A Critical Analysis of Peace in the Thought of Imam Khamenei Based on Content Analysis Method

The subject of foreign policy in the teachings of the Quran can be explored, allowing us to align current foreign policy practices of the Islamic Republic of Iran with Quranic verses. One of the highly significant concepts in Islamic foreign policy is 'peace,' which has been addressed by Ayatollah Khamenei in various statements and messages. Hence, this research, utilizing content analysis and semantic methods, aims to answer the fundamental question: Which Quranic references form the basis for Ayatollah Khamenei's conception of peace? To address this query, after analyzing the notion of peace from Ayatollah Khamenei's perspective and expounding the semantic meaning of peace in the Quran, the research revisits this principle. The study thus compares the concepts and results derived from Ayatollah Khamenei's statements with the intended meanings in the Quran, assessing their similarities, differences, and levels of correspondence, to determine to what extent the Supreme Leader's statements align with Quranic evidence. The research findings indicate that 'sulh' in the Quran predominantly correlates with the concept of 'peace' as a term. The Supreme Leader has referred to verse 8 of Surah Al-Mumtahina and verse 128 of Surah An-Nisa as the foundation for his foreign policy principle of pursuing peace. Accordingly, the Islamic government is required to accept reconciliation proposals from non-believers as long as they have not initiated or are not initiating aggression..