Iran’s Understanding of Strategic Stability: In the Light of Relations with the U.S. in the Middle East

Abstract

This chapter investigates the concept of “Strategic stability in Iran’s foreign policy conducts and national security strategies in the Middle East. The author argues that in the course of time and during previous decades Iran’s understanding of strategic stability has changed and evolved as a result of its perception of the strategic postures of other great powers, especially toward the United States, and their allies in the region. In this respect, the threats emanating from the extension of rival states, political ideologies, and terrorism have affected Iran’s understanding of strategic stability. Dealing with these threats, Iran has always strived to increase its relative security in the context of an active regional presence to preempt any strategic instability for the state. To this aim and before the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran perceived strategic stability rather in making coalition and close cooperation with the Western bloc and its regional allies. At present, however, and given the changing circumstances, achieving strategic stability is focused on relying on independent national strategies, strengthening regional cooperation, and boosting regional multilateralism. Conceptually, the two factors of “geographical centrality” and “identical values” have been significant in shaping Iran’s perspective in this regard. The author concludes that the dynamism of regional politics such as the continued crises in Afghanistan and Iraq, followed by the Arab Spring developments, especially the Syrian crisis and emergence of Daesh (ISIS), and in the latest development coming to power of President Trump in the U.S. and the conduct of the so-called “maximum pressure” policy, has further centered Iran’s sense of strategic stability on the concepts of containment and deterrence through increased regional presence, taking advantage of its geopolitical centrality and soft power for eradicating the new emerged national security threats. In this regard, a concept such as self-reliance has become more significant in Iran’s understanding of strategic stability, consequently leading Iran to become a more security and economic “inward looking” state. This state of affairs is likely to continue during the Joe Biden presidency, unless Iran’s sense of strategic insecurity from the U.S.’ aims and intentions in weakening Iran’s regional status is removed by some constructive actions on the U.S. side.