Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
While the fall of Western-oriented Arab governments may appear to be a blow to Washington and a boon for Tehran, the expectation that Iran will fill the Middle East power vacuum is short-sighted.
Since Iran’s power in the Middle East is due chiefly to its political influence, rather than its military prowess, U.S. policy should aim to dilute Tehran’s influence abroad and strengthen moderate forces within Iran.
The suicide of Alireza Pahlavi, the youngest son of the late Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, demonstrates how the reverberations of the 1979 Islamic Revolution are still being felt today.
While the Iranian government—an increasingly militarized theocracy—is unique, George Kennan’s 1947 essay, “The Sources of Soviet Conduct,” reveals instructive behavioral parallels between the Iranian and Soviet regimes.
As the P5+1 conduct their first meetings in a year with Iran on its nuclear program, their objective is to begin a process that will lead Tehran to agree to meaningful and binding nuclear compromises and greater transparency.
The confidential documents released by WikiLeaks reveal that Arab officials distrust the government in Tehran, which effectively uses soft power and political influence to maintain a significant role on the regional and global stage.
While no historical analogy is perfect, analysts looking to understand Iran’s character and predict its future trajectory can benefit from comparing the Islamic Republic to the Soviet Union.
During Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s visit to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, journalists will have the opportunity to confront him on human rights issues in Iran, the country’s internal politics, and the recent defections of Iranian senior diplomats.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is one of the most important leaders in world affairs and understanding his comprehensive control over politics, economics, and society in Iran is critical to any discussion of the future of the Islamic Republic.
In considering Israel’s response to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Prime Minister Netanyahu must set aside personal animus and consider the nature of Iranian politics and the character of the regime in Tehran.
