Research Letter of Political Science

Elite Strategic Culture and Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Strategic Choice: The Case Study of Mohammed Javad Zarif (2013-2015)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Sedigheh Sheikhzadeh Joushani 1
Elias Shahi Moridi 2

1 Assistant Professor of Political Science(Iranian Studies), at Faculty of Law and Theology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran

2 Master of Political Science at Faculty of Law and Theology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

10.22034/ipsa.2026.571
Abstract
From the perspective of the “Strategic Culture” Approach, the choices of foreign policy agents are influenced by elements of national and international culture. By accepting this assumption, the present study showed how Mohammad Javad Zarif defended the strategic choice of negotiations and agreements resulting in the JCPOA (2015) against domestic opponents and the 5+1 group by relying on elements of national and international strategic culture. The research method was qualitative and the research population included 207 selected texts with the themes of negotiations and agreements resulting in the JCPOA agreement in the period 2013-2015. The findings showed that Zarif’s strategic culture in the context of nuclear negotiations is a structure with 36 national and international components that he used as a common discursive bridge in the domestic and international space with the aim of advancing negotiations and discussions; a language that is urgently needed by the Iranian diplomatic apparatus today amidst domestic and international tensions.

Keywords

Strategic Culture
Elite Strategic Culture Approach
Mohammad Javad Zarif
Nuclear Negotiations - Agreements
Islamic Republic of Iran
Subjects
Research Letter of Political Science

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 11 August 2026

  • Receive Date 12 May 2026
  • Revise Date 17 July 2026
  • Accept Date 31 July 2026

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