Foreign relations of Iran

Geography plays a crucial role in shaping Iran's foreign policy. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the newly established Islamic Republic, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, made a significant shift from the pro-American stance adopted by the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Since then, the country's policies have fluctuated between two opposing approaches: one driven by revolutionary zeal to eradicate non-Muslim Western influences while promoting the Islamic revolution globally, and the other focused on pragmatism aimed at fostering economic development and normalizing international relations. As a result, Iran's bilateral interactions can often appear confusing and contradictory.

According to data released by RepTrak, Iran ranks as the second least reputable country in the world in terms of international standing, just above Iraq, a position it has maintained for three consecutive years—2016, 2017, and 2018. The issues of Islamism and nuclear proliferation frequently arise in discussions about Iran's foreign relations. A series of polls conducted by Pew Research in 2012 revealed that only one nation, Pakistan, had a majority of its population supporting Iran's right to develop nuclear weapons. In contrast, overwhelming majorities in other surveyed countries, particularly in Europe, North America, and South America (with 90-95% opposed), rejected the idea of a nuclear-armed Iran. Furthermore, many respondents from various nations, including Americans, Brazilians, Japanese, Mexicans, Egyptians, Germans, Britons, French, Italians, Spaniards, and Poles, showed majority support for implementing "tougher sanctions" against Iran. In contrast, majorities in China, Russia, and Turkey expressed opposition to such sanctions.