Counteracting the challenges : Ali Khamenei’s concept of soft war

الملخص EN

The frequent speeches of American and Iranian officials declare a state of soft war between them; a war characterized by employing smart aspects of culture, economy, technology, and values.

Ali Khamenei’s speeches present the unique Iranian soft war to counteract the challenges of Iran’s enemies, particularly the US.

The present study reviews Nye’s concept of soft power, Khamenei’s soft war, legitimization strategies of Reyes (2011), and van Dijk’s five principles of legitimation.

A proposed Iran soft war frame is presented with eight components and a particular mechanism for confrontation and sustainability.

Ten local speeches are selected and analyzed to consider five different levels: patterns of realization, horizontal and vertical dimensions of realization, full and partial progression, ideological importance, and discursive tips