|
Iran
FOREIGN POLICY
Iran's foreign policy was dramatically reversed following the
Revolution. After World War II, Iranian leaders considered their
country to be part of the Western alliance system. They actively
cultivated relations with the United States, both as a means of
protecting their country from perceived political pressures emanating
from the Soviet Union and as a matter of genuine ideological conviction.
The Revolution, which was laden with anti-American rhetoric,
brought new leaders to power who disapproved of Iran's relationship
with the United States. The new leaders were convinced that Washington
had tried to maintain the shah in power, despite the mass demonstrations
calling for his downfall, and were deeply suspicious of American
intentions toward their Revolution. These leaders believed that
the United States was plotting to restore the shah to power and
were unresponsive to persistent efforts by American diplomats
to persuade them that the United States had no ill intentions
toward the new regime.
The more radical revolutionaries were determined to eradicate
all traces of American influence from Iran. Fearing that the provisional
government was seeking an accommodation with the United States,
some of these radicals precipitated the seizure of the American
embassy in November 1979. Subsequently, they exploited the protracted
hostage crisis between Tehran and Washington to achieve their
objective of terminating normal relations with the United States.
The severing of ties with the United States was regarded not only
as essential for expunging American influence from the country
but also was considered a prerequisite for implementing their
revolutionary foreign policy ideology. This new ideology consisted
of two concepts: export of revolution and independence from both
the East and the West. By the time the hostage crisis was finally
resolved in January 1981, these ideas were embraced by the entire
political elite.
Data as of December 1987
|
