Identity, Power and Security in Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran: a Theoretical Framework

Most of foreign policy studies in the field of foreign policy of Iran have emphasized one of the factors: identity, power or security in shaping foreign policy decisions and behaviors of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Therefore, the present article provides a new theoretical framework to remove existing research gaps. In this framework, the main claim of this paper is that all three factors - identity, power and security – have interactively a decisive role in all Iran's foreign policy decisions, but the type and manner of their relationship through passing of time and in different situations are the result of the considerations and priorities that have been made in foreign policy decision making. The assumption of this article is that none of the concepts of identity, power and security alone form foreign policy, but in different situations, each one can be a source, tool or purpose. Given the above assertion and assumption, the question of this paper is: how the identity, power and security factors have become and continue to shape Iran's foreign policy in different times and situations? The hypothesis of the paper in answering this question is that: Iran's foreign policy is based on constant, simultaneous, and changing interaction of identity, power and security that the type and manner of their relationship depend on the internal belief and political system and international position of the country.