Barack Obama's Approach to the Iranian Nuclear Crisis Based on Image Theory in International Relations

This research has endeavored to explain Barack Obama's approach to the Iranian nuclear crisis based on the image theory in international relations. While competing theories point to issues such as the structure of the international system or comprehensive international sanctions as key factors in reaching a nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1, this study focuses on the mental, perceptual, and personality traits of President Obama. Accordingly, the main research question was asked as follows: Why did Barack Obama take a different approach to his predecessor’s to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis? Based on the psychological principles and image theory, our initial answer is: Obama's perception of Iran as a regional power and considering the previous policy as damaging, as well as his personality type, led him to take a different approach from that of George W Bush in resolving the Iranian nuclear crisis. The approach of this research is explanatory and its method is a case study. The documentary method of data collection has been used.