Geopolitics Quarterly

Geopolitics Quarterly

A Critical Analysis of Iran's Strategic Partnerships with Africa

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Shahrooz Shariati 1
Majid Rasouli 2
1 Associate Professor of Political Science at Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Geopolitics, Center for African Studies, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/igq.2024.459902.1900
Abstract
Africa is of high significance for both developing and developed nations due to its geopolitical position, economic issues, cultural traditions, and the substantial number of Africans in international organizations and institutions. The Islamic Republic of Iran, driven by revolutionary objectives and national interests, cannot overlook Africa. Generally, In the discourse of the Iranian Islamic revolution, Africa is perceived as an oppressed continent under colonial influence with a significant Muslim population. However, despite being described as having a "strategic position" in Iran's foreign policy by Iranian officials, a closer examination of the peak periods of Iran-Africa interactions reveals that their engagement has remained limited. This paper aims to assess the status of Africa within the overarching foreign policy strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It seeks to address the question of Africa's place in Iran's strategic planning and development programs. It evaluating the content of “development plan” directives and the performance of Iranian governments since 1995 using post-event analysis and trend research methods. The findings indicate that despite Africa's importance; Iranian policymakers have never formulated a coherent strategy for effective presence in Africa. Consequently, Iran's policies in Africa have been more focused on "meta-political" statements, lacking both evaluative and measurable frameworks as well as enforcement guarantees. This study demonstrates that Iran's policies in Africa have been driven by the motivations of ambassadors and the preferences and judgments of executors, with no consistent program pursued to achieve its true goals.
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Keywords
Iran
Africa
Foreign Policy
National Interests
Strategic Partnership

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Geopolitics Quarterly
Volume 20, Issue 4
Autumn 2024
Pages 280-302

  • Receive Date 28 May 2024
  • Revise Date 27 July 2024
  • Accept Date 07 August 2024