The Role of Resistance Discourse in the Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

The discourse of resistance, as one of the most fundamental components of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is based on seeking justice, anti-hegemony, and safeguarding the collective security of the Islamic nation. This study, with a descriptive-analytical approach, examines the role of this discourse in Iran’s regional orientations in West Asia and analyzes the strategies of Martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani as an objective and operational embodiment of this discourse. The findings show that in the thought of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, resistance is not a sectional strategy, but a “permanent principle” and the identity pillar of Iran’s foreign policy; a principle that has reached its peak of effectiveness in the field practice and network diplomacy of Martyr Soleimani and has been able to transform the axis of resistance into a coherent and effective regional system. His role in defeating Takfiri terrorism, deepening Iran’s strategic depth, and establishing the new security order of West Asia confirms the soft power and identity of this discourse. These results can be explained within the framework of structuralism theory, because Iran’s foreign policy is based on Shiite-Islamic values ​​and identity, and its action makes sense against the hegemonic identity of the West. Accordingly, the discourse of resistance is not only a political strategy, but also an identity and civilizational model that has determined and established the path of Iran’s foreign policy in West Asia.