Iranian foreign policy after the cold war within the context of energy security

Energy security is defined as the supply security of consumer countries at reasonable prices, from different sources and in a sustainable manner. Reasons such as geopolitical instability, natural disasters, terrorism or lack of investment can cause a problem in terms of a country's energy security. For this reason, governments are developing different strategies to ensure energy supply security. Energy security is a very important concept especially for the Middle East which is rich in hydrocarbon resources. In this study, post-Cold War foreign policy of Iran, which is one of the most important countries in the Middle East, will be discussed within the context of energy security. The end of the bipolar system with the end of the Cold War, the death of Khomeini and the occurrence of internationally influential events, such as the US intervention in Iraq, caused significant changes in Iranian foreign policy. Iran's geographical location and rich resources have made energy security a more important factor in foreign policy after these developments. Particularly, Iran's nuclear energy efforts have been one of the most important issues that preoccupied the international agenda and Iranian foreign policy. Energy security has become an increasingly important parameter for Iranian foreign policy in the new international system shaped after the Cold War. Energy security is expected to maintain its strategic importance in terms of Iran's foreign policy.