Foundations of Ideological Identity in the Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Identity is of utmost significance in the way we think. One of the main aspects of the Islamic Revolution which has an effect on both domestic and foreign policies is the identity that the new government has assumed. The most important component of the Islamic Revolution is the attempt to establish the Islamic government worldwide and the other constituent elements serve the same purpose and thus each may occupy a position depending on the role they play to achieve this purpose. This identity in the plane of foreign policy determines its own definition, its position in the international community, definition of other things, and the way in which it treats others. The question that arises here is “What position do the foundations of ideological identity occupy in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran?” The answer to this question is that ‘it is supposed that after the advent of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the new government, the Islamic identity has taken a pivotal role in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.’ The present article seeks to cast light on the role this important element plays in the formulation and implementation of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Drawing upon the analytic-descriptive research method and making reference to the first-hand sources and arguments, the article studies the concept of identity and ideology among various theories and goes on to deal with the role they play in the construction of the identity of the Islamic-revolutionary government and its foreign relations in respect to such categories as world government, support, negation of dominance, justice, etc.