Epistemic Systems and Protective Belt of Iranian Foreign Policy: A Combined Theoretical Analysis.

The cognitive logic of foreign policy of different countries is constructed based on different epistemological and ontological systems. Outcome - process validity of making foreign policy shows its cognitive method and ontological logic. Therefore, the perception of foreign policy is formed through complex epistemological systems. Each different foreign policy as an ontological process has epistemic systems; so, any foreign relations actions refer to epistemic logic, structure, and package that are not particularly obvious. The dynamics of Iran's foreign policy in the regional and international system is formed based on multilateral factors that are influenced by international and regional components. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of different approaches to Iran's foreign policy by theoretical framework derived from a combination of the theories using Cohen's paradigm, the epistemic belts of Lakatos and Althusser Apparatus, and the epistemic theory of Foucault. The main question of the paper is what kind of epistemic systems does the foreign policy of Iran have and what systems did other systems intend to form around Iran? We examine and identify five epistemological systems including, Shi'ite, Islamic, revolutionary, national, modern, and postmodern, and each will be used to analyze the foundations, institutions, consequences, and applied pathology of Iranian foreign policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]