The Islamic factor in the formation of the foreign policy logic of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the period 1979-2026

The article examines the influence of the Islamic factor on the formation of the foreign policy logic of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the period 1979-2026, with an emphasis on the relationship between Shiite political theology and institutional decision-making mechanisms. Special attention is paid to the doctrines of wilayat-e faqih, taqtiyah, ghaybah and the concept of Ummah, which are transformed into operational tools of diplomacy, defense planning and regional interaction. The analytical part is based on specific data: the IAEA report of May 31, 2025 fixes a stock of uranium enriched to 60% in the amount of 408.6 kg (by mass of uranium), an estimate by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) determines Iran's military expenditures in 2024 at the level of 7.9 billion US dollars, and data from the Iranian Customs Service for the first half of 2025 shows the volume of foreign trade turnover of $ 54.3 billion . The paper demonstrates that the Islamic factor is not an ideological facade, but a cognitive and normative matrix that defines the boundaries of what is acceptable in Tehran's international politics. The study is of practical importance for students and researchers from Uzbekistan and Central Asian countries, since understanding the theological and political nature of Iran's foreign policy allows us to more accurately predict the development of regional security, migration flows, transit corridors and energy links in the context of a multipolar transition.