INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
this political vision influences the decisions that have already been made, and those that will continue to be made, in relation to the
the two countries, as well as the implications this will have for international politics.Strategic culture provides a fundamental framework
for analyzing the interactions between Iran and the United States, two actors with deeply divergent approaches to foreign policy, security,
and international relations
To understand the behavior of both countries, it is necessary to examine their respective strategic cultures, which are profoundly
influenced by their historical, ideological, and geopolitical contexts.Strategic culture of IranResistance and sovereignty: The 1979 Islamic
Revolution established a policy of resistance against what Iran considers oppression and external intervention, particularly by Western
solidify its independence.Regional power projection: Iran has formulated a foreign policy aimed at expanding its influence in West Asia,
with particular emphasis on countries such as Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen
To this end, it employs both diplomatic and military resources, as demonstrated by its support for groups like Hezbollah and Shiite militias
in the region.Islamic Revolution and Islamic values: Iran positions itself as the defender of political Islam and the Islamic Revolution,
challenging the world order led by "imperialist" powers such as the United States
This approach promotes an alternative model to capitalism and liberal democracy, seeking to establish regional leadership based on Islamic
principles.Pragmatic diplomacy: Despite its firm stance, Iran has demonstrated pragmatism in its diplomatic approach
A prime example is the 2015 nuclear agreement with global powers, where Iran showed flexibility to preserve its national interests
Thus, its strategic culture is not exclusively confrontational, but also adaptable when it comes to safeguarding its sovereignty and
security.Strategic culture of the United StatesGlobal hegemony and leadership: The United States has adopted a foreign policy aimed at
maintaining global hegemony and consolidating its role as the leader of the international system
military power: Throughout its history, United States strategy has relied significantly on its military capability, allowing it to
guarantee its security, protect strategic interests, and, at times, intervene in international conflicts
Military power is combined with a nuclear deterrence approach, aimed at preventing threats to its interests and that of its allies
This approach has led to military interventions in various regions, such as West Asia, Afghanistan, and the Korean Peninsula.Unipolarity and
diplomacy: After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the United States solidified its position as the sole
superpower in a unipolar international system
During this period, it sought to extend its influence and reinforce its global leadership through diplomacy, economic sanctions, strategic
alliances, and cooperation in multilateral organizations such as the UN, NATO, and the WTO
United States diplomacy has been a key tool in consolidating its power and protecting its global interests.Given the differences between
the strategic cultures of Iran and the United States, it is possible to understand how, in general, the latter classifies countries into two
main categories: it perceives them either as "client states" or as "enemies." In this framework, countries are either seen as allies and
friends of the United States or fall into a category where no significant interaction occurs, often being ignored by Washington
From the perspective of United States foreign policy, countries either align with their national interests or oppose them
A third option in United States foreign relations is generally a rare exception.Exceptionalism of Iran and the United StatesBoth nations
view themselves as "exceptional," seeing themselves as distinct from others
The United States, based on the social, economic, institutional, and political characteristics that define its society, perceives itself as
This perception has consolidated its role as an international power, supported by the belief in a unique historical mission that justifies
its global intervention to promote its values and principles.On the other hand, the exceptionalism of the Islamic Republic of Iran is
grounded in two key identity sources: Shiite Islam and Iranian nationalism
In recent decades, Iranian leaders have also taken the stance that the country must support both Muslims and non-Muslims who suffer from
oppression and colonialism.The strategic importance of Iran for the United StatesWith that in mind, it is crucial to delve into how the
United States perceives Iran from a geopolitical standpoint
From this perspective, Iran possesses characteristics that make it a country of critical strategic importance for Washington
Its geostrategic location, with key borders in one of the most contested regions in the world, alongside its vast natural resources,
particularly oil and gas, have drawn constant attention from the United States
Iran's location in West Asia, an area considered highly relevant on the international stage, further reinforces its centrality in the
United States' strategic calculations.Furthermore, Iran not only shares a border with Russia, one of the main geopolitical competitors of
standpoint, the United States anticipates that Iran will act in alignment with its own national interests
In this context, Washington assigns Iran the role of a "client state," meaning it expects Iran to leverage both its natural resources and
strategic location to support United States interests
Should Iran reject this role, as it has done, it will be viewed as an "enemy," marking a significant shift in bilateral relations.An
analysis of United States security strategies over the past few decades reveals that the rise of the country as an international actor has
been based on Washington's uncontested hegemony in the Americas
According to this view, "The United States must prevent any state from achieving dominance in other regions and, through the creation of a
balance of power among regional powers, should focus its efforts on balancing power between them." This principle has remained one of the
pillars of United States foreign policy.In contrast, the leaders of Iran, backed by their geographical location, population, material power
resources, and ultimately soft power foundations such as nationalism and Shiism, consider the consolidation of a strong position in the
Persian Gulf to be an inevitable destiny for the Islamic Republic of Iran.This is further compounded by a key difference in understanding
the behavior of both nations: while the United States, in pursuing its objectives, does not hesitate to resort to the use of force when
deemed necessary, adopting an offensive approach in its strategic culture, Iran, on the other hand, is primarily characterized by a
defensive approach centered on deterrence.What should happenThe inability of the United States to bend the political will of the Islamic
Republic has led to an extremely slow pace in the plans for withdrawal from the region and the pivot toward East Asia
The primary reason for this delay lies in the United States refusal to accept Iran's strategic position and its insistence on weakening
This issue is unacceptable to Washington, which believes it cannot abandon the region without first weakening Iran and the Resistance
Axis.Politically speaking, the very existence of the Islamic Republic represents a model that challenges the hegemonic will of the United
States, making it a threat to the liberal system.For this reason, any United States administration, regardless of its political
affiliation, will view Iran through the lens of an "enemy state." This does not mean that diplomatic agreements cannot be reached on a
case-by-case basis, as was the case during the Obama administration with the 2015 nuclear deal, but it remains a relationship defined by
pressure" strategy against Iran, as well as attempts to expand the scope of normalization agreements between Arab countries and Israel
"long-term strategy" of the United States to harm and weaken the Islamic Republic.
