العقيدة النووية وسياسة الأمن القومي الإيراني بعد عام 2018: دراسة في توظيف نظرية الأمننة

This study aims to analyze the fundamental transformations that have occurred in Iran’s nuclear doctrine and national security policy after the United States’ withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018. It employs the theory of securitization as an analytical framework to explain how the Iranian nuclear program shifted from being a political–technical issue to an existential security matter.

The study focuses on how decision-makers in Tehran have utilized the discourse of an “external threat”, particularly with respect to the United States and Israel, to justify exceptional policies in both the domestic and foreign arenas. Through this discourse, they reinforced the legitimacy of developing nuclear capabilities as a defensive necessity for safeguarding the state and regime. The study also examines the implications of this securitized narrative for the structure and institutions of Iran’s national security apparatus, as well as for the country’s regional and international relations—including shifts in its negotiating approaches and its level of involvement in regional conflicts.

The findings conclude that the post-2018 period constituted a pivotal turning point in Iran’s nuclear doctrine, during which its policy shifted from an approach based on commitment and flexibility to one grounded in deterrence and confrontation. This transformation was driven by the intensification of securitization dynamics, which elevated the nuclear program to a central element of state identity and a key indicator of sovereignty and autonomous strategic decision-making.