The Reflection of the Clash of Civilizations Theory in Iran

Huntington’s theory of the clash of civilizations has widely attracted the attention of scholars as well as practitioners in politics. In this article, the reaction of the Iranian political factions and academics towards the theory is explored. As it contains specific views on the Islamic civilization, it has enthusiastically been discussed in Iran. Such views can clarify the attitudes of the Iranian political activists and academics towards the interaction with the West. Hence, the article’s main question is: what is the response of Iranian political groups to the theory of the clash of civilization? The study’s hypothesis is that the theory of the clash of civilizations has provoked different views of rival political discourses in Iran, as one took it to emphasize the continuation of confronting the West and the other arrive at the need for détente in relation with the West. The answer to the question is explored through the analysis of the views of activists relating to competing dominant political discourses as well as those of academics in Iran.