Moderation Discourse in Foreign Policy of Islamic Republic of Iran

A new micro- discourse within the framework of Islamism macro-discourse emerged in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as the eleventh administration took office on August 4th, 2013. The Rouhani administration pursues an approach that centers as “moderation”. Based on the logic of discourse evolutions and discursive cycles, the moderation discourse can be described as “realist idealism” or in other words as “realistic idealism”. The central argument of moderation discourse is balance and equality, which is defined on the basis of a balance between idealism and realism, various kinds of wisdom, Islamic expediencies and national interests, foreign policy objectives, elements of national power, exerting power and diplomacy, rights and duties, three principles of “glory, wisdom and expediency”, foreign policy structure, and development of foreign relations. The elements and nuances of the moderation discourse are as followings: idealism, realism, balanced rationalism, results-focused task orientation, constructive cooperation, security seeking, prestige seeking, peace seeking, justice, evolutionism, perfectionism, balanced expansionism, and balanced multilateralism. The following research question guides this study: How the moderation policy of the government can serve foreign policy objectives of the Islamic Republic? The author attempts to respond to this question through proving the hypothesis that the moderation discourse as a new micro- discourse within the framework of Islamism macro-discourse has a higher capacity for exercising realism for achieving goals and interests of Islamic Republic of Iran’s foreign policy.