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Role of Revolutionary Leadership in Iran to Its Foreign Policy

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Role of Revolutionary Leadership in Iran to Its Foreign Policy University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2009 Role Of Revolutionary Leadership In Iran To Its Foreign Policy Aida Latorre University of Central Florida Part of the Political Science Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Masters Thesis (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Latorre, Aida, "Role Of Revolutionary Leadership In Iran To Its Foreign Policy" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 4113. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/4113 ROLE OF REVOLUTIONARY LEADERSHIP IN IRAN ON ITS FOREIGN POLICY by AIDA MARIA LATORRE B.A. University of Central Florida, 2006 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Political Science in the College of Sciences at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Summer Term 2009 ABSTRACT This study investigated the role of different leadership styles within Iran and how such leadership changes influenced Iranian foreign policy. The study utilized event-data analysis of Iranian history and current events and discussed the role of realist and idealist to the development of Iran into the regional power it is today as well as how Western relations played a role in developing Iranian foreign policy, particularly with regard to its nuclear development. The main body of the study drew from the dynamics within Iran, its relations with the West, relations with Israel, and relations with other foreign powers. The event-data analysis also took into account the political and socioeconomic stability and conditions within Iran as it would readily influence the foreign policy-making within the nation. The first part of the study analyzed Iranian society under the Shah and the under the revolutionary guidance of the Ayatollah Khomeini; the second part analyzed the post-Khomeini period in Iran. In addition to reviewing the role of different revolutionary leadership styles within Iran, this study considers the role that Iranian- Western relations have played in Iranian policy-making. Further, this study considers the tumultuous role that nuclear development has had in Iran’s foreign relations. Findings showed that there is a relationship between Western presence in the Middle East and growing aggression by Iranian leadership. Moreover, the study demonstrates that the role of revolutionary leadership styles is critical in accessing the manner in which foreign policy decisions are made. The study found that the role of Islam in Iranian politics has brought much contention but found that in the post-Khomeini years, it has not been the central reason for policy decisions. Recommendations were made for the continued study of the role of nuclear development in Iranian-Western relations as this study was able to find some evidence of it having some level of relevance. Additionally, recommendations were made that additional research be conducted with regard to the role of Islam in shaping Iranian foreign policy in the Post-Khomeini era. ii For Mami, Papi, and Abuelita who always believed in me no matter what iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thank you to my family and close friends for their support throughout this project and to my professors for all their assistance throughout my academic career. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Thesis Statement ......................................................................................................................... 2 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................................. 3 Hypothesis #1: ........................................................................................................................ 3 Hypothesis #2: ........................................................................................................................ 4 Hypothesis #3: ........................................................................................................................ 5 Hypothesis #4: ........................................................................................................................ 5 Significance................................................................................................................................. 6 Literature Review........................................................................................................................ 7 Theory ....................................................................................................................................... 13 Research Design........................................................................................................................ 16 CHAPTER TWO: THE REIGN OF MODERNIZATION ......................................................... 18 Brief History of Iran.................................................................................................................. 18 Rise of the Shah ........................................................................................................................ 23 Iran and the Middle East ........................................................................................................... 28 The Beginning of the Iranian-Israeli Relationship.................................................................... 29 Iran and the West ...................................................................................................................... 31 The Shah and Nuclear Development ........................................................................................ 36 The Shah and Iranian Society ................................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER THREE: REVOLUTION AND CHANGE: THE KHOMEINI YEARS .............. 47 Insurgency and Revolution ....................................................................................................... 47 New Leader, New Direction ..................................................................................................... 52 Foreign Relations under Khomeini ........................................................................................... 58 The Moral Confrontation against the “Great Satan” ................................................................. 61 The Final Years of Khomeini’s Rule ........................................................................................ 65 CHAPTER FOUR: POST-KHOMEINI IRAN: THE REALIST YEARS ............................... 70 Revolutionary Realism after Khomeini .................................................................................... 70 Rafsanjani Years ................................................................................................................... 70 The Khatami Presidency ....................................................................................................... 75 Reconstructing Foreign Relations ............................................................................................. 77 Confronting Israel ..................................................................................................................... 81 Focus on Development ............................................................................................................. 83 v Economic Development ........................................................................................................ 83 Social and Cultural Development ......................................................................................... 86 Restarting Iran’s Nuclear Program ........................................................................................... 88 Shifting in Us-Iranian Relations ............................................................................................... 94 CHAPTER FIVE: THE CLASH OF REVOLUTIONARY LEADERSHIP STYLES ............... 99 Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad.......................................................... 99 Development ........................................................................................................................... 104 Economic Development ...................................................................................................... 104 Social and Cultural Development ....................................................................................... 105 Nuclear Showdown ................................................................................................................. 106 Foreign Relations .................................................................................................................... 114 Relations with Israel ............................................................................................................... 116 “Axis of Evil” V. “The Great Satan” ...................................................................................... 118 CHAPTER SIX: PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE
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