Abstract
This study analyzes the interplay between the guiding principles of Iranian foreign policy, as stipulated in the Iranian Constitution and the peremptory norms of public international law that form the foundation for regulating international relations. Iranian foreign policy is grounded in a set of ideologically and religiously driven principles, including support for the oppressed (mustazafin), exporting the revolution, the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist (Wilayat al-Faqih) and opposition to global oppressors (mustakbirin). These principles reflect the philosophy and objectives of the revolution in shaping Iran’s foreign relations. However, they raise legal challenges when compared to binding international norms, such as non-intervention in the internal affairs of states, sovereignty, sovereign equality and the prohibition of the use or threat of force in international relations. Thus, the study examines the constitutional foundations that define the intellectual and political framework of Iranian foreign policy and evaluates the extent to which these principles align with the norms of international law — as enshrined in the UN Charter and related international agreements.
