On The U.S.-Iran Relationship After The Cold War

The U.S.-Iran relationship after the Cold War is not only a historical issue, but also a realistic one. It not only belongs to the category of contemporary world history, but also belongs to that of international politics. It is not only a bilateral issue between America and Iran, but also a multilateral one involving European Union, Russia, China, Japan and countries of the Middle East. Based. On the consulting of the research achievements of specialists and scholars at home and abroad, and applying the longitudinally/vertically comparing approach of historical science and the theory of geopolitics and geoeconomics of international political science, this thesis reviews the evolution of the U.S.-Iran relationship during the Cold War, analyses the characteristics of the U.S.-Iran relationship in different phases after the Cold War, makes a preliminary forecast of the future of the U.S.-Iran relationship, and sums up a series of characteristics displayed in the U.S.-Iran relationship.Under the structure of two-polar system, America paid much attention to Iran, which abounds in oil deposits and has favorable exploiting conditions, got on well with Iran under the Dynasty of Pahlavi, supported Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in his overturning/subverting the government of Mohamad Mosadegh, fostered Iran into the police of the Persian Gulf, and made it one of the two pillars of America in its control of the Middle East. And with the help of American power, Iran extricated itself from its fete of being split by Soviet Union and England, attempted to dominate the Gulf region, and promoted the economic and military modernization of Iran.But America and Iran were hostile to each other after the Islamic Revolution of Iran. Although both of them often took advantage of each other, generally speaking, relations between the two countries are strained. After the Cold War ended, the change of American national interests resulted in great changes of American diplomatic strategies and policies, and it is especially important for America to keep restraining regional power. Therefore, America applied more and more stern sanctions against Iran, which were objected to and resisted by many countries and didn't achieve the desired results. American government considered Iran as a "rogue nation" which sponsored international terrorism, opposed Arab-Israel peace process, exported Islamic revolution, expanded its weapons to control the Gulf region, sought weapons of mass destruction, and threatened American national interests and the practice of American democracy in the Middle East. The United Statesblockaded Iran in economy, isolated it in politics, and deterred it with military force. After Iranian President Mohammad Khatami was elected in 1997, both of the two countries expressed their desires of improving the relations between them, and had taken some measures to do so. However, the George W. Bush administration still included Iran in the so-called "axis of evil", continually attacked Iran after the Iraq War, and attempted to take all measures except military one to overturn Iranian government. Overall, American foreign policy to Iran has been "mainly containment while making contact subsidiary ". Although the United States gave Iran much aid immediately after a destructive earthquake happened in the city of Bam in December 26, 2003 and the officials of the two countries "very exceptionally " made contact with each other directly, Iran resolutely refused America's attempt to dispatch a delegation led by a senator to visit Iran. The relationship between America and Iran is still hard to improve.