Iran’s strategy against the containment policy of US: balancing, bandwagoning or bargaining?

Abstract

The relations of the United States and Iran is an actual topic in the field of international relations and most research focuses on relations for many year. Since latest decision of Donald Trump regarding withdrawal, the strategy of Iran against the US policy deserves more attention. Also due to its character of being latest and ongoing, this topic forms a research gap and this study could provide a new perspective to the strategy of Iran. The purpose of the thesis is to evaluate the strategy of Iran against the containment policy of the United States and examine it in terms of theoretical framework was included bargaining, balancing and bandwagoning strategies. This research project thus seeks to examine how Iran as a regional power copes against the unilateral sanctions of the US. Thesis aimed to give theoretical explanation to the strategy of Iran as well, which makes project more valuable. To start, theoretical framework regarding strategy of states, alliance formations will be explained. Following, the historical background of the relations between two states will be examined for better understanding of current developments. Later, Iran’s foreign policy will be examined to explain the strategy against containment policy of the US. In the end, the consequences regarding the bargaining power of Iran and its self-sufficiency will be presented as tools against containment.