Rouhani Foreign Policy and International Crisis Management (JCPOA and U.S Domestic Factors )

To describe and articulate Iranian foreign policy, one must acquire an understanding of the theoretical approaches and its discourses that are appropriate to the identity and essence of the Islamic Republic as an Islamic state. Outside of this approach, a simplistic take towards the Iranian foreign policy will complicate the ability to correctly analyze this issue based on standard approaches in international relations. The main question that this paper seeks to find an answer to revolves around the Rouhani administration’s general foreign policy strategy and its specific policy towards managing the made-up international crisis of Iran’s nuclear program. Furthermore, the paper will look into the opportunities and challenges that exist which can impact that policy roadmap. To that end, in addition to analyzing the conceptual frameworks within which typical Iranian foreign policy approaches fit, elements that have had an impact on the type and direction of President Rouhani’s foreign policy, on both the national and international level, will be studied. By the same token, the values and priorities upon which this foreign policy was built along with its strategy will be reviewed and contrasted with prior administrations approaches, and possible impediments that they created for this administration will be explained. In reviewing these elements, this paper will take note of domestic U.S. campaigns including Congress’s treatment of the JCPOA, and the subsequent approach of President Trump towards this deal as one of the fundamental and impactful variables in the process of this paper.