The Relationship Between Domestic and Foreign Policy in Iran
The Relationship Between Domestic and Foreign Policy in Iran
For many years, analysts have debated whether domestic policy is influenced by foreign policy or vice versa, or if each operates independently without affecting the other. Apparently, there is no consensus on the answer to these three aspects of the question.
Some believe that foreign policy is influenced by domestic policy and that it is domestic policy that determines the path and direction of foreign policy.
Conversely, some believe that domestic policy is influenced by foreign policy, while a third group argues that domestic policy is independent of foreign policy, and vice versa.
It seems that none of the three aspects of the aforementioned questions, as they are posed, have an independent or shared answer, nor a straightforward and one-dimensional response.
In other words, these questions need to be stratified, and then, at each level of the above three aspects, more specific questions should be posed to obtain clearer answers. However, before doing so, we must have an accurate understanding of the scope and domain of each of the two aforementioned policies in their usual course and a unified definition.
Policy is the management of the country’s affairs to ensure the interests of the people’s lives in the short term, medium term, and long term.
The interests of the people mean that the natural course of their lives proceeds without creating unnatural restrictions, conflicts, or violations of their natural rights, all of which are defined and continuously in flow within the framework of law based on accepted customs that are for the common good.
Even the aforementioned interests are considered from the perspective of prioritization in the mentioned timeline.
The affairs of people’s lives are interconnected with each other, with the government, and also with other societies, as well as the connection between the government and the governments of other countries.
Therefore, policy is divided from this perspective into two parts: domestic policy, which is the management of affairs internally, and foreign policy, which is the management of affairs in foreign connections based on national interests, ensuring that these interests, which are for the common good, are secured.
In other words, domestic policy should continuously and sustainably resolve conflicts, support the natural course of life, facilitate natural affairs, and connect them with each other, with the government, and with social and cultural currents and institutions, and ensure biological security.
Foreign policy also involves planning and implementing the framework of the country’s connections with other transnational actors, including governments and nations, to pursue and advance these same goals, which collectively are called national interests or the common good.
In the above definitions, it is important to consider the basic assumption that, firstly, the power to govern a country is only divided among three branches, and there are no other branches affecting these three branches, which, if present, would complicate the definition of both policies from decision-making to implementation and, in some cases, place them in conflict.
Secondly, in the relations of major powers, it should avoid unilateralism and not be influenced by the proximate and dominant power in policymaking, and the country’s defense force in defense and territorial security should only be defined under the government’s umbrella.
In the last two or three centuries, as we have progressed, the relations between countries and the intertwining of exchange needs have increased, and in some cases have become so intertwined that no country can adopt independent domestic policy in many instances without relations with other nations and exchanges with them to meet internal needs and without considering the influential powers in these relations and exchanges by their governance.
In other words, domestic policy and the decision-making process within it cannot be indifferent, independent, and inattentive to foreign policy. However, this attention, whether in the form of balanced or unbalanced relations with other countries and the mutual influence between the two, must be considered.
For example, if it is determined in domestic policy that there should be no relations with a particular country, naturally, foreign policy aligns itself with this directive and deviates from its classic definition.
The more unbalanced a country’s foreign policy is, to the same extent, its domestic policy is influenced by foreign policy in the unilateralism of relations.
However, based on the two stated definitions and assumptions and balanced relations, it can be said that foreign policy is a function of domestic policy at the macro level, while domestic policy at the executive level and mainly in the economic policies dimension is a function of foreign policy, and in most other cases, this relationship is two-way.
In broader terms, until the macro approaches of society in how to organize political, economic, and cultural relations are determined from within, or until the macro imperatives and prohibitions are specified, foreign policy, which is supposed to establish connections with foreign countries based on a naturally balanced strategy, does not know the range in which it should operate.
However, as long as economic and political connections with foreign countries, which in our era have become integrated in banking operations and hegemonic currency and technical and technological needs have become vital and unavoidable and the basis of exchanges, and economic alliances have been formed within multiple agreements, are not established by foreign policy or do not resolve relationship ambiguities, the implementation of domestic policy programs is disrupted.
In summary, the function of domestic policy at the macro level is to define operational interests and programs as tools to ensure and achieve these interests based on accurate and widely accepted knowledge by the majority of society. The summary function of foreign policy is to organize relations around defined national interests using diplomatic tools.
In some cases, in policymaking and management of affairs, long-term interests are prioritized over short-term interests, and sometimes the interests or common good in the short term are expended to achieve long-term interests that are larger and more significant.
Creating a cost-benefit balance in this preferential matter may be one of the most challenging and difficult tasks for policymakers and society.
If any individual disagrees with the definition of national interests, they will inevitably disagree with the aforementioned prioritization, functions, and type of policymaking and diplomacy in foreign policies. Operational interests do not only have financial or economic value but are a set of policies, methods, and the ability to protect territorial security, react to surrounding developments, preserve cultural values, regulate social relations, and economic and developmental affairs with a future-oriented approach.
National interests are the common goal of both domestic and foreign policy. How national interests are defined, how much consensus there is about them, and how much balance is maintained between ideals and reality, and between the future and the present, requires another discussion, but it is the common axis of both political arenas. Based on the reasons mentioned, it can be said that foreign policy has a mutual relationship and influence with domestic policy.
However, if the country’s political connections with other countries are not organized or the challenges between the country and other countries have not been resolved, economic work with that country or group of countries is disrupted at the executive level.
Domestic programs, especially in the economic field, are not implemented, and the improvement and timely execution of economic programs are affected by the lack of foreign relations and the impossibility of possible replacements, or take a much longer process.
Based on what has been said, it can be stated that foreign policy at the macro level, with a focus on national interests that are a matter of consensus, is a function of domestic policy.
However, domestic policy is only in the economic dimension and at the level of macro and micro economic targeting and executive programs a function of the performance of foreign policy.
It is foreign policy that can make the economic environment risk-free, attractive, and ready for investment, facilitate connections and the presence of investment enthusiasts, or create a high-risk and unattractive environment for investors.
It is necessary to remember that the impact of foreign developments and the fluidity of the balance of power at the international level and its effects on a country’s domestic and foreign policies, which cause changes in the direction and strategy or approach of foreign policy, should not be mistakenly confused with the functional impact of foreign and domestic policy.
Considering what has been said, each of the questions should be posed and answered separately at the political, cultural, and social levels, as well as at the economic level.
At the social and cultural level, the relationship is mutual, and at the political level, foreign policy is a function of domestic policy. At the economic level, in today’s interconnected world, for countries lacking knowledge, technology, and engineering principles, domestic policy is influenced by foreign policy.
However, in Iran and in many countries that have been the focus of geopolitical, geostrategic, or geo-economic interests of major powers and main actors, there have been few periods where domestic and foreign policy has been pursued based on the above definitions.
In many countries that have pursued unbalanced or unilateral policies, domestic and foreign policy has been implemented differently from the aforementioned definitions.
Unbalanced proximity to powers and their orientations and alliances lead to influencing the policymaking mindset and directing it, meaning that the domestic policy of these countries is influenced by their foreign policy.
In such a situation, if the members of society expect economic problems to be resolved and improvement in that area, they must demand the right foreign policy and wait for its function.