A core-periphery relationship: The comparative analysis of Iran during the reigns of Khatami and Ahmadinejad

Iran has been frequently debated by the international society since Islamic Revolution. The main reason behind this debate is the reality that Iran unexpectedly follows both aggressive and mild behaviors in its foreign affairs. In this regard, even though Iran showed aggressive traits during Ayatollah Khomeini's rule, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, it adopted more harmonious strategies when Mohammed Khatami became the president in 1997. On the other hand, when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected to the presidency after Khatami, the state turned back to its earlier strict attitudes. The main objective of this study is to understand the factors that cause these attitude changes in such short terms. Therefore, the Modern World-System (MWS) is selected as the theoretical frame. MWS is a result of the institutionalization of inequality produced by the capitalist world-economy, in all arrangements. MWS as a global phenomenon is constructed upon three structures: Surplus accumulation, core-periphery hierarchy, and hegemony. In this context, the interaction between MWS`s structures and Iran presents a guide to understanding the modification of the state's political strategies, as MWS interacts with internal and external attitude-setting elements of Iran. Internal elements are composed of social powers and the regime. The confrontational attitude of social powers with each other and the conservative regime of the state have a direct connection to the aforementioned short-term strategy changes. Additionally, the hegemony and counter-hegemony bloc form the external elements. The policies of the hegemonic bloc to maintain and endorse its advantageous position in the system and the struggle of the counter-hegemony bloc to increase its power against the hegemony bloc have tremendous effects on Iran's changing foreign affair policies.