Strategic culture as a factor influencing Iran's nuclear policy

Strategic culture is a set of worldviews ideas and types of behaviour derived from shared experience and history which shape collective identity and attitudes towards other groups as well as determining the characteristic means of achieving security goals. A nation's strategic culture has a significant influence on its nuclear policy. The development of Iran's nuclear programme depends on the characteristics of Iranian strategic culture. The latter differs in many ways from the strategic cultures of Western countries and this is one of the main reasons for mutual misunderstanding and conflict in relations between Iran and the West especially on the issue of Iran's nuclear programme. Therefore this paper analyses Iranian strategic culture on the basis of which the author explains the motives behind Iran's nuclear policy and proposes ways to resolve the conflict surrounding Iran's nuclear programme. The work is intended for students postgraduates scholars and diplomats who deal with issues of international security nuclear proliferation and the situation in the Middle East.