Comparison of Bani Sadr and Rajaie's Views on Foreign Policy Based on Role Theory

Document Type : Original Article

Author

member of political science department, yasouj university

Abstract

One of the periods that has received little attention in Iranian foreign policy is the presidency of Bani Sadr and Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Rajaie. The purpose of this study is to investigate this period. The main question is, what role did Abolhassan Bani Sadr and Mohammad Ali Rajaie imagine for Iranian foreign policy in the International System? And how did the interpretation of these roles lead to disagreements between them in Iranian foreign policy? Research Hypothesis refer to Rajai's 'Revolutionary and Value' Interpretation and Bani Sadr's 'Liberal and Conservative' Interpretation from Iranian Foreign Policy Roles as the cause of their disagreement and ultimately the short life of the Bani Sadr administration. The documentary method was used to answer the main question. Research data was often extracted and analyzed from newspapers and memoirs. The research period is from 9 August 1980 to 21 June 1981. Research findings show that while the Islamic Republic of Iran had assumed several roles in the world at the same time, according to Holsti, the President had serious disagreements with the prime minister in playing roles of the fight against imperialism and oppression, the role of the defender of Islam, the role of the liberating state, the role of model State. The result was a kind of inconsistency in Iran's foreign policy that the absence of the Foreign Minister also exacerbated it.

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