No Compromise with the "Great Satan"? Anti-Westernism and the Ontological Limits of Reconciliation in US-Iran Relations

Abstract

This article examines the role of anti-Westernism in the ideological foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran. While much of the literature on US–Iran relations emphasizes strategic rivalry, nuclear proliferation or regional power politics, this study argues that the persistence of conflict is rooted in the identity structure of the Iranian revolutionary state. Drawing on the concept of ontological security, originally developed by Anthony Giddens and later adapted to International Relations (IR) by Jennifer Mitzen, the article contends that anti-Westernism functions as a constitutive element of the regime’s political ontology. Since the 1979 Revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini, opposition to Western hegemony—particularly the US (United States)—has served as a key narrative legitimizing the Islamic regime in Tehran. This ideological orientation has been institutionalized through political structures, elite socialization and state discourse, embedding resistance to the West within Iran’s political culture. As a result, diplomatic compromise with the US risks destabilizing the regime’s decades-long narratives and undermining its ideological legitimacy. The article argues that this ontological constraint has led to repeated failures of rapprochement with the US—including the fragility of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action—and ultimately to the escalation culminating in the 2026 Iran War. By analyzing the interaction between regime identity and foreign policy behavior, the article contributes to broader debates on ideology, ontological security and the persistence of international conflict.

Keywords

• Anti-Westernism
• Ontological Security
• Iranian Foreign Policy
• US-Iran Relations
• Revolutionary Ideology

Ethical Statement

This article does not require ethical approval and informed consent.

"Büyük Şeytan" ile Uzlaşma Yok Mu? ABD-İran İlişkilerinde Batı-Karşıtlığı ve Uzlaşının Ontolojik Sınırları

Abstract

Bu makale, Batı karşıtlığının İran İslam Cumhuriyeti’nin ideolojik temellerindeki rolünü incelemektedir. Amerika Birleşik Devletleri (ABD)–İran ilişkilerine dair literatürün önemli bir kısmı stratejik rekabet, nükleer program veya bölgesel güç siyasetine odaklanırken, bu çalışma iki taraf arasındaki çatışmanın İran’daki devrimci devletin kimlik yapısıyla bağlantılı olduğunu ileri sürmektedir. İlk olarak Anthony Giddens tarafından geliştirilen ve daha sonra Jennifer Mitzen tarafından Uluslararası İlişkiler (Uİ) disiplinine uyarlanan ontolojik güvenlik kavramından hareketle makale, Batı karşıtlığının rejimin siyasal ontolojisinin kurucu unsurlarından biri olarak işlev gördüğünü savunmaktadır. Ruhollah Humeyni liderliğinde gerçekleşen 1979 Devrimi’nden bu yana Batı hegemonyasına—özellikle de ABD’ye—karşı muhalefet, Tahran’daki İslam rejimini meşrulaştıran temel anlatılardan biri olmuştur. Bu ideolojik yönelim, siyasal kurumlar, yönetici elitler ve hükümet söylemleri aracılığıyla kurumsallaştırılmış; böylece Batı’ya karşı direniş, İran’ın siyasal kültürünün içine yerleşmiştir. Bu nedenle ABD ile diplomatik uzlaşma, rejimin onlarca yıllık kimlik anlatısını zayıflatma ve ideolojik meşruiyetini çökertme riski taşımaktadır. Makale, bu ontolojik kısıtın, Kapsamlı Ortak Eylem Planı’nın (JCPOA) kırılganlığı da dâhil olmak üzere birçok yakınlaşma girişiminin başarısızlığa uğramasına ve nihayetinde 2026 İran Savaşı ile sonuçlanan gerilimin tırmanmasına etkide bulunduğunu ileri sürmektedir. Rejim kimliği ile dış politika davranışı arasındaki etkileşimi analiz eden bu çalışma; ideoloji, ontolojik güvenlik ve uluslararası çatışmaların sürekliliğine ilişkin literatüre katkı sunmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Keywords

• Batı Karşıtlığı
• Ontolojik Güvenlik
• İran Dış Politikası
• ABD-İran İlişkileri
• Devrim İdeolojisi

Ethical Statement

Bu makalede etik beyana gerek yoktur.

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