Iran’s Palestinian Policy after Hamas’ 7 October Attack

This study examines Iran's Palestine policy after Hamas' 7 October attack on Israel. Firstly, Iran's Resistance paradigm, which expresses Iran's opposition to the US and Israel, and its Palestine policy are discussed through the ontological security approach. In this context, it is stated that after the 1979 Revolution, Iran adopted policies such as support for the Palestinian cause and anti-Israelism as a normative obligation and an identity belonging. The 7 October attack, on the other hand, was a critical turning point for Iran, which reinforced its anti-Israel stance but revealed its limited capacity to effectively support the Palestinian cause. The study argues that after the 7 October attack, despite Iran's support for Hamas and the broader Axis of Resistance, its actions were strategically measured and it pursued a policy of controlled tension that sought to limit the conflict. This is mainly due to the fact that Iran lacks the material capacity to meet its normative obligations. In this context, through discourse and content analyses of official statements, media sources and speeches, the increasing tension between Iran's normative obligations and material realities has been revealed. On the other hand, it has been argued that Israel's policy of escalation has put Iran's policy of controlled tension into difficulty, and this situation has brought new threats and challenges for both Iran and Israel.