The United States' Soft War with Iran
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CSIS BRIEFS CSIS The United States’ Soft War with Iran By Seth G. Jones and Danika Newlee JUNE 2019 THE ISSUE Iran is engaged in a soft war, or jang-e narm, with the United States. Iran uses formal and informal means to influence populations across the globe and has expanded its information campaign utilizing the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, cultural centers, universities, and charitable foundations. But Iran’s authoritarian political system and attempts to control access to information make it vulnerable to a U.S. and Western information campaign. Iran’s weaknesses suggest that a major component of U.S. competition with Tehran should be ideological. While there has been considerable focus in the United of Shia Islam, which have undermined the legitimacy of States on Iran’s military capabilities and activities, there has its message and created inefficiency and corruption. The been far less attention devoted to Iran’s “soft power” and United States’ greatest strengths—its support of democratic its efforts to expand influence. This brief focuses on Iranian principles, open markets, and free press—are Iran’s most soft power and asks: How do Iranian leaders view soft significant weaknesses. Iran’s authoritarian political system power? How does Iran attempt to export soft power? And and attempt to control access to information make it what are Iran’s weaknesses? To answer these questions, this vulnerable to a U.S. and Western information campaign. report compiles quantitative and qualitative information— But U.S. efforts to ideologically compete with Iran have some of which is new—on elements of Iran’s soft power. been ad hoc and poorly funded. The United States and other The report makes three main arguments. First, Iran is Western governments need to step up efforts to compete explicitly engaged in a “soft war,” or jang-e narm, with the with Iran through soft power, not just focus on military, West—especially the United States.1 As former Iranian financial, and diplomatic means. intelligence chief Heidar Moslehi remarked, “We do not have a physical war with the enemy, but we are engaged in The United States’ greatest strengths— heavy information warfare with the enemy.”2 Second, Iran its support of democratic principles, uses both formal and informal instruments to wage jang-e narm. Examples range from official television broadcasting open markets, and free press—are Iran’s through organizations like the Islamic Republic of Iran most significant weaknesses. Broadcasting to informal cultural centers. Third, Iran has weaknesses and vulnerabilities that stem, in part, from its The rest of this brief is divided into six sections. The first authoritarian system and self-perception as the vanguard provides an overview of Iranian soft power and jang-e CENTER FOR STRATEGIC & middle east CSIS BRIEFS | | 1 INTERNATIONAL STUDIES program WWW.CSIS.ORG narm. The second section focuses on the Islamic Republic power is decentralized and partially in the hands of the of Iran Broadcasting, particularly its international efforts. entertainment industry, non-governmental organizations, The third examines the Islamic Culture and Relations and multinational corporations—which often clash with Organization, including Iranian cultural centers. The fourth the government.8 The United States and its allies possess section analyzes Iranian universities, especially Al-Mustafa significant hard power advantages, making it unlikely that International University. The fifth assesses Iran’s charitable Iran could defeat the West through military or economic foundations, or bonyads. The sixth section discusses Iranian means. Iran’s use of soft power is an acknowledgment of this vulnerabilities and U.S. and Western opportunities. reality and a strategic effort to compete more effectively, via the lower-cost, more accessible realm of culture. SOFT POWER AND SOFT WAR Iranian leaders have regularly remarked that they are The concept of “soft power” refers to the ability of a country engaged in soft war, or jang-e narm, with the West— to persuade others to do what it wants through attraction— especially the United States.9 Iran promotes resistance not through coercion or economic inducements, which narratives which (1) build upon its hard power can be characterized as hard power.3 Power is the ability achievements as well as its Persian history and identity, and to impact the decisions and actions of others to obtain the (2) are tailored to local conditions and audiences in order outcome a country, group, or individual wants.4 Soft power, to establish affinities and points of connection. Iran’s main then, is about shaping the preferences of others by co-opting instruments for waging jang-e narm are formal and informal rather than coercing them. But the Iranian regime takes this organizations like the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, concept a step further. Iranian leaders have not been willing the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, cultural simply to persuade others through attraction, but have also centers, universities, and charitable foundations. Through sought to influence populations and governments through these organizations, Iran has tried to create “cultural manipulation and even disinformation. trenches” (sangarha-ye farhangi) to defend the country.10 Iranian soft power is inextricably linked to the country’s revolutionary ideology and imperial legacy as a Persian Iranian leaders have regularly remarked power. It is deeply shaped by Ayatollah Khomeini’s interpretation of political rule within Twelver Shia Islam, that they are engaged in soft war, or the dominant sect in Iran, which he believed was the jang-e narm, with the West—especially most effective way to create an ideal Islamic government. the United States. Khomeini’s concept of the Islamic revolution was not confined to Iran but included exporting the ideology abroad.5 Khomeini’s maxim “neither East nor West but THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC Islamic Republic” highlighted the juxtaposition of Iran’s OF IRAN BROADCASTING culture with those of the East and West. Soft power in Iran Iran’s state-run media organization is officially known as is top-down and concentrated in the hands of the supreme Seda va Sima-ye Jomhuri-ye Eslami-e Iran, which translates leader and other government officials. Iranian officials as “The Voice and Vision of the Republic of Iran.” But it is have attempted to control the spread of Iranian cultural more frequently referred to as the Islamic Republic of Iran and political values throughout the Middle East and other Broadcasting (IRIB).11 IRIB was established shortly after the regions, including Persian-speaking populations in Central 1979 Islamic revolution. Its logo, highlighted in Figure 1, Asia, Shia minorities in the Middle East and South Asia, shows two intertwined depictions of the Arabic word “laa,” and Shia and non-Shia populations in Africa, Latin America, meaning “no,” which symbolize Iran saying “no” to the West Asia, Europe, and North America.6 (United States) and the East (Soviet Union).12 The IRIB’s Iran’s soft power can also be understood by what it is charter emphasized the nascent Khomeini government’s opposed to: Western (including U.S.) culture, political values, goal of self-sufficiency, with principles that reference “the and foreign policy.7 Iranian leaders have expressed concern majesty and supremacy of Islam,” “the majesty of spirit of about U.S. hegemonic ambitions in the region, and point the Islamic revolution,” and “the embodiment of the policy to its role in overthrowing the government in Iraq to its of ‘Neither East, Nor West’ in all of the fields of politics, 13 west and Afghanistan to its east. It is also anti-Zionist and social affairs, culture, economics, and military.” frequently anti-Sunni. Iran’s hierarchical approach contrasts Today, the state maintains a monopoly over all national with Western countries like the United States, where soft television and radio broadcasting, as mandated by Article CSIS BRIEFS | WWW.CSIS.ORG | 2 Figure 1: Logo of the Islamic Republic worldview and exporting the revolutionary ideology, as of Iran Broadcasting well as defending the Islamic Republic from what it sees as “hostile” Western media organizations like Voice of America and the British Broadcasting Corporation.17 The supreme leader appoints the IRIB’s Director General.18 In May 2018, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Director General Abdulali Ali-Asgari for “restricting or denying the free flow of information to or from the Iranian people.”19 IRIB’s main components include: • Al-Alam, or “The World,” was Iran’s first 24-hour foreign language news channel, which launched in March 2003 to coincide with the U.S. invasion of Iraq.20 Al-Alam views itself as a competitor to the Qatari-funded Al Jazeera and Saudi-backed Al Arabiya, and broadcasts terrestrially and by satellite across the Arab world.21 • Al-Kawthar, or “Fount of Abundance,” is a 24-hour 14 44 of Iran’s constitution. As a result, IRIB is responsible for religious channel which split off from Sahar TV in 15 all of Iran’s domestic and external programming. It began 2006.22 It broadcasts in Arabic with the aim of raising international television broadcasts in 1997 with the launch “human values in harmony with the Holy Quran and of its Jaam-e-Jam service, which broadcast Persian-language Sunnah” and supporting the “resistance” against “global 16 programming to a largely expatriate audience. IRIB then arrogance.”23 In recent years, Al-Kawthar has expanded began to diversify its international reach with channels beyond religious and cultural programming and now and programming in different languages. As highlighted in includes four news bulletins per day.24 Figure 2, IRIB first established the multilingual Sahar TV, • Sahar TV is a religious channel for non-Persian then later expanded to include, Al-Alam, Al-Kawthar, Press speakers, which began broadcasting in 1997 and aims TV, HispanTV, and iFilm TV.