Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs

Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs

The European Union's Strategies Toward the Islamic Republic of Iran: From the Islamic Revolution to the Present

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Shahireh Nozari 1
Seyed Davood Aghaei 2
1 Ph.D Candidate in Regional Studies, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Regional Studies, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/irfa.2024.486623.1264
Abstract
This article examines the European Union's (EU) strategies toward the Islamic Republic of Iran from the 1979 Islamic Revolution to the present, offering a comprehensive longitudinal analysis of EU-Iran relations through a constructivist lens. The relationship between the EU and Iran has traversed a landscape marked by ideological divergence, geopolitical tensions, and shifts in diplomatic approaches, providing an essential case study for understanding the role of ideas, norms, and identities in international relations. While previous scholarship has largely addressed isolated aspects of EU-Iran relations-such as critical and comprehensive dialogue frameworks, nuclear negotiations, and regional strategy-this study seeks to provide a cohesive overview of the EU's evolving policy by situating these engagements within the broader context of the EU's normative commitments and strategic interests. Employing constructivism as the theoretical foundation, this research argues that the EU's strategies have been shaped not solely by material interests but by the EU' self-perception as a promoter of international norms, such as human rights and nuclear non-proliferation. Additionally, the EU's continuous emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy, even amid rising tensions, reflects its identity as a distinct actor in the international system. The study delves into key aspects of this evolving relationship, including the EU's perception of Iran as a regional actor, the influence of interfaith and intercultural dialogue on EU-Iran engagements, and the ways in which social learning has reshaped EU strategies over time. The analysis reveals that repeated interactions between the EU and Iran have fostered mutual understanding and reframed strategic priorities, shifting from a focus on human rights to broader concerns of energy security and regional stability. This constructivist approach underscores the socially constructed nature of threats, opportunities, and interests, offering a nuanced understanding of the EU's enduring engagement with Iran. By shedding light on the ideational factors that inform EU policy, this study contributes valuable insights into the complexities of EU-Iran relations within an evolving global context.
Keywords
EU-Iran relations
constructivism
diplomatic strategy
normative identity
Middle East stability

Subjects

Article Title Persian

راهبردهای اتحادیه اروپا در قبال جمهوری اسلامی ایران: از انقلاب اسلامی تا کنون

Authors Persian

شهیره نوذری 1
سید داوود آقایی 2
1 دانشجوی دکتری مطالعات منطقه ای، دانشکده حقوق و علوم سیاسی، دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران
2 استاد، گروه مطالعات منطقه‌ای، دانشکده حقوق و علوم سیاسی، دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران.
Abstract Persian

این مقاله به بررسی راهبردهای اتحادیه اروپا در قبال جمهوری اسلامی ایران از انقلاب اسلامی 1979 تا کنون می پردازد و یک تحلیل جامع از روابط اتحادیه اروپا و ایران از دریچه سازه انگاری ارائه می دهد. روابط بین اتحادیه اروپا و ایران چشم‌اندازی را طی کرده است که با واگرایی ایدئولوژیک، تنش‌های ژئوپلیتیکی، و تغییر رویکردهای دیپلماتیک متمایز شده است و یک مطالعه موردی ضروری برای درک نقش ایده‌ها، هنجارها و هویت‌ها در روابط بین‌الملل ارائه می‌کند. در حالی که پژوهش‌های قبلی عمدتاً به جنبه‌های مجزای روابط اتحادیه اروپا و ایران - مانند چارچوب‌های گفتگوی انتقادی و جامع، مذاکرات هسته‌ای، و استراتژی منطقه‌ای - پرداخته است، این مطالعه به دنبال ارائه یک نمای کلی منسجم از سیاست در حال تحول اتحادیه اروپا با قرار دادن این تعاملات در چارچوب وسیع‌تر تعهدات هنجاری و منافع استراتژیک اروپاست. پژوهش حاضر با به کارگیری سازه انگاری به عنوان پایه نظری، استدلال می کند که راهبردهای اتحادیه اروپا نه تنها بر اساس منافع مادی، بلکه توسط خودانگاره اتحادیه اروپا به عنوان مروج هنجارهای بین المللی، مانند حقوق بشر و عدم اشاعه هسته ای شکل گرفته است. علاوه بر این، تاکید مستمر اتحادیه اروپا بر گفتگو و دیپلماسی، حتی در بحبوحه تنش های فزاینده، نشان دهنده هویت آن به عنوان یک بازیگر خاص در نظام بین المللی کنونی است. این مطالعه به جنبه‌های کلیدی این رابطه در حال تکامل، از جمله درک اتحادیه اروپا از ایران به‌عنوان یک بازیگر منطقه‌ای، تأثیر گفت‌وگوی بین‌ادیانی و بین‌فرهنگی بر تعاملات اتحادیه اروپا و ایران، و راه‌هایی که یادگیری اجتماعی در طول زمان استراتژی‌های اتحادیه اروپا را تغییر داده است، می‌پردازد. نتایج این تحلیل نشان می‌دهد که تعاملات مکرر بین اتحادیه اروپا و ایران باعث تقویت درک متقابل و تغییر اولویت‌های استراتژیک شده و از تمرکز بر حقوق بشر به نگرانی‌های گسترده‌تر در مورد امنیت انرژی و ثبات منطقه‌ای تغییر کرده است. این مطالعه با تبیین عوامل موثر که سیاست‌های اتحادیه اروپا را مشخص می‌کنند، بینش‌های ارزشمندی را در مورد پیچیدگی‌های روابط اتحادیه اروپا و ایران در یک زمینه جهانی در حال تکامل ارائه می‌کند.

Keywords Persian

روابط ایران و اروپا
سازه انگاری
راهبرد دیپلماتیک
هویت هنجاری و ثبات خاورمیانه
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Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs
Volume 14, Issue 2 - Serial Number 38
November 2023
Pages 343-368

  • Receive Date 05 November 2024
  • Accept Date 24 November 2023