Introducing the book Congruence and Measured Steps (Recalibrating foreign policy in the second phase of the revolution)

The book Congruence and Measured Steps (Recalibrating foreign policy in the second phase of the revolution) written by Nematollah Mozaffarpour, examines the basic patterns of foreign policy and diplomacy appropriate to the goals and values of the constitution and the statement of the second phase of the revolution. This compact writing, which is 110 pages and published by the Institute for Political and International Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is not an objective discussion based on statistics and figures on the one hand and an ontological-philosophical-abstract exploration on the other, but a methodological-logical theorizing with aim to analyze the foreign policy patterns of the Islamic Republic of Iran so that it can propose reforms for the perceptive system and the strategic mentality of the Islamic system and help in optimal strategic planning.
1 June 2023

The book Congruence and Measured Steps (Recalibrating foreign policy in the second phase of the revolution) written by Nematollah Mozaffarpour, examines the basic patterns of foreign policy and diplomacy appropriate to the goals and values of the constitution and the statement of the second phase of the revolution. This compact writing, which is 110 pages and published by the Institute for Political and International Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is not an objective discussion based on statistics and figures on the one hand and an ontological-philosophical-abstract exploration on the other, but a methodological-logical theorizing with aim to analyze the foreign policy patterns of the Islamic Republic of Iran so that it can propose reforms for the perceptive system and the strategic mentality of the Islamic system and help in optimal strategic planning.

The author believes that the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite its commendable successes and achievements, which do not need explanation, has suffered from four faulty practices of non-congruence, lack of consensus, securitization and radicalism (lack of systematic mentality and communication logic, and becoming monotonous), which all of these reduce resistance to enemies, erode inspiration and soft power and make the statement of the second phase sterile. The aforementioned procedures are the result of the shortcomings of the domestic policy and in turn weaken the pillars of the domestic policy and the relationship between the government and the people and the spirit of the Iranian nation. These are super-strategic and mostly mental, moral, spiritual and methodological-logical problems that prevent the emergence and implementation of correct objective strategies and diplomatic action. While the practical strategy must be defined within a smart and correct mindset; a mentality that understands the philosophy of history and knows the rational methods of progress in the current world and does not rely solely on the willful motivations of movement in the complex world. The author emphasizes that today's wars, before being a war of wills and narratives, are a war of intellects and methods, and in the end those who can establish a minimum congruence between economy, security and human rights and discuss in the domestic environment will win. A rational foreign policy is also a product of the debate of the people of economics, security, human rights, intellect, diplomacy and civil society.

Mozaffarpour's question is that, despite the comprehensive planning of the enemy, how can one get out of the vicious circle of the defective imposition, even if possible, or manage its severity? This work is a continuation of the book Confrontation of Utopians (Iran-America). In that book, the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran by America is introduced as a historical priority, even if it does not become a strategic priority. But in the present book, he tries to suggest ways to deal intelligently with the inherent enemy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to make the country fat despite the presence of many enemies, so that eventually Iran can formulate more precise strategies.

In a distinctive speech, the author discusses what Islamic, European, American, and Asian ideas, civilizations, and great powers have done to overcome the aforementioned problems? Can history teach us in this direction? The author claims that they have progressed with three approaches: congruence, evolution, and measured steps, in order to control and manage their opposing forces step by step, and to open breathing space and time for transformation. These methods are the basic foundations of intellect and human experience and can be defended as a new fundamentalist doctrine and are sufficient to open horizons.

In the following speeches, the author shows how neighborhood and multilateral diplomacy can achieve more success with congruence and measured steps. Then he explained the various areas of congruence, including the triple congruence of the elements of economy, human rights and security, as well as the congruence of ideology-civilization, and considers it a necessity for resistance, religious consistency, and national sustainability, and in the meantime, he points out that we lack a theory of resistance and sanction and we still consider sanction to be an economic matter! Because we have imprecise method models, many aspects of it have also happened to us from the left camp. However, in the Prophetic and Alavi ways, methodology is a flourishing and shining tree next to schools and ideology that open the way for diplomats and diplomacy. If ideology pays less attention to methodology and defines its relationship without observing the measure and dose appropriate to morality, intellect, bread and other components of religion such as justice, a dangerous perspective will emerge.

Congruence is also subject to evolution and measured steps. The main philosophy of evolution and measured steps is that, firstly, it helps to form and maintain congruence, and secondly, it reduces the degree of security of Iran's external and internal environment, even if it is to a small extent because the triple securitization, sanctions and inflation, shia value system, social ethics, standards for justice, the constitution, the statement of the second phase of the revolution and Malik al-Ashtar's agreement, population increase, morality, enjoining to good and forbidding from evil, social justice, national unity, software movement and knowledge production, and, the third chapter of the constitution and the privatization of the economy will fundamentally destroy the rule of law and transparency, and will lead to the decline of Shiite civility and the fate of Sunnis. In the last four decades, almost no significant scientific work has been done in this field. Finally, the author suggests that the religious agenda, national strategy and political action be defined and implemented with this worldview, otherwise it will not be successful.

The author claims that not only the national interests and security, but also the interests of the Islamic Supreme and the preservation of the blood of honorable martyrs cannot be realized without strong, stable and relatively predictable foreign relations. Therefore, he tries to defend the position of diplomacy and diplomat with all seriousness. Also, with the above processes, he tries to provide the literature of dialogue with the Islamic system and religious and security institutions for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because diplomats do not have mastery over the methods of conversation and defense of their opinions due to the poverty of literature, and many times they are unfairly accused of lack of faith.

Mozaffarpour also considers the neighborhood policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, inspired by the methodology of personalities such as Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i and Seyyed Munir-od-Din Hosseini Hashemi, to require the compilation of two disciplines: Philosophy of the History of the Islamic Revolution and Sociology of West Asia and claims that Iran's foreign policy suffers from the poverty of theory and modern literature. Here, not the essence of the philosophy of history but its relationship with the evolution of foreign policy and diplomacy is considered.

That is, we need to know what is the trend of human movement and West Asia? What kind of political food it demands from Iran? What will be the nature of world politics? Is it civilized? Is civilization possible without religion? As an emerging power, how will China solve its problem with religion and human rights? In that case, what will be the opportunities and challenges of our relations with China? Any policy should be based on these types of questions and awareness. Our shortcomings are rooted in shortsightedness rather than lack of practicality.

With the above series of arguments, the author, who is a foreign policy broker and educated in political thought, states that political thought is the mother of great foreign policy. At the same time, he admits that this work is not intended to answer all questions, but is merely a special section and a unique spiritual-semantic approach to some missing aspects of Iran's foreign policy.

 

Over the last half-century, the science of international relations experienced great developments, with its growth still ongoing.
Author: Robert O'Brien / Mark Williams / Translation: Gholam Ali Chegani / Mitra Rah Nejat