Iranophobia: Roots and Repercussions

Fear of Iran and considering it as a threat are widely found among the Middle Eastern states as well as on the world scale. The author, in this paper, has explored the causes of this phenomenon and its repercussions for Iran's international status. The author argues that Iranophobia is derived from two categories of structural and non-structural factors. Strength, geographical proximity and aggressive power are among the structural causes of Iranophobia, whereas aggressive intentions and promotion of fear of Iran represent the non-structural causes of the phenomenon. According to the author, the repercussions of Iranophobia include the forging of a coalition with the United States at the pivot and the adoption of soft and hard balancing strategies for containing Iran.