The Role of the Vilāyat-E Faqīh Doctrine in Iranian Foreign Policy: Ideological Legitimacy, Institutional Mediation and Regional Strategic Adaptation

Abstract

This article examines how the doctrine of Vilāyat-e Faqīh (the guardianship of the Islamic jurist) relates to the regional policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Bahrain. Rather than treating ideological affinity as proof of Iranian command, it distinguishes three analytical stages: ideological legitimation, institutional-organizational mediation and strategic adaptation. The study uses a qualitative, structured-focused comparison of public legal texts, academic research, official organizational statements and international reports. It assesses five dimensions in each case: doctrinal affinity, institutional ties, strategic-interest alignment, local autonomy and the strength of causal evidence. The comparison suggests that the doctrine is most directly visible in Hezbollah’s ideological self-understanding; that in Iraq relationships vary among political and armed actors; that in Yemen evidence of external support must be distinguished from proof that doctrine determines Houthi decisions; and that in Bahrain claims of Iranian direction require particular caution, because the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry did not establish a discernible link between specific events of February and March 2011 and Iran. The principal contribution of the article is a transparent framework for separating ideological connection from organizational influence and direct control. Its findings remain bounded by the availability and verifiability of open-source evidence.