Strategic Loneliness and the Strategic Policies of Iran in the West Asia

پژوهش نامه ایرانی سیاست بین الملل

Article 6, Volume 9, Issue 2 - Serial Number 18, September 2021, Pages 159-209   

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: 10.22067/irlip.2021.21446.0

Authors

Mohaamad javad fathi^{* 1}; soherh pirani²; Akbar ghafoori³

¹. PhD graduate in Political Science (Futurism of Political Studies of the Islamic Revolution), Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University

². Assistant Professor of the Department of Political Science and Political Studies of the Islamic Revolution, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University

³. Assistant Professor of the Department of Political Science, Faculty of law, political science and history, yazd University

Abstract

 One of the central issues is the impact of the idea and assumption of strategic loneliness on the goals, motives, and regional strategies of the decision-making elites of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the tense and critical area of West Asia. The current research investigates why the Islamic Republic of Iran suffers from strategic loneliness, and which doctrines have it used to get out of strategic loneliness? The study hypothesizes that the change of regime from Pahlavi to the Islamic Republic caused, on the one hand, Iran to have practically no stable and robust ally except Syria. On the other hand, a front of allies within the region and beyond has surrounded the country. This issue has led Iran to endogenous deterrence and abroad activities to cope with foreign threats. The findings show that supporting liberation movements, blocking threat sources, confronting the United States, deterring US regional allies, alongside prominent strategies such as regional ban and counter-access, unconventional land and sea warfare, classical and neo-ballistic missile deterrence, drone industry, Hezbollah model, and Lebanonization, alliances with trans-regional actors, religious and cultural diplomacy indicate the wrong idea of strategic loneliness. Iran follows these policies to get out of strategic loneliness and regional isolation. The research method is qualitative and refers to the primary library documents. 

Keywords

Iran; West Asia; Strategic Loneliness; Asymmetric Balance; Defensive

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