Iran COI Compilation September 2013

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Iran COI Compilation September 2013 Iran COI Compilation September 2013 ACCORD is co-funded by the European Refugee Fund, UNHCR and the Ministry of the Interior, Austria. Commissioned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Division of International Protection. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author. ACCORD - Austrian Centre for Country of Origin & Asylum Research and Documentation Iran COI Compilation September 2013 This report serves the specific purpose of collating legally relevant information on conditions in countries of origin pertinent to the assessment of claims for asylum. It is not intended to be a general report on human rights conditions. The report is prepared on the basis of publicly available information, studies and commentaries within a specified time frame. All sources are cited and fully referenced. This report is not, and does not purport to be, either exhaustive with regard to conditions in the country surveyed, or conclusive as to the merits of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Every effort has been made to compile information from reliable sources; users should refer to the full text of documents cited and assess the credibility, relevance and timeliness of source material with reference to the specific research concerns arising from individual applications. © Austrian Red Cross/ACCORD An electronic version of this report is available on www.ecoi.net. Austrian Red Cross/ACCORD Wiedner Hauptstraße 32 A- 1040 Vienna, Austria Phone: +43 1 58 900 – 582 E-Mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.redcross.at/accord ACCORD is co-funded by the European Refugee Fund, UNHCR and the Ministry of the Interior, Austria. Table of Contents List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 1 Background information .............................................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Geographical information ...................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1.1 Map of Iran ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1.2 Map of Tehran .................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Brief overview of political institutions .............................................................................................................. 6 1.3 Brief overview of socio-economic situation ................................................................................................... 8 1.3.1 Economic impact of international sanctions ....................................................................................... 8 1.3.2 Levels of unemployment ............................................................................................................................. 12 2 Main political developments .................................................................................................................................... 14 2.1 Presidential elections 2009 and developments in their aftermath until 2011 ......................... 14 2.1.1 Demonstrations and aftermath of the election .............................................................................. 14 2.1.2 Government crackdown of 2010 .............................................................................................................17 2.1.3 Further crackdown following the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt ........................................ 19 2.2 Parliamentary elections of March and May 2012 .................................................................................. 20 2.3 Presidential and municipal elections of June 2013 ................................................................................ 22 3 Political opposition groups ....................................................................................................................................... 26 3.1 Green Movement ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.2 Mojahedin-e Khalq Organisation .................................................................................................................... 28 3.3 Jundallah ....................................................................................................................................................................... 30 3.4 Kurdish activists ........................................................................................................................................................ 32 3.5 Komala ........................................................................................................................................................................... 36 3.6 Party of Free Life of Kurdistan ......................................................................................................................... 38 3.7 Student activists ........................................................................................................................................................ 40 4 Security forces and their role during the 2009/2010 uprisings and their aftermath ........... 43 4.1 Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran .................................................................... 44 4.2 Islamic Republic of Iran Army ............................................................................................................................ 46 4.3 The Ministry of Intelligence and Security .................................................................................................... 48 4.4 Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution ................................................................................... 51 4.4.1 The Basij .............................................................................................................................................................. 56 4.4.2 Qods/Quds Force ......................................................................................................................................... 59 4.5 Ansar-e-Hezbollah ................................................................................................................................................... 62 4.6 Role of security forces during the 2009/2010 uprisings and their aftermath ....................... 63 5 Human rights issues .................................................................................................................................................... 66 5.1 Freedom of expression, association, and assembly .............................................................................. 66 5.1.1 Treatment of political opposition groups and activists ............................................................. 67 5.1.2 Treatment of family members of political dissidents living abroad ................................... 72 5.1.3 Government restrictions on non-governmental organizations and civil society ........ 74 5.2 Freedom of the media ........................................................................................................................................... 78 5.2.1 Treatment of journalists and bloggers .............................................................................................. 80 5.3 Freedom of religion................................................................................................................................................. 84 2 5.3.1 Religious demography ................................................................................................................................. 84 5.3.2 Treatment of religious minorities .......................................................................................................... 87 5.4 Treatment of minority ethnic groups .......................................................................................................... 105 5.4.1 Kurds .................................................................................................................................................................... 106 5.4.2 Arabs ................................................................................................................................................................... 107 5.4.3 Baluchis (Balochs) .......................................................................................................................................... 109 5.4.4 Azerbaijani (Azeri) Turks ........................................................................................................................... 111 5.4.5 Qashqai............................................................................................................................................................... 112 5.5 Treatment of women ..............................................................................................................................................113 5.5.1 Dress and gender segregation ...............................................................................................................113
Recommended publications
  • The Iranian Regime and the New Political Challenge
    Foreign Policy Research Institute E-Notes A Catalyst for Ideas Distributed via Email and Posted at www.fpri.org June 2011 ~MIDDLE EAST MEDIA MONITOR~ AN ENEMY FROM WITHIN: THE IRANIAN REGIME AND THE NEW POLITICAL CHALLENGE By Raz Zimmt Middle East Media Monitor is an FPRI E-Note series, designed to review once a month a current topic from the perspective of the foreign language press in such countries as Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Turkey. These articles will focus on providing FPRI’s readership with an inside view on how some of the most important countries in the Middle East are covering issues of importance to the American foreign policy community. Raz Zimmt is a Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate School of Historical Studies and a research fellow at the Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University. He is the editor of the weekly “Spotlight on Iran,” published by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, www.terrorism-info.org.il/site/home/default.asp . On May 11, 2011 hardliner cleric, Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, held a meeting with members of the conservative Islamic Coalition Party. Mesbah-Yazdi warned his audience against the strengthening of deviant religious thought in Iranian society. He claimed that it jeopardizes the concept of “the Guardianship of the Islamic jurist” ( Velayat-e Faqih ), upon which the Iranian regime has been based since the Islamic Revolution (1979). “If this current continues and one day we will see another Seyyed Ali Mohammad Bab 1...we should not be surprised.” 2 A few days later, Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Sa’idi, the Friday prayer leader in Qom, warned the “deviant currents” to stop their conspiracies or the people will annihilate them, as they did to [Abolhassan] Banisadr, 3 “the hypocrites” [a reference to Iranian opposition organization, the Mojahedin-e Khalq ] and “the leaders of the sedition” [a reference to the reformist opposition].
    [Show full text]
  • Nuremberg Facts & Figures 2020
    Office of Urban Research and Statistics for Nuremberg and Fürth Nuremberg Facts & Figures 2020 City Area Location: 11°04’43’’ East, 49°27’20’’ North 1) Metres above main station 309 m, castle hill 352 m, sea level: lowest point 284 m, highest point 407 m Expansion: North-South 23.5 km East-West 21.4 km Land Use 2018 Surface area: 186.4 km² Residential areas 18.7 % Transport 17.8 % Agriculture 17.2 % Woods 15.4 % Industrial/Commercial 10.9 % Leisure and recreation 8.2 % Water 1.9 % Evolution of City Area since 1806 Year Total city area 1806 1.6 km² 1899 54.4 km² 1930 100.5 km² 1938 123.0 km² 1966 134.7 km² 2003 186.4 km² ± 0 1 2 3 km Population Growth since 1431 Year Population Year Population 1431 22 797 1946 312 338 1662 40 276 1956 426 858 1806 25 176 1972 514 976 1852 53 638 1985 465 255 1900 261 081 2000 488 400 1939 423 383 2019 518 370 2) 1) Old City Hall 2) Registered Population Political Representation Council Election 2020 70 seats SPD 18 … FDP 1 seat Linke Liste ÖDP 1 seat Die Guten 2 seats 1 seat DIE LINKE 3 seats CSU GRÜNE Freie Wähler Die PARTEI/ Piraten politbande 22 seats 14 seats 2 seats AfD 1 seat 1 seat 4 seats Lord Mayor Marcus König (CSU) 2nd Mayoress Prof. Dr. Julia Lehner 3rd Mayor Christian Vogel (SPD) Twin Cities City Country Since Antalya Turkey 1997 Atlanta USA 1998 Córdoba Spain 2010 Glasgow Scotland 1985 Hadera Israel 1986 Kavala Greece 1999 Kharkiv Ukraine 1990 Kraków Poland 1979 Nice France 1954 Prague Czech Republic 1990 San Carlos Nicaragua 1985 Shenzhen China 1997 Skopje Republic of North Macedonia 1982 Venice Italy 1954 Nuremberg International Human Rights Award Laureates Abe J.
    [Show full text]
  • IRAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY the Islamic Republic of Iran
    IRAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Islamic Republic of Iran is a constitutional, theocratic republic in which Shia Muslim clergy and political leaders vetted by the clergy dominate the key power structures. Government legitimacy is based on the twin pillars of popular sovereignty--albeit restricted--and the rule of the supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution. The current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was chosen by a directly elected body of religious leaders, the Assembly of Experts, in 1989. Khamenei’s writ dominates the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. He directly controls the armed forces and indirectly controls internal security forces, the judiciary, and other key institutions. The legislative branch is the popularly elected 290-seat Islamic Consultative Assembly, or Majlis. The unelected 12-member Guardian Council reviews all legislation the Majlis passes to ensure adherence to Islamic and constitutional principles; it also screens presidential and Majlis candidates for eligibility. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was reelected president in June 2009 in a multiparty election that was generally considered neither free nor fair. There were numerous instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of civilian control. Demonstrations by opposition groups, university students, and others increased during the first few months of the year, inspired in part by events of the Arab Spring. In February hundreds of protesters throughout the country staged rallies to show solidarity with protesters in Tunisia and Egypt. The government responded harshly to protesters and critics, arresting, torturing, and prosecuting them for their dissent. As part of its crackdown, the government increased its oppression of media and the arts, arresting and imprisoning dozens of journalists, bloggers, poets, actors, filmmakers, and artists throughout the year.
    [Show full text]
  • Current Readings on the Iran-Iraq Conflict and Its Effects on U.S. Foreign Relations and Policy
    Reference Services Review, v. 17, issue 2, 1989, p. 27-39. ISSN: 0090-7324 DOI: 10.1108/eb049054 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0090-7324 © 1989 MCB UP Ltd Current Readings on the Iran-Iraq Conflict and Its Effects on U.S. Foreign Relations and Policy Magda El-Sherbini The conflict between Iran and Iraq is not new; it dates from long before September 1980. In fact, the origins of the current war can be traced to the battle of Qadisiyah in Southern Iraq in 637 A.D., a battle in which the Arab armies of General Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas decisively defeated the Persian army. In victory, the Arab armies extended Islam east of the Zagros Mountains to Iran. In defeat, the Persian Empire began a steady decline that lasted until the sixteenth century. However, since the beginning of that century, Persia has occupied Iraq three times: 1508-1514, 1529-1543, and 1623-1638. Boundary disputes, specifically over the Shatt al-Arab Waterway, and old enmities caused the wars. In 1735, belligerent Iranian naval forces entered the Shatt al-Arab but subsequently withdrew. Twenty years later, Iranians occupied the city of Sulimaniah and threatened to occupy the neighboring countries of Bahrain and Kuwait. In 1847, Iran dominated the eastern bank of the Shatt al-Arab and occupied Mohamarah in Iraq. The Ottoman rulers of Iraq concluded a number of treaties with Iran, including: the treaty of Amassin (1534-55); treaties signed in 1519, 1613, and 1618; and the treaty of Zuhab, signed in 1639. Yet another treaty, the treaty of Erzerum in 1823, failed once again to resolve the dispute.
    [Show full text]
  • En En Motion for a Resolution
    EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2009 - 2014 Plenary sitting 15.11.2011 B7-0598/2011 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure on Iran - recent cases of human rights violations Véronique De Keyser, María Muñiz De Urquiza, Kathleen Van Brempt, Pino Arlacchi, Corina Creţu, Kristian Vigenin on behalf of the S&D Group RE\P7_B(2011)0598_EN.doc PE472.810v01-00 EN United in diversityEN B7-0598/2011 European Parliament resolution on Iran - recent cases of human rights violations The European Parliament, - having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran, notably those concerning human rights and, in particular, those of February 2010 and January 2011, - having regard to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to all of which Iran is a party, - having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure, A. whereas the multi-faceted human rights crisis is gripping Iran, including the persecution and prosecution of civil society actors, political activists, journalists, students, artists, lawyers, and environmental activists; as well as the routine denial of freedom of assembly, women’s rights, the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, and the skyrocketing rates of executions; B. whereas recent deaths of two human rights defenders, Haleh Sahabi and Hoda Saber, for which the officials were responsible, illustrate the existential threats to jailed human rights defenders and dissidents in Iran; C.
    [Show full text]
  • IRAN COUNTRY of ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service
    IRAN COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service Date 28 June 2011 IRAN JUNE 2011 Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN IRAN FROM 14 MAY TO 21 JUNE Useful news sources for further information REPORTS ON IRAN PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED BETWEEN 14 MAY AND 21 JUNE Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Maps ...................................................................................................................... 1.04 Iran ..................................................................................................................... 1.04 Tehran ................................................................................................................ 1.05 Calendar ................................................................................................................ 1.06 Public holidays ................................................................................................... 1.07 2. ECONOMY ................................................................................................................ 2.01 3. HISTORY .................................................................................................................. 3.01 Pre 1979: Rule of the Shah .................................................................................. 3.01 From 1979 to 1999: Islamic Revolution to first local government elections ... 3.04 From 2000 to 2008: Parliamentary elections
    [Show full text]
  • Broschüre Menschenrechtspreis 2009
    INTERNATIONALER NÜRNBERGER MENSCHENRECHTSPREIS 2009 NUREMBERG INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD Nürnberg DER PREISTRÄGER THE PRIZEWINNER 2009 ABDOLFATTAH SOLTANI Festakt zur Preisverleihung am Sonntag, 4. Oktober 2009 im Opernhaus Nürnberg Award Ceremony on Sunday, 4 October 2009 in the Nuremberg Opera House 3 ZUM GELEIT PREFACE Vor 60 Jahren wurde die „Allgemeine Erklärung der 60 years ago, the “Universal Declaration of Human Menschenrechte“ durch die Vereinten Nationen ver- Rights” was proclaimed by the United Nations. It sets out kündet. Sie formuliert Rechte, die allen Menschen ein the basic rights which are necessary to safeguard human life Leben in Würde, Freiheit und Sicherheit gewährlei- in dignity, freedom and security. But we are still far from sten sollen. Doch davon sind wir auch heute noch weit this ideal today. The 2009 Annual Report presented by the entfernt. Der Jahresbericht 2009 der Menschenrechts- human rights organisation Amnesty International shows organisation Amnesty International spricht eine deut- this clearly: in more than half of the 157 monitored states, liche Sprache: In mehr als der Hälfte der 157 beo- massive violations of basic rights were observed. bachteten Staaten werden grundlegende Rechte mas- siv verletzt. The current global economic and financial crisis has led to a further worsening of the human rights situation in the Durch die gegenwärtige globale Wirtschafts- und majority of the world. The poorer countries in particular are Finanzkrise wird die Menschenrechtslage in weiten suffering from the repercussions of the present recession. Teilen der Welt noch weiter verschlechtert. Vor allem Already 1.4 billion people are living on just one dollar per die ärmeren Länder sind von den Folgen der Rezession day.
    [Show full text]
  • Iran: Current Developments and U.S. Policy
    Order Code IB93033 Issue Brief for Congress Received through the CRS Web Iran: Current Developments and U.S. Policy Updated March 13, 2003 Kenneth Katzman Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Iran’s Strategic Buildup Conventional Weapons Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Chemical and Biological Weapons Missiles Nuclear Program Iranian Foreign Policy and Involvement in Terrorism Persian Gulf Saudi Arabia/Khobar Towers Gulf Islands Dispute With UAE Iraq Middle East/North Africa Lebanon/Hizballah Sudan Central and South Asia/Azerbaijan/Former Yugoslavia Al Qaeda/Afghanistan/Pakistan Former Yugoslavia Human Rights Concerns Religious Persecution Trial of 13 Jews U.S. Policy and Sanctions Economic Sanctions Terrorism/Foreign Aid Proliferation Sanctions Counternarcotics Trade Ban The Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA) Caspian/Central Asian Energy Routes Through Iran Europe and Japan’s Relations With/Lending to Iran Multilateral Lending to Iran WTO Travel Sanctions Assets Disputes/Victims of Terrorism Military Containment Iran’s Opposition Movements IB93033 03-13-03 Iran: Current Developments and U.S. Policy SUMMARY Even before Iran’s tacit cooperation with Palestinian violence against Israel since Sep- post-September 11 U.S. efforts to defeat tember 2000. Afghanistan’s Taliban regime, signs of mod- eration in Iran had stimulated the United Iran’s human rights practices, particularly States to try to engage Iran in official talks. its treatment of the Baha’i and the Jewish Iran, still split between conservatives and communities, are also a major concern. The reformers loyal to President Mohammad Bush Administration has identified Iran’s Khatemi did not accept.
    [Show full text]
  • Political Succession in the Islamic Republic of Iran: the Rise of the Revolutionary Guards
    Political Succession in the Islamic Republic of Iran: The Rise of the Revolutionary Guards Ali Alfoneh Political Succession in the Islamic Republic of Iran: The Rise of the Revolutionary Guards Ali Alfoneh February 5, 2018 Issue Paper #1 2019 The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW), launched in 2015, is an independent, nonprofit institution dedicated to providing expert research and analysis of the social, economic, and political dimensions of the Gulf Arab states and how they impact domestic and foreign policy. AGSIW focuses on issues ranging from politics and security to economics, trade, and business; from social dynamics to civil society and culture. Through programs, publications, and scholarly exchanges the institute seeks to encourage thoughtful debate and inform the U.S. policy community regarding this critical geostrategic region. © 2019 Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. All rights reserved. AGSIW does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of AGSIW, its staff, or its board of directors. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from AGSIW. Please direct inquiries to: [email protected] This publication can be downloaded at no cost at www.agsiw.org. Cover Photo Credits: Khamenei.ir/Wikimedia Commons About the Author Ali Alfoneh is a senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He is the author of Iran Unveiled: How the Revolutionary Guards are Transforming Iran from Theocracy into Military Dictatorship, published by AEI Press in April 2013.
    [Show full text]
  • Urgent Action
    Further information on UA: 49/11 Index: MDE 13/086/2011 Iran Date: 29 September 2011 URGENT ACTION OPPOSITION LEADERS ARBITRARILY HELD Opposition leaders Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, along with Mir Hossein Mousavi’s wife Zahra Rahnavard, are still being held under house arrest without an arrest warrant, charge or trial. Mehdi Karroubi was moved to a small apartment without his wife on around 31 July 2011. The three have limited access to family members and no legal representation. In September 2011, Mehdi Karroubi’s wife, Fatemeh Karroubi, wrote a letter that has been made public to the Head of the Judiciary detailing the illegality of the house arrest and expressing concern for her husband’s health. She pointed out that during his house arrest, he had been deprived of access to books, newspapers, a telephone, regular family visits and exercise. She had also said earlier that Mehdi Karroubi, aged 74, had been moved to a small flat. Fatemeh Karroubi has also called for an independent physician to examine him. Mir Hossein Mousavi’s children have also said that their parents are completely “cut off” from the outside world and have no access to newspapers, radio or stationery for writing. Mehdi Karroubi, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard have not been seen in public since early February 2011 when Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi called for demonstrations in support of the people of Tunisia and Egypt to be held on 14 February. Their whereabouts were initially unknown, but it later became clear that they were being held under house arrest without any arrest warrant.
    [Show full text]
  • Tightening the Reins How Khamenei Makes Decisions
    MEHDI KHALAJI TIGHTENING THE REINS HOW KHAMENEI MAKES DECISIONS MEHDI KHALAJI TIGHTENING THE REINS HOW KHAMENEI MAKES DECISIONS POLICY FOCUS 126 THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY www.washingtoninstitute.org Policy Focus 126 | March 2014 The opinions expressed in this Policy Focus are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, its Board of Trustees, or its Board of Advisors. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including pho- tocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. © 2014 by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy The Washington Institute for Near East Policy 1828 L Street NW, Suite 1050 Washington, DC 20036 Cover: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds a weapon as he speaks at the University of Tehran. (Reuters/Raheb Homavandi). Design: 1000 Colors CONTENTS Executive Summary | V 1. Introduction | 1 2. Life and Thought of the Leader | 7 3. Khamenei’s Values | 15 4. Khamenei’s Advisors | 20 5. Khamenei vs the Clergy | 27 6. Khamenei vs the President | 34 7. Khamenei vs Political Institutions | 44 8. Khamenei’s Relationship with the IRGC | 52 9. Conclusion | 61 Appendix: Profile of Hassan Rouhani | 65 About the Author | 72 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EVEN UNDER ITS MOST DESPOTIC REGIMES , modern Iran has long been governed with some degree of consensus among elite factions. Leaders have conceded to or co-opted rivals when necessary to maintain their grip on power, and the current regime is no excep- tion.
    [Show full text]
  • Iran and the Gulf Military Balance - I
    IRAN AND THE GULF MILITARY BALANCE - I The Conventional and Asymmetric Dimensions FIFTH WORKING DRAFT By Anthony H. Cordesman and Alexander Wilner Revised July 11, 2012 Anthony H. Cordesman Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy [email protected] Cordesman/Wilner: Iran & The Gulf Military Balance, Rev 5 7/11/12 2 Acknowledgements This analysis was made possible by a grant from the Smith Richardson Foundation. It draws on the work of Dr. Abdullah Toukan and a series of reports on Iran by Adam Seitz, a Senior Research Associate and Instructor, Middle East Studies, Marine Corps University. 2 Cordesman/Wilner: Iran & The Gulf Military Balance, Rev 5 7/11/12 3 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 5 THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................... 6 Figure III.1: Summary Chronology of US-Iranian Military Competition: 2000-2011 ............................... 8 CURRENT PATTERNS IN THE STRUCTURE OF US AND IRANIAN MILITARY COMPETITION ........................................... 13 DIFFERING NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES .............................................................................................................. 17 US Perceptions .................................................................................................................................... 17 Iranian Perceptions............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]