Understanding U.S. Foreign Policy in Iran and the Middle East: A General Review Study

Abstract

The complex fabric of United States foreign policy towards Iran and the Middle East region in general is shaped by an intermingling of historical occurrences, cultural factors, and geopolitical interests that are not easily comprehensible. With incessant conflicts and the shifting dynamics of power towards a given center of gravity for stability, understanding American motives is increasingly more important. This post attempts to analyze the historical context of U.S. foreign policy on Iran and the Middle East, scope of relations, strategic interests involved, and problems in policy formulation and implementation in an area characterized by stress and apprehension. With a myriad of U.S. foreign policy choices in the Middle East, the effects on the daily lives of ordinary citizens in that region is indeed a juxtaposition of monumental proportions. This review endeavors to scrutinize the overlap between the U.S.’s policies and the real existing paradigms concerning it defining this crucial field of international politics.