Director Kayhan Barzegar inaugurates the first Visiting Research Fellow Program at the Institute for Middle East Strategic Studies (IMESS) in Tehran.

In his introductory remarks, Dr. Barzegar asserts that the Institution’s Visiting Research Fellow Program is novel in Iran and has been designed to fulfill the existing gap between the academic and practical policy-making communities in research areas, as well as training a new generation of Middle Eastern experts. To achieve this aim, "we need to strengthen and focus on ‘professionalism’, ‘internationalism’ and ‘indigenous views’ on Iran’s foreign policy and international relations studies."  

Below are the outlines of Dr. Barzegar’s remarks:

The need for the implementation of the Program

First, linking the academic and scientific activities with the policy-making affairs. This is a global necessity and aspiring nations such as Iran should implement it to build up the sources of their power and capacities. Successful nations have always fulfilled the gap between the academic and scientific activities and that of policy-making matters of the research areas. The program should be able to combine these two aspects of foreign policy and international relations studies which are not adequately addressed in Iran’s academic culture presently.

Second, considering Iran’s substantial geo-political and strategic importance, as well as the realities of the nature of its power and political structure. Iran is linked with critical international issues such as the energy security, nuclear powering, regional crises, and relations with the great powers--especially with that of the United States. Mentioned subjects, give the formation of Iran’s international relations more impetus, which in turn requires the creation of a new generation of academic elites who are capable of understanding the new themes of research related to international relations and politics.

Third, Iran is on the rise of its national power. In this respect, ‘conceptualization’ and ‘theoratization’of new themes and subjects are only possible through the hard work of these kinds of educated elites and young intellectuals, who are actively engaged in the continued development of the country. In order to boost its national-Islamic power in the regional and international arena, Iran needs independence and so looks up to these young academics and intellectuals.

Thus, the main goal of the Visiting Research Fellow Program is to combine academic and theoretical activities with practical policy-making issues. It also aims at the training of a new generation of Middle East experts. The role of these new experts is to cover and support the power of the state by introducing authoritative, conceptual and theoretical frameworks in research areas. Successful countries have combined these two aspects. For instance, Turkey, in recent years, has actively supported the activities of its academic and research institutions in order to cover its regional policy. Turkey has hosted many international conferences on regional issues. There are other examples like India, Brazil, South Africa and etc. Or that of the United States after World War II, conducting its foreign policy based on its extended national interests across the world, especially throughout the Middle East. Therefore, as a regional power, Iran should also follow the same path.

In this context, the Institute’s Visiting Research Fellow Program has eight Study Groups:  the ‘Foreign Policy Studies’,  the ‘Persian Gulf Studies’,  the ‘Energy Security Studies’,  the ‘Nuclear Disarmament in the ME’,  ‘Terrorism Studies’, ‘Iran-Turkey Studies’,  ‘Arab-Israeli Issues’ and that of  ‘Iran and the Great Powers Studies’.

The main characteristics of the Visiting Research Fellows

First, being familiar with global and international themes, our researchers should be able to distinguish the dominant themes of international relations and foreign policy studies. Subjects such as nuclear and WMD non-proliferation, disarmament, energy security, regional crises, environmental issues, human rights, etc., are among the topical subjects in international relations. At the global level, Iranian researchers have had little research activities regarding the mentioned subjects.  Meanwhile, our researchers widely analyze the regional and international issues mostly from a political-security perspective and through the challenges that the dynamics of power politics pose on the Middle East. A rising power like Iran needs a new generation of young scholars and intellectuals who know how to actively present themselves at the regional and international scenes and make use of all opportunities.

Second, coming to a real understanding about national security and interests and the relations with foreign powers, our researchers should be able to realize the roots of Iran’s foreign policy in the region and in dealing with great powers. They should put special emphasis on Iran’s national interests and endeavor to conceptualize and operationalize these new themes of foreign policy studies in Iran.

Third, strengthening problem-solving, accommodative, and balanced approaches. Here, our researchers should be able to conduct sophisticated research both a positive and a looking forward overview; the kind of research that does not ignore the current or previous efforts of policy-makers. In other words, our researchers should not necessarily be critical of everything, as it has previously been part of the intellectual culture of Iran. We should also contemplate on how to be problem-solving and accommodative, also, to see how to conduct initiatives in our research in order to strengthen the national-Islamic bases of power in our country.

Developing research skills

First, strengthening professionalism; the Iranian academic community possesses all the professional requirements. Yet, active participation in different national and international conferences, writing articles, op-eds, and comments in English with powerful characterization and self-confidence are essential prerequisites for achieving this goal. Our researchers should not merely limit themselves to academic and educational activities. They should also link their research to pressing regional and global policy-making issues, focusing on concrete facts and the realities on grounds will prevent us from being merely theoretical and abstract.

Second, empowering internationalism; our researchers should have active and effective presence at the international level. To achieve this goal, the researchers have to identify topical and pressing issues related to the international system and politics on the one hand and an active, physical or virtual presence in national and global conferences on the other.