Trump’s Campaign to Re-securitize Iran

Iran nuclear program had been the main theme for portraying Iran as an imminent threat to international peace and stability. Several United Nations Security Council Resolutions, adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations from 2006 to 2010 identified the Iranian nuclear issue as a proliferation concern and thus a possible threat to international peace and security. With the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 marked the start of de-securitization of Iran nuclear program. During Trump presidency, the United States pursued the maximum pressure campaign consisting of economic, political, and military pressure against Iran, coupled with securitizing speech acts to convince the audience of the necessity of a more comprehensive deal with Iran. Using Barry Buzan’s Securitization Theory and Process Tracing as research method, this study tries to investigate the outcome of Trump Administration campaign for re-securitization of Iran nuclear program, specifically in international political arena. It finds that while Trump policy succeeded in imposing heavy economic cost on Iran, it failed to re-securitize the Iranian nuclear program.