The Public Opinion that Restricts the Real Politics: The Case of Nuclear Iran

Abstract

This study is based on the hypothesis that Iranian State’s real-political foreign policy practice is constrained by the public opinion which demands more rights and freedoms, thus preventing a balance of violence in the international arena. The introduction explains why Iranian foreign policy is on a real-political axis. The main goal of the study is to question whether the opinion of Iranian public on foreign policy issues affects the Regime’s foreign policy. For this purpose in the literature review, a detailed definition of real politics is provided, a chronological analysis of different perspectives is made and a theoretical conclusion is given. Following this, the relation between public opinion and foreign policy is discussed. Iranian public poll results are also discussed to draw a picture of contemporary Iranian politics.

Keywords

Iranian Regime and Public Opinion, Realpolitik, Nuclear Power and Weapons, Basic Rights and Freedoms.

Citation

Okyar, Onur and Güneş, İsmail Dinçer, "The Public Opinion that Restricts the Real Politics: The Case of Nuclear Iran", International Relations, Volume 13, Issue 50, 2016, pp. 77-100.

Affiliations

• Onur OKYAR, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Department of International Relations, Çankırı Karatekin University
• İsmail Dinçer GÜNEŞ, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Department of Public Administration, Uludağ University