Alwaght- With the change of political systems especially in present day form through election, always a degree of changes at various policy making levels is predictable. For this reason, one of the areas of interest in international relations studies is the changes that occur in the strategies, approaches and tactics of governments in foreign policy. Meanwhile, the more weight and influence a country has in regional and international developments, the more attention of international actors and surrounding environment it draws to its internal developments.
With this in mind, the Islamic Republic of Iran as a key regional power and influential actor in West Asia and Central Asia developments last week in a magnificent show of democracy concluded its presidential elections, with Masoud Pezeshkian elected to hold the administration in the next four years.
With Pezeshkian's victory, beside flood of congratulations to him from regional and international sides, leaders and commanders of Iran-aligned resistance factions in the region were top to congratulate the president-elect, the nation, and the Iran's Supreme Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei for arranging such a spectacular election and to emphasize their company with Iran to help Tehran keep raising the flag Iran raised after its 1979 Islamic Revolution until final victory.
These passionate messages not only highlight the depth of the strategic alliance within the Iran-led Axis of Resistance but also demonstrate the leaders' confidence in the continued alliance with Tehran. This confidence persists despite the waves of developments and political dynamics within the Islamic Republic of Iran, which enjoys fundamental elements of democracy, including self-determination and the elective nature of its leaders and policies at all levels. Hezbollah leader Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, for example, in his message to Pezeshkian beside highlighting the movement's alliance with various Iranian administrations after Islamic Revolution said: "We are with you and God willing, we will continue this path until we reach the final victory the key of which is the mighty, dear, and powerful Iran."
This confidence that was rightly mentioned in Nasrallah's message in the first place arises from a nearly half-a-century experience of strategic relations between Iran and its regional allies in the Axis of Resistance to which no disruption is caused by internal developments and day by day has grown more robust with the sacrifices of the resistance fighters.
Governments rarely revise their major and strategic policies, which are formulated based on the definition of national and security interests, and they may only use different methods and tactics to implement these goals in foreign policy. Iran is no exception.
It is now certain to all, including the enemies of the Axis of Resistance, that government change in Iran does not affect the continuation of the strategic policy lines of Iran since Tehran's support to the Axis of Resistance in confrontation of the Western overbearing policy and Israeli occupation of Palestinian stems from the depth of national and religious beliefs of Iranians and at the same time the experience of two decades of Western warmongering in the region that started with occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq and continued with unleashing chaos and terrorism to Syria and nurturing ISIS and other takfiri groups proved that saving Iran's territorial integrity has a direct relation to a strong Axis of Resistance for effective confrontation of threats in historic junctures.
Basically, experience has shown that Iran's internal view of regional strategic policies, like the country's military and missile defense program, is a trans-party issue and is viewed as a factor pivotal to increasing national power and maintaining territorial security. This view showed itself once and for all in the magnificent funeral of the martyr General Qassem Soleimani by millions of Iranians, where Iranians, regardless of their political views and ethnic and religious factions, escorted the body of the anti-terror commander to rest in peace like a national hero. General Soleimani was the perfect symbol of the Axis of Resistance, and as a commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, he was the mastermind of this powerful regional bloc.
But beside the fundamental aspects of the maintaining and expanding Iran's support to resistance groups in the future and specifically under Pezeshkian administration, what empowers this Iranian strategy is the principal and revolutionary stances that the president-elect has long held and in recent days highlighted about his commitment and readiness to press ahead with pro-reaistance policy in the region.
Last week, in an important letter to Nasrallah, Pezeshkian made it clear that "the Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported the resistance of the people of the region against the illegitimate Zionist regime. The support for the resistance is deeply rooted in the fundamental policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the ideals of Imam Khomeini, and the guidelines of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and will continue powerfully.
This letter which sends a precious and important signal in the middle of the sensitive conditions of the region and Lebanon emphasizes the persistence of pro-resistance approach of Iran's foreign policy under Pezeshkian. In a message to Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, Pezeshkian stressed on all-out support to the Palestinian nation until full liberation from the Israeli occupation.
In his message to Haniyeh, the president-elect said: “I am certain that, under the aegis of the resisting people of Palestine and the oppressed and strong Gaza’s historic steadfastness, and the heroic diligence of the fighters of the Palestinian resistance in the ongoing war, triumph and divine victory will be awarded to dear Palestine."
