Analysis of the Supreme Leader’s Perspective on the Issue of America (Based on the Theories of Rubinstein and Smith)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 university of tehranDoctoral student of Political Science, University of Tehran, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Center for Islamic Revolution Studies, Holy Defense of Imam Hossein University, Tehran, Iran

3 M.Sc. Payame Noor University of Quchan, Iran.

Abstract

The approach to dealing with the United States has been a fundamental issue since the onset of the Islamic Revolution. However, this issue has been less explored from a theoretical perspective within the discourse of the Islamic Revolution and the thought of the Supreme Leader. By examining the views of the Leader, we gain a deeper understanding of the ideological foundations that guide the Islamic Republic of Iran’s stance toward the United States. In this regard, in response to the question of how the issue of America in the Supreme Leader’s thought can be explained within the framework of the theories of Rubinstein and Smith, the hypothesis was proposed that his confrontational approach toward America since the Islamic Revolution is shaped both by the revolutionary nature of the Iranian government and by the interventionist policies and actions of the United States. This perspective has led to the emergence of key concepts such as anti-imperialism, cultural resistance, and political sovereignty in his thoughts and viewpoints. This study, utilizing the analytical framework of Rubinstein and Smith (1998) and employing qualitative research, documentary analysis, and a descriptive-analytical approach, demonstrates that after the Islamic Revolution, the support for political Islam in Iran became intertwined with anti-American sentiments. This relationship is largely due to the revolutionary nature of the Iranian government and the political policies and actions of the United States. The thought of the Supreme Leader is also influenced by these political actions and the interventionist behavior of America. As a result, the struggle against American imperialism and the stance of resistance has become an inseparable part of the identity of the Islamic Republic, closely linked to the discourse of opposing oppression and hope for the reappearance of the Mahdi in Shia Islam.

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 September 2024
  • Revise Date: 03 December 2024
  • Accept Date: 03 December 2024
  • Publish Date: 21 June 2024

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