How to Think and Frame Third Worldism with Illustrations from Iran-South Africa Diplomatic Relations, 2006-2019

The historical relationship between Iran and South Africa dating to ancient times ignites flames of solidarity for countries that have suffered the predicament of global isolation and apartheid, respectively. However, there are long-standing fears that their common radical anti-imperial agenda of disrupting the structure of international order would isolate them further from the “thorax” of the global system to the periphery. It is not clear yet, the implications of this renewed geopolitical and geostrategic realignment on the contemporary world order on which that asymmetry seems to rest. I argue that the direction the Iran-South Africa partnerships will take in this renewed realignment depends largely on the ability of each side to manage the unequal political power dynamics that exist between the counterparts. On this note, I conclude by suggesting, the demand for reform within the aegis of the south-south solidarity, including, reframing the concept of Third Worldism will require the removal of the structural imbalances that more often frustrate the development of countries outside the “thorax.”