diplomatic and commercial relations between the countries intensively increased, this includes Iran’s purchasing of weapons and peaceful nuclear technology in Russia as well as Russia’s support for Iran’s nuclear program. Nowadays Russiais one of the larger trade partners of Iran, especially in the energy and transportation fields, while the two countries also share interest in limiting political influence of the US in international community and most importantly in Central Asia.[12] On account of this common interest partnership between Iran and Russia has further increased after September the 11th and even caused Iran to take a step back from its standing point on the Caspian Sea ownership issue (borders between Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have not yet been determined, but Iran is pursuing to solve the problem peacefully through negotiations), while it had furthermore been given the observer status in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), an intergovernmental mutual security organization, dominated by Russia and China. Nevertheless, Iran remains skeptical about its alliance with Russia, due to its previous bad experience and possible future results of the US pressure upon Russia regarding its ties with Iran.[13]
Relations with neighboring Arab countries
Iran’s relations with neighboring Arab countries have always been controversial, largely due to seemingly eternal conflicts among different Muslim denominations as well as due to countries’ aspirations after the rich natural resources of the Persian Gulf. The worst illustration of such relations was the Iran-Iraq war, consequences and issues of which are still present today, although Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic contacts in 1990 and Iranexpressed significant effort in helping and supporting Iraq after the US invasion in 2003. Nevertheless, Iran’s relations with neighboring Arab states have recently improved, excluding some expressed doubts of these countries concerning Iran’s nuclear program. Exceptional are the United Arab Emirates, which are in an ongoing territorial conflict with Iran regarding three Islands in the Persian Gulf.[14]
Iran and international conflict management
Since the 1990’s Iran has been proving its determination to play a new, different kind of role in the international community, namely by its active participation in international conflict management, on inter as well as intra-state level. A few examples of this are Iran’s mediating roles in the Tajikistan civil war and in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. It has moreover clearly shown its peace aspirations in Afghanistan, when attacked by the US in 2001, and by calling upon the world to stop the Taliban government. With such actions Iran has confirmed its role of preserving security and stability in the region. A great help to Iran’s new role of conflict management was also the OIC, on account of which Iran was able to initiate several fact-finding missions in order to explore conflicts, as well as aggressively address global terrorism.[15]
Iran’s nuclear power program
In the 1950’s Iran launched a nuclear program, which was abandonedfor a little while after the revolution and later on revived. The objective of the program is to produce electricity for Iranian people in time of rapid increase of Iran’s population and due to growing industrialization processes. However, this issue has recently become of international importance, while it is generally perceived in the international community, that the uranium enrichment processes, taking place in the name of this program, might be in the future exploited for the purposes of developing nuclear weapon. Although severe pressures are being brought upon Iran by the international community, especially the US, Iran is refusing to give up its right to uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes, passed to it by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which Iran is a party. On this account sanctions have been imposed upon Iran by the United Nations, although the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which monitors such happenings, has not found any evidence until October 2007 that the program would be of military nature.[16]
List of references:
Abbas, William Samii (2007) Iranianforeign policy: not so revolutionary anymore. (31. 10. 2007).
Afrasiabi, Kaveh and Maleki Abbas (2003) Iran's Foreign Policy After 11 September. (31. 10. 2007).
Beehner, Lionel (2006) Iran's Multifaceted Foreign Policy, (31. 10. 2007).
Commission of the European Communities (2001) EU Relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. (2. 11. 2007).
European Commision (2007) The EU's relations with Iran. (2. 11. 2007).
Hornberger, Jacob G. (2005) An Anti-Democracy Foreign Policy: Iran. (31. 10. 2007).
Wikipedia (2007) Foreign relations of Iran. (31. 10. 2007).
Wikipedia (2007) Iran, (31. 10. 2007)
Wikipedia (2007) Iran-Arab relations. (2. 11. 2007).
Wikipedia (2007) Nuclear Program of Iran. (2. 11. 2007).
Wikipedia (2007) Russia-Iran relations. (2. 11. 2007).
Wikipedia (2007) U.S.-Iran relations. (31. 10. 2007).
[1]Wikipedia (2007) Iran. (31. 10.2007).
[2]Wikipedia (2007)Foreign relations of Iran. (31. 10.2007).
[3] Beehner, Lionel (2006) Iran's Multifaceted Foreign Policy. (31. 10. 2007).
[4]Wikipedia (2007)Foreign relations of Iran. (31. 10.2007).
[5]Wikipedia (2007)Foreign relations of Iran. (31. 10.2007).
[6]Afrasiabi, Kaveh and Maleki Abbas (2003) Iran's Foreign Policy After 11 September. (31. 10. 2007).
[7] Abbas, William Samii (2007) Iranianforeign policy: not so revolutionary anymore. (31. 10. 2007).
[8] Hornberger, Jacob G. (2005) An Anti-Democracy Foreign Policy: Iran. (31. 10. 2007).
[9] Wikipedia (2007) U.S.-Iran relations. (31. 10. 2007).
[10] Commission of the European Communities (2001) EU Relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. (2. 11. 2007).
[11] European Commision (2007) The EU's relations with Iran. (2. 11. 2007).
[12] Wikipedia (2007) Russia-Iran relations. (2. 11. 2007).
[13]Afrasiabi, Kaveh and Maleki Abbas (2003) Iran's Foreign Policy After 11 September. (2. 11. 2007).
[14] Wikipedia (2007) Iran-Arab relations. (2. 11. 2007).
[15]Afrasiabi, Kaveh and Maleki Abbas (2003) Iran's Foreign Policy After 11 September. (2. 11. 2007).
[16] Wikipedia (2007) Nuclear Program of Iran. (2. 11. 2007).