מדיניות הנפט האיראנית לאחר עליית האייתוללות לשלטון: מהפכה או המשך מדיניות?

Iran has a significant role in formulating the world oil market. Besides being an important oil exporter with huge reserves, Iran has to a great extent determined the global debate on oil policy, on both the customers’ and the producers’ sides. For example, the balance
of power between international oil companies and the oil companies of the Middle East states was reconfigured after the nationalization of the Iranian oil industry by Mossadiq in 1951 and by the Iran-Iraq war – which led to a severe crisis in customer trust in the OPEC states. Also, the sanctions on Iran changed all the principles regarding use of oil as a weapon – the embargo of the exporters became sanctions on their customers. It is very popular to believe that the Islamic revolution changed Iran’s face in terms of its domestic politics, foreign policy, and economy; however, this article argues that when it comes to important aspects of oil policy – its understanding of the oil market, its aspirations, and its challenges – Iran has not changed. Despite the Islamic revolution radicalizing Iran’s policy in this regard, the basis of it was actually created in the early years of the 20th century, decades before the revolution.