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Home> Research> Publications> Journal of International> Wilayat al-Faqih and Resistance to External Interference: Iran’s Conception and Practice of Sovereignty
Wilayat al-Faqih and Resistance to External Interference: Iran’s Conception and Practice of Sovereignty
01 Apr 2026

Iran’s concept of sovereignty has deep historical and religious continuity, with its core lying in the foundation of “Allah’s sovereignty.” It grounds political legitimacy within a religious framework and institutionalizes it within the state power structure through the “Wilayat al-Faqih.” Iran’s practice of sovereignty exhibits a dual logic, both internal and external. Domestically, Iran has developed a hybrid political structure in which religious authority, represented by the Supreme Leader, occupies the highest position, modern state institutions provide the operational framework, and limited forms of popular participation are permitted. In foreign relations, this conception of sovereignty translates into a systematic rejection of external interference and continues to shape Iran’s fundamental positions on issues such as the nuclear question, regional affairs, and relations with the United States.