Iranian Foreign Policy: Ideological Roots and Strategic Implications
Iranian Foreign Policy: Ideological Roots and Strategic Implications

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the historical and ideological drivers of Iranian foreign policy toward the Western bloc, with a focus on the United States and Israel. It traces the origins of Western antagonism toward Iran to intellectual and clerical discourse prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, highlighting how this sentiment became central to the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy after the monarchy's fall. The study underscores that Iranian foreign policy, while often characterised as irrational or fanatical in public discourse, is fundamentally shaped by pragmatic and rational considerations. Persistent tensions between ideological and pragmatic factions have significantly influenced Iran’s domestic political debates and international strategy. The article provides a nuanced perspective on how ideological commitments and strategic interests intersect in shaping Iran’s actions on the global stage.

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