Iran’s Political and Security Strategy in the Middle East Following the United States’ Withdrawal from the JCPOA

The Middle East is one of the world’s most vital, strategic, and geopolitical regions. With the victory of the Islamic revolution in Iran, the United States and Iran have pursued contradictory policies towards each other, as the two countries are considered to be rivals. Even the United States, pursuing this enmity, withdrew from the JCPOA agreement, which could eventually quell the enmity; based on this, the article’s primary question is what strategies the Islamic Republic of Iran has adopted to guarantee its security and national interests in the Middle East following the United States’ withdrawal from the JCPOA? This descriptive-analytical study aims to examine the methods of confrontation adopted by Iran following the United States’ withdrawal from the JCPOA. Overall, the article demonstrates that Iran, in response to the United States’ withdrawal from the JCPOA and its tension-inducing measures, has its own strategies, which include a gradual reduction of its JCPOA obligations, more support for Shia proxies (including Ansarullah, Hashd al-Shaabi, Hezbollah, …), a stronger military presence in the region, military measures against regional rivals (such as Saudi Arabia and Israel), and reinforcing its East- oriented policy in political and security fields in the Middle East in order to ensure security and national interests.