MADRID On February 3, Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif revealed the Strategic Consensus Document for National Security, a detailed strategic roadmap.During a Tehran gathering also attended by journalists, Zarif stated the document was designed with the aid of scholars, analysts, historians as well as a team of officials working for him.With a historical point of view spanning from the Qajar era to the Islamic Revolution, the document explains that Irans security has been under constant threat due to its vulnerability to external actors.
On this basis, it highlights the function of the Islamic Republic as the guarantor of national stability and highlights its tactical method on the worldwide phase over the previous four decades.The effort is presented as a workout in historic and reasonable estimation, directed both at the international community and various sectors of Iranian society.
Its purpose is twofold: on the one hand, to build a coherent story on national security; on the other, to lay out a roadmap for its efficient execution amid growing regional and international tensions.Zarif began his analysis by situating what he described as the first act of Irans modern-day history: a duration marked by conflicts that not just redefined its regional position but likewise exposed its vulnerability to significant world powers.
In the early 19th century, the nation ended up being embroiled in 2 wars versus Russia (18041813 and 18261828), which led to the loss of huge areas in the Caucasus.
The Treaties of Golestan and Turkmenchay sealed these beats and introduced an era of foreign intervention that, according to the file, shaped Irans political and economic advancement for more than a century.This relentless external pressure, the report argues, hindered the debt consolidation of strong internal structures and blocked the development of a stable governance model.
Throughout the 19th century, Iran became a battlefield for royal interests between Russia and the United Kingdoma dynamic that heightened in the 20th century with the discovery of oil.
The exploitation of natural deposits by foreign business, combined with externally enforced economic pressures, further damaged the countrys sovereignty.
In this context, nationalist motions and reform efforts emerged, shaping Irans trajectory in the century that followed.Second act: 1945-1970 a turn towards the WestFor former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the second half of the 20th century marked a turning point in Iranian politics, defined by a significantly close positioning with the West, especially the United States and the United Kingdom.
Following the Allied occupation during World War II and the subsequent withdrawal of foreign soldiers, Iran, careful of growing Soviet influence, strengthened its ties with Washington in pursuit of stability, financial help, and military support.Although Tehran sought to maintain some degree of autonomy by keeping minimal relations with Moscow, its foreign policy was ultimately specified by its reliance on the West.
The financial development sustained by oil exploitationlargely controlled by foreign interestsgenerated internal tensions that would eventually result in extensive political and social transformations in the following decades.Third act: 1970-1979 the debt consolidation of a reliant powerIn the 1970s, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi lined up Irans position with the Nixon Doctrine and consolidated its role as a strategic ally of the United States in the Persian Gulf.
With extraordinary military and economic backing from Washington, the Iranian queen adopted an interventionist diplomacy to expand his impact in the region.One of the most substantial milestones of this duration was Irans intervention in Dhofar (Oman) in 1973, where Iranian soldiers suppressed a leftist revolt that threatened the stability of the Strait of Hormuzachieving Irans initially military success in over a century.
Soon later, between 1974 and 1975, Iran clashed with Iraq over control of the Shatt al-Arab waterway, a conflict that culminated in the finalizing of the Algiers Agreement, approving Tehran a strategic benefit over Baghdad.However, this regional expansion contrasted sharply with growing internal instability.
The Shahs dependence on the U.S., integrated with increasing financial inequality and social discontent, sustained widespread discontent.
These tensions eventually appeared into the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which toppled his routine and introduced a brand-new period for Iran.Fourth act: 1979-2019 challenging the worldwide orderThe 1979 Islamic Revolution marked a turning point in Irans contemporary history, redefining its position on the global stage.
With the fall of the Shah and the facility of the Islamic Republic, the nation embraced a foreign policy centered on self-reliance and defiance of the Western-led worldwide order.The most significant episode of this duration was the with versus Iraq (1980-1988), a dispute that, for the very first time given that 1796, saw Iran resist an invasion without ceding territory.
Regardless of dealing with an Iraqi military backed by the United States, the Soviet Union, and Persian Gulf monarchies, Tehran sustained the war for eight years, solidifying its durability and improving its military doctrine.Fifth act: 2019-2024 attaining balanceIn current years, Iran has actually demonstrated a growing ability to hinder and react to its enemies, developing itself as a crucial local actor.
Zarif believes that through a mix of determined military actions and diplomatic maneuvers, Tehran has actually avoided direct confrontation with powers like the United States and Israel while strengthening its influence in West Asia.One of the most symbolic minutes of this supposed technique came in 2019, when Iran shot down a U.S.
drone over the Gulf of Oman, testing Washingtons limitations without activating a military escalation.
A year later on, the U.S.
assassination of General Qasaem Soleimani in Baghdad marked a vital turning point in bilateral relations.
In reaction, Iran launched missile strikes on the Ain al-Asad base in Iraqan unprecedented retaliation that, despite its effect, did not lead to open war.More just recently, on April 13, 2024, Iran introduced a direct attack on Israel in retaliation for the battle of its consulate in Syria.
This marked a shift in its strategy, going with a direct action from its own territory.
The operation declared Irans deterrence capabilities and demonstrated its determination to respond to external aggression, reshaping the local balance of power.During this period, Iran has reinforced its position without triggering major war, integrating shows of force with determined pragmatism to strengthen its function in the new regional order.Iran: 220 years in pursuit of securityThe historic analysis concluded with a categorical statement: after a century and a half marked by military defeats, territorial losses, and foreign interferencefollowed by more than 3 decades of alignment and dependenceIran embarked on a transformative process in 1979 to establish itself as a self-dependent state in security and defense.After the historical analysis, Zarif continued to lay out the necessary procedures to ensure long-lasting stability, stressing that Iran needs to transcend a simply military method and address both internal and external tactical difficulties.
In this regard, the National Security Consensus Strategic Document determines a number of essential difficulties for the coming years.Among these, the ecological crisis stands apart as an immediate danger: water shortage and soil deterioration are badly undermining the countrys sustainability.
Domestically, social cohesion is acknowledged as a vital pillar, with a focus on lowering inequalities and enhancing national identity as the bedrock of stability.The report also stresses the need to move from a protective position to a development-driven strategy.
To accomplish this, Iran must bridge the gap with its regional competitors through financial and technological advancements, while concurrently improving its worldwide projection.Another pressing challenge is getting rid of the effect of economic sanctions, which have limited access to crucial markets.
Steady economic liberalization and boosted foreign investment are proposed as vital pathways to make sure sustained growth.In conclusion, the document asserts that, in the face of continuous geopolitical shifts, Iran needs to balance its military power with a pragmatic vision that includes internal stability, financial development, and a more prominent role on the international stage.At the close of the discussion, the vice president for strategic affairs addressed issues about the nations current challenges with a resolute message: We have actually faced various challenges for 40 years, and those who believe we will yield to current difficulties must know that if we were ever going to surrender, we would have done so long ago.