This mixed methods study investigated foreign language reading anxiety among 326 Iranian EFL students and its impact on cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies. Using the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Inventory and a reading strategies questionnaire, moderate anxiety levels were observed, primarily due to inade- quate general reading skills. Quantitative analysis indicated an inverse relationship between reading anxiety and strategy use, especially with metacognitive strategies. Age and gender were not significant predictors of anxiety levels. Semi-structured inter- views with 15 students revealed how anxiety influenced strategy selection: higher anxiety led to simpler cognitive strategies, while lower anxiety enabled engagement with complex metacognitive techniques. The findings highlight the interplay between emotions and cognition in reading comprehension, informing targeted ped- agogical interventions.

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