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Iran's Nuclear Ambitions From
IDENTITY AND LEGITIMACY: IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS FROM NON- TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Pupak Mohebali Doctor of Philosophy University of York Politics June 2017 Abstract This thesis examines the impact of Iranian elites’ conceptions of national identity on decisions affecting Iran's nuclear programme and the P5+1 nuclear negotiations. “Why has the development of an indigenous nuclear fuel cycle been portrayed as a unifying symbol of national identity in Iran, especially since 2002 following the revelation of clandestine nuclear activities”? This is the key research question that explores the Iranian political elites’ perspectives on nuclear policy actions. My main empirical data is elite interviews. Another valuable source of empirical data is a discourse analysis of Iranian leaders’ statements on various aspects of the nuclear programme. The major focus of the thesis is how the discourses of Iranian national identity have been influential in nuclear decision-making among the national elites. In this thesis, I examine Iranian national identity components, including Persian nationalism, Shia Islamic identity, Islamic Revolutionary ideology, and modernity and technological advancement. Traditional rationalist IR approaches, such as realism fail to explain how effective national identity is in the context of foreign policy decision-making. I thus discuss the connection between national identity, prestige and bargaining leverage using a social constructivist approach. According to constructivism, states’ cultures and identities are not established realities, but the outcomes of historical and social processes. The Iranian nuclear programme has a symbolic nature that mingles with socially constructed values. There is the need to look at Iran’s nuclear intentions not necessarily through the lens of a nuclear weapons programme, but rather through the regime’s overall nuclear aspirations. -
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. -
Mullahs, Guards, and Bonyads: an Exploration of Iranian Leadership
THE ARTS This PDF document was made available CHILD POLICY from www.rand.org as a public service of CIVIL JUSTICE the RAND Corporation. EDUCATION ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Jump down to document6 HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit NATIONAL SECURITY research organization providing POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY objective analysis and effective SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY solutions that address the challenges SUBSTANCE ABUSE facing the public and private sectors TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY around the world. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Support RAND WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE Purchase this document Browse Books & Publications Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore the RAND National Defense Research Institute View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This product is part of the RAND Corporation monograph series. RAND monographs present major research findings that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND mono- graphs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. Mullahs, Guards, and Bonyads An Exploration of Iranian Leadership Dynamics David E. -
Policy Notes November 2020
THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY NOVEMBER 2020 POLICY NOTES NO. 89 Iran’s 2021 Presidential Vote and the Tightening of Regime Control Mehdi Khalaji n June 18, 2021, Iran will hold its thirteenth presidential election since the formation of the Islamic Republic. This follows a precedent of O conducting regular national votes for the presidency, Majlis (parliament), Assembly of Experts, and, since 1999, municipal leadership. The democratic exercise has proceeded despite remarkable progress by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in establishing full-scale Islamic totalitarianism, personalization A portrait of Supreme of power, and a hardening of the security state, while seeking to cripple civil Leader Ali Khamenei society. The main purpose in maintaining an electoral process at all might be hovers behind President as a release valve for public discontent, at least for short periods, offering the Hassan Rouhani, whose fleeting prospect of change. term concludes next year. Photo: REUTERS MEHDI KHALAJI IRAN’S 2021 PRESIDENTIAL VOTE Observers both within Iran and abroad have an irrelevant, elections still play an important role in extraordinarily poor track record of predicting who the country’s political system. They allow for the might succeed an Iranian president once he has promise of change, amid depleted hopes for reform reached the end of his two-term limit. Each of the or revolution, in a national climate where costs have three last such outcomes—Mohammad Khatami’s grown for not only political activity but also civil and victory in 1997, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s in 2005, social activity such as NGO efforts. The 2020 Majlis and Hassan Rouhani’s in 2013—has been a surprise. -
Assessing the Domestic Roles of Iran's Islamic
THE ARTS This PDF document was made available CHILD POLICY from www.rand.org as a public service of CIVIL JUSTICE the RAND Corporation. EDUCATION ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Jump down to document6 HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit NATIONAL SECURITY research organization providing POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY objective analysis and effective SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY solutions that address the challenges SUBSTANCE ABUSE facing the public and private sectors TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY around the world. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Support RAND WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE Purchase this document Browse Books & Publications Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore the RAND National Defense Research Institute View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This product is part of the RAND Corporation monograph series. RAND monographs present major research findings that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND mono- graphs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. The Rise of the Pasdaran Assessing the Domestic Roles of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Frederic Wehrey, Jerrold D. -
Iran's Internal Struggle to Define the Arab Spring Laila Taraghi University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ScholarWorks@UARK Theses and Dissertations 5-2012 Competing for Relevance: Iran's Internal Struggle to Define the Arab Spring Laila Taraghi University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd Part of the International Relations Commons, Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons, and the Politics and Social Change Commons Recommended Citation Taraghi, Laila, "Competing for Relevance: Iran's Internal Struggle to Define the Arab Spring" (2012). Theses and Dissertations. 430. http://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/430 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Competing for Relevance: Iran's Internal Struggle to Define the Arab Spring Competing for Relevance: Iran's Internal Struggle to Define the Arab Spring A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Science By Laila Taraghi University of Oregon Clark Honors College Bachelor of International Studies, 2007 May 2012 University of Arkansas ABSTRACT In the wake of the recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, political figures in Iran have offered competing claims of inspiration for the protests now spreading through the broader MENA region. This paper aims to compare the discourse of regime leaders to that of opposition activists, each seeking to frame current events in the region as a reflection of their particular aspirations and competing worldviews. Benford and Snow's literature on challenges facing movement adherents embroiled in contested framing processes will be employed as a means of highlighting some of the various obstacles to political transformation in the case of Iran. -
'Lesser Evil' Theory to Iran's Elections by Mehdi Khalaji
MENU Policy Analysis / PolicyWatch 2582 Reformists Apply the 'Lesser Evil' Theory to Iran's Elections by Mehdi Khalaji Mar 9, 2016 Also available in Arabic ABOUT THE AUTHORS Mehdi Khalaji Mehdi Khalaji, a Qom-trained Shiite theologian, is the Libitzky Family Fellow at The Washington Institute. Brief Analysis With most of their favorite candidates disqualified, the reformists embraced politicians who were little different from the hardline incumbents, raising questions about their claims of victory. n February 28, President Hassan Rouhani tweeted that the Iranian people had "artfully created a new O atmosphere" on election day. Regardless of what he may have meant by "artful," the media narrative he helped create about the results could be just as important as the elections themselves. A closer look at the winning candidates reveals glaring discrepancies between his account and Iran's political realities, shedding light on the narrative war between his supporters and opponents. BUSINESS AS USUAL IN THE ASSEMBLY OF EXPERTS T o support their claims of victory, Rouhani's followers assert that the "reformist" list for the Assembly of Experts election won the majority of seats in Tehran and other large cities. Yet if one understands "reformist" as a political figure who emerged during the reform movement of the late 1990s and is associated with the parties and groups created at that time, then neither the candidates on the "reformist" list nor the winners of Tehran's sixteen assembly seats can credibly be called by that name. For example, seven of the sixteen winners in Tehran could be found not only on the reformist list, but also on a rival list put out by the conservative "principalist" movement: Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani, Mohammad Emami Kashani, Mohsen Qomi, Ebrahim Amini, Ghorban Ali Dorri Najaf Abadi, Mohammad Mohammadi Reishahri, and Sayyed Abu al-Fazl Mir Mohammadi. -
The Imagery of Iranian National Identity
CONTINGENT HORIZONS The York University Student Journal of Anthropology VOLUME 4, NUMBER 1 (2018) PUBLIC ANTHROPOLOGY The Imagery of Iranian National Identity: A Typology of Slogans During the Aftermath of the 2009 Presidential Election Raheleh Abbasinejad Masters Student, Science and Technology Studies | York University, Toronto, Canada Contingent Horizons: The York University Student Journal of Anthropology. 2018. 4(1):1–15. First published online September 4, 2018. Contingent Horizons is available online at www.contingenthorizons.com. Contingent Horizons is an annual open-access, peer- reviewed student journal published by the department of anthropology at York University, Toronto, Canada. The journal provides a platform for graduate and undergraduate students of anthropology to publish their outstanding scholarly work in a peer-reviewed academic forum. Contingent Horizons is run by a student editorial collective and is guided by an ethos of social justice, which informs its functioning, structure, and policies. Contingent Horizons’ website provides open-access to the journal’s published articles. ISSN 2292-7514 (Print) ISSN 2292-6739 (Online) editorial collective Meredith Evans, Nadine Ryan, Vishwaveda Joshi. cover photo Nadine Ryan The Imagery of Iranian National Identity A Typology of Slogans During the Aftermath of the 2009 Presidential Election RAHELEH ABBASINEJAD MASTERS STUDENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES YORK UNIVERSITY, TORONTO, CANADA In this paper, I analyze the nation-building project that the Islamic Republic of Iran has pro- duced and reproduced in the past four decades. I explore the political, social, and economic processes contributing to the (un)doing of identity projects, by investigating the 2009 pro- tests following the Iranian presidential election and analyzing the slogans shouted from both sides of the conflict. -
Iran's National Security Debate Implications for Future U.S
C O R P O R A T I O N iran's national security debate implications for future u.s. iran negotiations ARIANE M. TABATABAI Perspective EXPERT INSIGHTS ON A TIMELY POLICY ISSUE OCTOBER 2019 Contents Consensus and Division In Iranian Decisionmaking ...................................... 2 National Security and Military Capabilities .................................................... 7 Relations with the United States ..................................................................11 Views on Regional Security ..........................................................................17 International Orientation and the Economy ..................................................20 Conclusions ..................................................................................................23 Notes .............................................................................................................25 About This Perspective .................................................................................32 About the Author ...........................................................................................32 Acknowledgments ........................................................................................32 The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest. Limited Print and Electronic Distribution Rights -
Iran's Eleventh Presidential Election Revisited: the Politics of Managing
IRAN’S ELEVENTH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION REVISITED: THE POLITICS OF MANAGING CHANGE ALI ANSARI LSE Middle East Centre Paper Series | 17 About the Middle East Centre The LSE Middle East Centre builds on LSE’s long engagement with the Middle East and provides a central hub for the wide range of research on the region carried out at LSE. The Middle East Centre aims to enhance understanding and develop rigorous research on the societies, economies, polities, and international relations of the region. The Centre promotes both specialised knowledge and public understanding of this crucial area and has outstanding strengths in interdisciplinary research and in regional expertise. As one of the world’s leading social science institutions, LSE comprises departments covering all branches of the social sciences. The Middle East Centre harnesses this expertise to promote innovative research and training on the region. Publications Editor: Ribale Sleiman Haidar | Editorial Assistant: Emma Pearson Cover Image: Iranian presidential candidate and former chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rouhani, 1 June 2013. © REUTERS/Fars News. Iran’s Eleventh Presidential Election Revisited: The Politics of Managing Change Ali Ansari LSE Middle East Centre Paper Series | Volume 17 November 2016 4 Iran’s Eleventh Presidential Election Revisited About the Author Professor Ali Ansari is Visiting Professor at the LSE Middle East Centre and Professor of Iranian History and Director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews. He is also Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and President of the British Institute of Persian Studies. His research interests include the development of the State in Iran in the modern era, with a particular focus on national- ism, mythology and the use (and abuse) of history. -
Suzanne Maloney Iran BALDWIN
Diplomatic Strategies for Dealing with Iran: How Tehran Might Respond Suzanne Maloney www.cnas.org 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW T 202 457 9400 Suite 403 F 202 457 9401 Washington, D.C. 20004 DIPLOMATIC STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH IRAN: HOW TEHRAN MIGHT RESPOND n a world marked by change and transformation, the three- I decades-long antagonism between Washington and Tehran seems curiously impervious to amelioration or mitigation. The durability of this conflict – which has outlasted all of America’s other old enmities with the exception of Cuba – as well as its perpetual urgency has generated a rich library of official and unofficial policy studies, academic analyses, and high-level task force recommendations. Each has attempted to answer the same question that confronts U.S. policymakers every day: what can be done about Iran? That something must be done is a matter of widespread consensus, not simply in Washington but within the international community. Thanks to its pivotal location, political legacy, cultural and religious sway, and rich natural and human resource base, Iran inevitably engages vital American interests. Since the revolution, Iran’s policies and actions – its nuclear ambitions, bankrolling of terrorism, assertion of regional primacy, and its repression of its own citizenry – have placed Iran at the nexus of Washington’s most immediate security dilemmas. The widespread recognition that Washington needs a more effective approach to dealing with the challenges of Iran has produced an array of different approaches, but little apparent progress in conclusively resolving Iranian antagonism and the threat posed to American interests. Nearly every proposed revision to U.S. -
Understanding What They Think Through Iranian Media Narratives
University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Center for Global Communication Studies Iran Media Program (CGCS) 6-2013 The Islamic Republic’s Political Elite & Syria: Understanding What They Think Through Iranian Media Narratives Farzan Sabet Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/iranmediaprogram Part of the Communication Commons, and the International and Area Studies Commons Recommended Citation Sabet, Farzan. (2013). The Islamic Republic’s Political Elite & Syria: Understanding What They Think Through Iranian Media Narratives. Iran Media Program. Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/iranmediaprogram/6 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/iranmediaprogram/6 For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Islamic Republic’s Political Elite & Syria: Understanding What They Think Through Iranian Media Narratives Abstract The Islamic Republic of Iran has been the central regional backer of the Bashar al-Assad regime since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in March 2011. Despite the importance of Iran in the drama unfolding in Syria, including any possible resolution to the conflict, the Iranian political elite’s perceptions of the Syrian civil war are arguably not well understood. This report attempts to uncover these perceptions by analyzing the Iranian print news media and highlighting the dominant narratives. As one of the first systematic studies of Iranian media narratives on the Syrian civil war, this report can be an aid to policymakers, academics, journalists and others in understanding the Iranian political elite’s thinking on this issue. Disciplines Communication | International and Area Studies Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.