Religion and Culture in Iran’s Foreign Policy

Abstract

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a distinctive example of international relations in which statecraft and foreign policy are intertwined with religion and culture. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has sought to establish itself as a contemporary nation-state while simultaneously serving as the guardian of the Islamic ideological initiative. This duality has had a substantial impact on its interactions with neighboring regions, particularly the South Caucasus, where historical, cultural, and religious linkages intersect with geostrategic concerns. This paper analyzes the conceptual frameworks that inform Iranian foreign policy, focusing on religion and culture, while contextualizing them within international history and applying them to the South Caucasus case study.