Iranian foreign policy puzzles foreign analysts. It is fruitless to try to understand it through complex analyses of Iranian history and the interaction between conservative and reformist factions of the Iranian government. The Iranian constitution is the best guide to understanding the nation's foreign policy.
Along with Iran's ministry of foreign affairs, the Supreme National Security Council is the most important decision-making body. According to Article 177 of the constitution, the main responsibility of the council is "To determine national defence/security policies within the framework of general policies laid down by the Supreme Leader". Besides official bodies, unofficial institutions such as Shia Marajia (the Grand Ayatollahs or Objects of Emulation, who interpret the rules of Islam for their followers) and the Bazaar affect foreign policy as well. But it is ultimately the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic who determines the general direction of foreign policy. The decision-making process by the Leader is different and more democratic than decisions made by other theocratic leaders in our region.
It is also important for foreign observers to understand that Iran is a rational player in the international arena. Iranians have been in contact with the west for centuries, and many have lived and studied for years in the west, so they know how to negotiate with Europeans and Americans. Europe and the United States should stop trying to convince Iran to agree with them and negotiate with Iran as equal partners. It would also be useful for Iranian diplomats to understand the west more and appreciate western viewpoints.
This lack of understanding has led the west to ignore Iran's progress towards a more pragmatic foreign policy under Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-97) and Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005). Some western governments, as well as Iranian politicians, believe that a different type of government in Iran would lead to more fruitful negotiations between Iran and the west. This is an absurd notion that neglects centuries of Iranian struggle for independence and freedom.
Iran's Supreme Leader has a duty to protect the sovereignty of the Iranian people. Any attempt to separate people from government will be counterproductive. Yet working as equal partners with the Islamic Republic and encouraging it to adopt more pragmatic policies will result in a better understanding between Iran and the rest of the world.