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Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program

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Resumo:While arguing that Iran's defense policy pillars are built upon Shia provisions, the present contribution sets out to investigate how the main Shia principles have been informing the development and employment of strategic culture of Iran, underpinning the employment of Iran’s strategic weapons and in particular Iran’s ballistic missile program (BMP). It is argued, accordingly, that Iran's approach to the BMP is inseparable from qisas (retaliation), while obeying the overarching principle of maslahat; but also characterized by the varying importance of the principles zarare aghall, ezterar and nafye sabil. Drawing on the analytical framework which combines the Strategic Culture Theory (SCT) with the narrative analysis, this thesis explores the recent evolution of Iran’s ballistic missile program (BMP) (2015-2022). While Iran’s strategic culture dictates a key role for the BMP, it nevertheless allows for a particular room for maneuver. In this sense, the principles of Shi'a Islam form a particular discursive habitat in which Iran's strategic actions are framed and rationalized (something that also explains multiple and sometimes contradicting visions on the BMP in Iran). Against this background, the thesis demonstrates how Iran’s approach towards the program is enveloped by political discourses, shifting with the direction of Iran’s international relations and domestic politics.I distinguish two competing narratives, the ‘revolutionary’ originated from the principle of nafye sabil and the ‘moderation’ rooted in the principle of minimum loss, and demonstrate how they define the opportunities and constraints of Iran’s military behavior in two different ways. Moreover, I show a change towards a more confrontational approach, reflected in the consolidation of the ‘revolutionary’ narrative. This thesis contributes to a more fine-grained understanding of Iran’s policy towards its BMP, which remains central to Iran’s strategic culture.
Autores principais:Eslami, Mohammad
Assunto:Ballistic missiles Iran Strategic culture Ways of war Cultura estratégica Irão Mísseis balísticos Modos de guerra
Ano:2023
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:tese de doutoramento
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Universidade do Minho
Idioma:inglês
Origem:RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
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author Eslami, Mohammad
author_facet Eslami, Mohammad
author_role author
contributor_name_str_mv Vieira, Alena
Adib-Moghaddam, Arshin
Universidade do Minho
country_str PT
creators_json_txt [{\"Person.name\":\"Eslami, Mohammad\"}]
datacite.contributors.contributor.contributorName.fl_str_mv Vieira, Alena
Adib-Moghaddam, Arshin
Universidade do Minho
datacite.creators.creator.creatorName.fl_str_mv Eslami, Mohammad
datacite.date.Accepted.fl_str_mv 2023-09-14T00:00:00Z
datacite.date.available.fl_str_mv 2023-10-16T10:00:05Z
datacite.date.embargoed.fl_str_mv 2023-10-16T10:00:05Z
datacite.rights.fl_str_mv http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
datacite.subjects.subject.fl_str_mv Ballistic missiles
Iran
Strategic culture
Ways of war
Cultura estratégica
Irão
Mísseis balísticos
Modos de guerra
datacite.titles.title.fl_str_mv Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
Cultura estratégica e política externa e de defesa do Irã para o Programa de Mísseis Balísticos
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Vieira, Alena
Adib-Moghaddam, Arshin
Universidade do Minho
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Eslami, Mohammad
dc.date.Accepted.fl_str_mv 2023-09-14T00:00:00Z
dc.date.available.fl_str_mv 2023-10-16T10:00:05Z
dc.date.embargoed.fl_str_mv 2023-10-16T10:00:05Z
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/1822/86880
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
dc.rights.cclincense.fl_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
dc.rights.rights.copyright.fl_str_mv openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Ballistic missiles
Iran
Strategic culture
Ways of war
Cultura estratégica
Irão
Mísseis balísticos
Modos de guerra
dc.title.fl_str_mv Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
Cultura estratégica e política externa e de defesa do Irã para o Programa de Mísseis Balísticos
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06
description While arguing that Iran's defense policy pillars are built upon Shia provisions, the present contribution sets out to investigate how the main Shia principles have been informing the development and employment of strategic culture of Iran, underpinning the employment of Iran’s strategic weapons and in particular Iran’s ballistic missile program (BMP). It is argued, accordingly, that Iran's approach to the BMP is inseparable from qisas (retaliation), while obeying the overarching principle of maslahat; but also characterized by the varying importance of the principles zarare aghall, ezterar and nafye sabil. Drawing on the analytical framework which combines the Strategic Culture Theory (SCT) with the narrative analysis, this thesis explores the recent evolution of Iran’s ballistic missile program (BMP) (2015-2022). While Iran’s strategic culture dictates a key role for the BMP, it nevertheless allows for a particular room for maneuver. In this sense, the principles of Shi'a Islam form a particular discursive habitat in which Iran's strategic actions are framed and rationalized (something that also explains multiple and sometimes contradicting visions on the BMP in Iran). Against this background, the thesis demonstrates how Iran’s approach towards the program is enveloped by political discourses, shifting with the direction of Iran’s international relations and domestic politics.I distinguish two competing narratives, the ‘revolutionary’ originated from the principle of nafye sabil and the ‘moderation’ rooted in the principle of minimum loss, and demonstrate how they define the opportunities and constraints of Iran’s military behavior in two different ways. Moreover, I show a change towards a more confrontational approach, reflected in the consolidation of the ‘revolutionary’ narrative. This thesis contributes to a more fine-grained understanding of Iran’s policy towards its BMP, which remains central to Iran’s strategic culture.
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person_str_mv Eslami, Mohammad
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spelling engporWhile arguing that Iran's defense policy pillars are built upon Shia provisions, the present contribution sets out to investigate how the main Shia principles have been informing the development and employment of strategic culture of Iran, underpinning the employment of Iran’s strategic weapons and in particular Iran’s ballistic missile program (BMP). It is argued, accordingly, that Iran's approach to the BMP is inseparable from qisas (retaliation), while obeying the overarching principle of maslahat; but also characterized by the varying importance of the principles zarare aghall, ezterar and nafye sabil. Drawing on the analytical framework which combines the Strategic Culture Theory (SCT) with the narrative analysis, this thesis explores the recent evolution of Iran’s ballistic missile program (BMP) (2015-2022). While Iran’s strategic culture dictates a key role for the BMP, it nevertheless allows for a particular room for maneuver. In this sense, the principles of Shi'a Islam form a particular discursive habitat in which Iran's strategic actions are framed and rationalized (something that also explains multiple and sometimes contradicting visions on the BMP in Iran). Against this background, the thesis demonstrates how Iran’s approach towards the program is enveloped by political discourses, shifting with the direction of Iran’s international relations and domestic politics.I distinguish two competing narratives, the ‘revolutionary’ originated from the principle of nafye sabil and the ‘moderation’ rooted in the principle of minimum loss, and demonstrate how they define the opportunities and constraints of Iran’s military behavior in two different ways. Moreover, I show a change towards a more confrontational approach, reflected in the consolidation of the ‘revolutionary’ narrative. This thesis contributes to a more fine-grained understanding of Iran’s policy towards its BMP, which remains central to Iran’s strategic culture.application/pdfporStrategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile programAlternativeTitleporCultura estratégica e política externa e de defesa do Irã para o Programa de Mísseis BalísticosEslami, MohammadVieira, AlenaAdib-Moghaddam, ArshinHostingInstitutionOrganizationalUniversidade do Minhoe-mailmailto:repositorium@usdb.uminho.ptrepositorium@usdb.uminho.ptURNurn:tid:1016695692023-10-16T10:00:05Z2023-09-1420232023-09-14T00:00:00ZHandlehttps://hdl.handle.net/1822/86880http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2open accessBallistic missilesIranStrategic cultureWays of warCultura estratégicaIrãoMísseis balísticosModos de guerra2189941 bytesliteraturehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06doctoral thesis2023-09-14http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/openAccesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2application/pdffulltexthttps://prod-dspace.uminho.pt/bitstreams/d36cf6b2-76f3-4021-843d-5070be0ccafc/download
spellingShingle Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
Eslami, Mohammad
Ballistic missiles
Iran
Strategic culture
Ways of war
Cultura estratégica
Irão
Mísseis balísticos
Modos de guerra
status SINGLETON
subject.fl_str_mv Ballistic missiles
Iran
Strategic culture
Ways of war
Cultura estratégica
Irão
Mísseis balísticos
Modos de guerra
title Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
title_full Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
title_fullStr Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
title_full_unstemmed Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
title_short Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
title_sort Strategic culture and Iran’s foreign and defense policy towards the ballistic missile program
topic Ballistic missiles
Iran
Strategic culture
Ways of war
Cultura estratégica
Irão
Mísseis balísticos
Modos de guerra
topic_facet Ballistic missiles
Iran
Strategic culture
Ways of war
Cultura estratégica
Irão
Mísseis balísticos
Modos de guerra
url https://hdl.handle.net/1822/86880
visible 1