Ralph Joseph G.

Banghulot January 13, 2020

AB Political Science II International Relations

Neorealism in Iran-U.S. recent conflict

The recent development in the middle east shows the fragility and
complexity of the international system. Using the recent speech of U.S.
President Donald Trump (CNN, 2020), and the interview by Christine
Amanpour on Iranian presidents namely Former President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad (ABC, 2010) and President Hassan Rouhani (CNN, 2013), this
paper seeks to give a general explanation on the subject, especially on Iran's
nuclear program. In connection, this explanation uses the neorealist
assumptions (Daddow, 2017) to fulfil its task successfully. In sum, this paper
explains the recent Iran-U.S. relations using the neorealist assumption.

Iran-U.S. relations and actions are the reason for their national interest.
Furthermore, Iran's actions are similar to Waltz's defensive realism, while the
U.S. is that of Mearsheimer's offensive realism. Besides, this arrangement is
the consequence of unbalance of power, between a country with lesser
capability as opposed to a country with superior capability. Iran is pursuing its
national interest, as repeatedly mentioned in both of Amanpour's interviews.
However, as shown, Iran pursue its national interest in a defensive manner.
According to the interview, Iran believes in its right to pursue decisions.
However, negotiations can shape such decisions with an agreement that
satisfies parties involved. Also, Iran does not seek war nor nuclear arms,
though Iran is open to a nuclear arms program under certain circumstances.
These intentions can be seen as defensive for if Iran's decision relies heavily
on the actions of other countries. On the side of the U.S, it is vividly aggressive.
Though the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani (Austin, 2020;
Mcchrystal, 2020) or the sanctions has reasonable reasons (Davidport et al.,
2014), it is still inherently aggressive and rash. Not to mention, Iran's nuclear
arm's program is still vaguely proven (Davidport et al., 2014).
 In combining the two statements mentioned, the phenomenon is the effect
of unbalance distribution of power. Iran believes that in order to fully realize its
development, it must have a national interest that satisfied both domestic and
international politics. While e U.S. being heavily interested in the region would
not risk leaving Iran to its destiny. Also, with not much imminent threat to its
existence, the U.S. chases its interest to its limits, thus becoming aggressive.
This arrangement, however, has repercussions. Iran believing that its interest
is harassed by sanctions it deemed unjust is forced to take defensive and more
dangerous activities such as pursuing its nuclear programs further. On the
other hand, the U.S. still unchecked and under the auspices of Trump, is
pushing Iran to make rasher decisions.

In the end, the problem in the middle east is the effects of the unbalance
of power and inconsistent national interest; With the country with lesser
capability taking the defensive realism stance while the superior country is
taking the aggressive realism stance. Furthermore, this relationship has
severe implications. For one, it can be said that the rash actions of the less
capable country being the result of the aggressiveness of the other. As such,
problems occur under this arrangement. Nevertheless, this conflict shows the
centrality of national interest in the international system. Also, that a look into
national interest, one can make sense of the complexity and fragility of
international relations.

Source:

ABC News. (2010, September 19). Interview With Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

[Video File]. Retrieved from https:// www.youtube. com/watch?v=
Gkt2w1M1hPE

Austin, H. (2020, January 3). What is Iran's secretive Quds Force?. NBC News.
Retrieved from https: //www. nbcnews. com/news/world/who-are-
iran-s-secretive-quds-forces-n1110156
CNN. (2013, September 25). Raw: Hassan Rouhani full interview with
Amanpour [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www. youtube.
com/watch?v=_uZXXgm4cv8&t=389s

CNN. (2020, January 8). Watch President Trump's speech after Iran's strike
[Video File]. Retrieved from https:// www.youtube. com/watch?v=
5PEyPez-5H8&t=50s

Daddow, O. (2017). International relations theory. Sage.

Davenport, K., Kimball, D. & Thielmann, G. (2014). Solving the Iranian nuclear
puzzle: Toward a realistic and effective comprehensive nuclear
agreement. Washington D.C: Arms Control Association.

Mcchrystal, S. (2020, January 7). Iran’s Deadly Puppet Master. FP Global

Thinkers. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy. com/gt-essay/ irans-deadly-
puppet-master-qassem-suleimani/#