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| Iranian foreign policy | |
|---|---|
| Name | Iran |
| Native name | ایران |
| Capital | Tehran |
| Leader title | Supreme Leader |
| Leader name | Ali Khamenei |
| Government | Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Established | Iranian Revolution |
Iranian foreign policy is the set of strategies and actions pursued by the Islamic Republic of Iran to secure national interests, project influence, and navigate regional and global challenges. It is shaped by the legacy of the Pahlavi dynasty, the experience of the Iranian Revolution, the precedent of the Iran–Iraq War, and interactions with actors such as United States, Russia, China, European Union, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and non-state groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. State institutions including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the office of the President of Iran coordinate policy within constraints set by the Supreme Leader of Iran.
From the late 19th century Qajar interactions with Great Britain and Russia through the Constitutional Revolution (Iran) and the era of Reza Shah Pahlavi, Iranian external relations involved balancing imperial pressures and modernization via ties with France, Germany, and United States. The 1953 Iranian coup d'état against Mohammad Mossadegh and the subsequent alignment with NATO frameworks under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi set patterns of military procurement from United Kingdom and United States and oil diplomacy involving the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and OPEC. The 1979 Iranian Revolution reoriented policy toward anti-imperialist rhetoric, support for Palestinian movements, and rivalry with Iraq culminating in the Iran–Iraq War. Post-war reconstruction under presidents like Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami saw attempts at détente with European Union partners and engagement with United Nations mechanisms. The election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and controversies over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action brought heightened confrontation with United States and multilateral sanctions led by the United Nations Security Council. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and its partial unraveling after the 2018 United States withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal demonstrate the oscillation between negotiation and coercive diplomacy. Recent decades feature deeper ties with Russia and China, active involvement in Syrian civil war dynamics, and strategic competition with Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Iranian foreign policy doctrine draws on post-revolutionary principles articulated by figures like Ruhollah Khomeini and institutionalized by the Supreme Leader of Iran, combining themes from the Velayat-e faqih concept, strategic autonomy, and resistance to perceived foreign intervention. Doctrinal texts and speeches reference anti-colonial precedents including reactions to the 1953 Iranian coup d'état and alignments with movements such as Non-Aligned Movement. Practical doctrines incorporate asymmetric warfare doctrines influenced by the Hezbollah model, lessons from the Iran–Iraq War, and legal instruments within the United Nations Charter and bilateral treaties with states like Syria and Iraq. Policy-making balances input from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Expediency Discernment Council, and elected leaders such as the President of Iran.
Iran’s regional posture involves partnerships with Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Azerbaijan at varying levels, competition with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, and complex interactions with Kuwait and Qatar. Tehran’s support for proxies and allied militias, exemplified by Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, and ties to Hamas in the Palestinian territories, shape influence in Arab–Iranian relations. Diplomatic breakthroughs have included reconciliation with Iraq after the Iran–Iraq War and periodic talks mediated by actors like Oman and Switzerland. Iran’s maritime strategy in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz affects relations with Bahrain and Qatar and interacts with energy transit concerns involving Iraq and Kuwait.
Iran’s relations with United States remain adversarial since 1979, punctuated by hostage crises, sanctions, and proxy confrontations involving incidents with United Kingdom naval forces and tensions after actions like the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Strategic partnerships have grown with Russia—notably on Syria—and with China under frameworks echoing the Belt and Road Initiative, enhanced by bilateral agreements with Beijing and military-technical cooperation with Moscow. Relations with European Union members such as Germany, France, and United Kingdom involve diplomacy over the nuclear file, trade safeguards with European Commission arrangements, and disputes adjudicated through mechanisms including the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran’s outreach to India and ties with Pakistan reflect energy and connectivity priorities, while relations with Japan and South Korea emphasize trade and sanctions navigation.
Iran’s nuclear policy, involving the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and activities at sites like Natanz and Fordow, has been central to interactions with the International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations Security Council, and negotiating partners that produced the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Sanctions regimes led by the United States Department of the Treasury, the European Union, and multilateral bodies have targeted Iranian sectors including banking and petroleum, prompting measures such as barter deals with China and oil swaps with India. Incidents like the Stuxnet cyberattack and assassinations of nuclear scientists have influenced domestic resolve and technical adaptations. Iran’s post-JCPOA enrichment steps and breakouts have been met with diplomatic efforts via forums like the P5+1 and legal disputes at the International Court of Justice.
Security policy blends conventional elements from procurements with countries like Russia and legacy systems from United States-era platforms, with asymmetric capabilities promoted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and naval units in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Iran’s military diplomacy includes training, arms transfers, and advisory roles to groups such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and militias in Syria and Iraq, as well as naval escorts for commercial shipping and participation in exercises with China and Russia. Incidents involving Israel—including airstrikes in Syria and covert operations—affect deterrence calculations. Iran’s responses to threats have involved cyber operations, ballistic missile development, and doctrines reflecting lessons from the Iran–Iraq War and regional crises.
Energy diplomacy centers on exports of crude oil and natural gas, involvement in OPEC and interactions with buyers like China and India, and pipeline projects connecting to Turkey and Iraq. Sanctions have spurred creative mechanisms including trade via United Arab Emirates intermediaries, credit lines with Russia, and barter arrangements with Venezuela. Economic statecraft uses sovereign assets, national companies such as the National Iranian Oil Company, and engagement with multilateral banks like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and investment talks with firms from China and South Korea. Infrastructure diplomacy involves corridors linking Caspian Sea states, port projects on the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf, and collaboration with regional initiatives led by Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Iran projects soft power through institutions like Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, religious diplomacy via Qom seminaries and ties to Shi'a Islam communities, and media outlets such as Press TV and cultural exchanges with Iraq and Lebanon. Humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts in Syria and post-conflict Iraq are complemented by scholarship programs for students from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Cultural diplomacy includes participation in forums like the Islamic Summit and coordination with organizations such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and regional events involving Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.