The role of religious identity in foreign policy: A comparison of the Khatami and Ahmadinejad periods with respect to Turkey

The Islamic Republic of Iran has been the subject of many scientific studies, theses, articles, and books in the literature of international relations. However, unstudied areas still linger pertaining to the Islamic regime and its policies particularly towards Turkey (its neighbor in the strategic Middle East region). Hence, this dissertation aims to contribute to the post-revolutionary Iran analyses within the framework of Iran's foreign policies towards Turkey. This study also scrutinizes the role of the religious identities of Iran and Turkey with respect to their state affairs. The central research question is "What is the changing role of the sectarian identity within the framework foreign policies adopted by ideologically incompatible Iranian governments towards Turkey?" Constructivist approach helps answer this question from an analytical perspective in consideration of the dynamic nature of the triangle of identity, interests, and power. Comparative analysis is adopted as the main methodology, since the main pillars of the study are composed of a comprehensive comparison and contrast between Iran's Khatami and Ahmadinejad governments. In light of the hypotheses investigated throughout the study, several results are reached at end, the most important of which is that Iran's foreign policies are constructed, similar to many other components in the existing regime. Therefore, Iran's foreign policies towards Turkey have been sometimes ideological and pragmatic at other times. In this case, the role of religious or sectarian identity is not fixed.