1. Introduction
in the literature of international relations, in recent decades, increasing attention has been focused on the role of ideas, norms and identity in foreign policy of countries and the area of regionalism .but so far the research did not provide a framework for analyzing the challenges of regionalism in islamic republic of iran. This lack highlights the need for research that can formulate Iran's regional policy in the form of a new concept called “idea politics” and analyze its challenges systematically. If we define the politics of geography or geopolitics as the study of power and competition between powers based on the possibilities that geography provides to actors, then “idea politics” can be defined as the study of power seeking or competition between powers based on the possibilities of ideology. The Islamic Republic has the necessary facilities to promote and support its ideology at the regional level. However, the regional policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a concrete manifestation of the , idea politics faces challenges in practice. The ultimate goal of the research is to provide a coherent analysis of these challenges and the position of the idea politics in the regional policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran; an analysis that can pave the way for a discussion on possible strategies for reinterpreting and redefining this policy in the changing regional and international environment.
2. Theoretical Framework
Classical analyses in international relations, which focus on the centrality of hard power, material interests, and geopolitical equations, are incapable of analyzing the actions of an actor like Iran, which considers itself to have a "normative mission" and a "distinctive ideological identity." The concept of ideal politics has a clear overlap with the normative power literature, suggesting that some actors seek to influence and shape their environment through the promotion of values, identities, and norms. But unlike classical idealism, it does not necessarily mean ignoring the realities of power, but rather a prioritization of the logic of ideas within the framework of power action. From this perspective, the regionalism of the Islamic Republic of Iran should be seen as an attempt to redefine the regional order based on the specific ideals of the Islamic Revolution, rather than simply a response to security threats. Its central components include: defining the self and the other based on values, promoting a discourse of resistance and solidarity, and critiquing liberal-Western hegemony in the region. Based on the theoretical framework of the idea politics, the challenges of the regionalism policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran can be analyzed as points of friction between the logic of ideas and the structural realities of the regional and trans-regional environment.
3. Methodology
Despite the explanatory approach of some works in examining the obstacles and challenges of regionalism in the Islamic Republic of Iran, this research was conducted using an analytical-interpretive method and focusing on the concept of “idea politics.
4. Results & Discussion
The regionalism of the Islamic Republic of Iran can be considered a clear example of the politics of the ideal, which is based on a combination of normative, identity, and strategic components. That is, ideological-revolutionary identity, norm-setting action in the regional environment, and confrontation with the dominant international order. Of course, this faces regional and trans-regional challenges. At the regional level, the confrontation between Iran and Saudi Arabia should be understood as a “normative competition” that goes “idea politics” beyond a traditional competition for power or influence, and is rooted in the conflict between two models of legitimization and identity formation. Turkish neo-Ottomanism can be considered an “identity-oriented and civilizational project” that has a different understanding of Islam, one that is pro-market, pro-Western, and pro-human rights, and that seeks to overshadow Iran’s normative influence. And the Zionist regime is the most obvious example of the “existential confrontation” with the “idea politics” of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The transregional challenges facing Iran’s regionalism from the perspective of “idea politics” represent a multi-layered siege. The liberal-democratic discourse seeks the universalism of the Western model in contrast to Iran’s alternative worldview. And the Iranophobic and Shiaphobic discourses seek to transform the Iranian project into an existential security threat in the narrative of rivals. Several solutions can be considered for these challenges: first, redefining the “idea politics” from the ideological to the normative-discursive level, second, separating idealism from sectarian confrontation, and third, institutionalizing the “idea politics”in the form of multilateral cooperation. These strategies can increase the cost of action against Iran for rivals. This solution manages the inherent tension between ideals and reality not by abandoning the ideal, but by making its implementation more intelligent.
5. Conclusions & Suggestions
The findings of this study show that the challenges of the regionalism of the Islamic Republic of Iran cannot be explained simply by referring to geopolitical considerations or the competition of regional powers. The main innovation of this article is that it analyzes Iran’s regionalism not simply as a security act or reaction, but as an active attempt to redefine the foundations of legitimacy, identity, and order in the West Asian region. “idea politics” in the Islamic Republic of Iran operates in the midst of a complex field of regional and trans-regional challenges. These challenges are not a sign of the ineffectiveness of the idea politics, but rather the consequence of the entry of an alternative discourse into the field of competition between dominant orders. The response to these challenges is not to adjust the idea politics, but to make the strategies smarter. Therefore, confronting these challenges requires adopting intelligent, active, and multi-level strategies. In order for the idea politics to become an effective and attractive model of activism in the regional order. These strategies include: redefining the idea politics from the ideological level to the normative-discursive level, separating idealism from sectarian confrontation, and institutionalizing the idea politics in the form of multilateral cooperation. If the idea politics can transition to the stage of providing an operational and institutional model for the regional order, it will be able to reduce the severity of the challenges while maintaining its identity-building foundations and playing a decisive role in shaping the future normative political geography of West Asia.