The Process of Securitizing the ISIS Threat in the Discourse of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Emphasizing the Copenhagen School Theory
Keywords:
Securitization, ISIS, Iran, Copenhagen School, Middle EastAbstract
The emergence and expansion of the terrorist group ISIS since 2014 has been one of the most significant security developments in the Middle East in recent decades, challenging the existing regional order and posing multidimensional threats to states, social groups, and transnational institutions. As one of the principal regional actors, the Islamic Republic of Iran—due to its ideological, religious, historical, and geopolitical commonalities with Iraq and Syria, and particularly because of its geographical proximity to crisis centers—has perceived ISIS as a serious threat to its national security, regional stability, and religious identity. This article, using the conceptual framework of the Copenhagen School in security studies, seeks to analyze Iran’s discursive engagement with the ISIS threat through the lens of securitization theory. This theory is based on the assumption that security is not an absolute reality but a discursive construct that gains legitimacy through persuading an audience about the existence of an extraordinary threat and the necessity of immediate action. The findings also indicate that Iran’s security discourse toward ISIS did not remain confined to the military dimension; rather, it also strongly emphasized identity-based, religious, civilizational, and anti-Western aspects. Furthermore, it highlighted the interconnection between the ISIS threat and the strategic projects of Iran’s adversaries, such as the United States, Israel, and some Arab actors in the region. The study concludes that Iran’s security discourse regarding ISIS represents a clear instance of a multilayered and strategic securitization process at the regional level, which is constructed through a synthesis of indigenous elements and the theoretical concepts of the Copenhagen School. This discourse has played a crucial role in reproducing a security order favorable to the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Middle East.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sadegh Shahvarpour Najafabadi, Hamed Mohagheghnia, Fereydoun Akbarzadeh (Author)
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