The Iranian Revolution at 30
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Viewpoints Special Edition The Iranian Revolution at 30 The Middle East Institute Washington, DC Middle East Institute The mission of the Middle East Institute is to promote knowledge of the Middle East in Amer- ica and strengthen understanding of the United States by the people and governments of the region. For more than 60 years, MEI has dealt with the momentous events in the Middle East — from the birth of the state of Israel to the invasion of Iraq. Today, MEI is a foremost authority on contemporary Middle East issues. It pro- vides a vital forum for honest and open debate that attracts politicians, scholars, government officials, and policy experts from the US, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. MEI enjoys wide access to political and business leaders in countries throughout the region. Along with information exchanges, facilities for research, objective analysis, and thoughtful commentary, MEI’s programs and publications help counter simplistic notions about the Middle East and America. We are at the forefront of private sector public diplomacy. Viewpoints are another MEI service to audiences interested in learning more about the complexities of issues affecting the Middle East and US rela- tions with the region. To learn more about the Middle East Institute, visit our website at http://www.mideasti.org Cover photos, clockwise from the top left hand corner: Shahram Sharif photo; sajed.ir photo; sajed.ir photo; ? redo photo; sajed. ir photo; Maryam Ashoori photo; Zongo69 photo; UN photo; and [ john ] photo. 2 The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30 • www.mideasti.org Viewpoints Special Edition The Iranian Revolution at 30 The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30 • www.mideasti.org 3 Viewpoints: 1979 The year 1979 was among the most tumultuous, and important, in the history of the modern Middle East. The Middle East Institute will mark the 30th anniversary of these events in 2009 by launching a year-long special series of our ac- claimed publication, Viewpoints, that will offer perspectives on these events and the influence which they continue to exert on the region today. Each special issue of Viewpoints will combine the diverse commentaries of policymakers and scholars from around the world with a robust complement of statistics, maps, and bibliographic information in order to encourage and facilitate further research. Each special issue will be available, free of charge, on our website, www. mideasti.org. In the first of these special editions of Viewpoints, we turn our attention to the Iranian Revolution, one of the most im- portant — and influential — events in the region’s recent history. This issue’s contributors reflect on the significance of the Revolution, whose ramifications continue to echo through the Middle East down to the present day. February March July Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution Viewpoints: The Egyptian-Israeli Viewpoints: Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s Peace Treaty Fall and Pakistan’s New Direction August November December Viewpoints: Oil Shock Viewpoints: The Seizure of the Viewpoints: The Soviet Invasion of Great Mosque Afghanistan Don’t miss an issue! Be sure to bookmark www.mideasti.org today. 4 The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30 • www.mideasti.org The Iranian Revolution at 30 A Special Edition of Viewpoints Dedication by Andrew Parasiliti 10 Understanding Iranian Foreign Policy, by R.K. Ramazani 12 I. The Revolution Reconsidered After the Tehran Spring, by Kian Tajbakhsh 16 The Iranian Revolution of February 1979, by Homa Katouzian 20 The Iranian Revolution 30 Years On, by Shahrough Akhavi 23 The Three Paradoxes of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, by Abbas Milani 26 The Revolutionary Legacy: A Contested and Insecure Polity, by Farideh Farhi 29 The Iranian Revolution at 30: Still Unpredictable, by Charles Kurzman 32 The Islamic Revolution Derailed, by Hossein Bashiriyeh 35 The Revolution’s Mixed Balance Sheet, by Fereshtehsadat Etefaghfar 39 Between Pride and Dissapointment, by Michael Axworthy 41 II. Inside Iran Women Women and 30 Years of the Islamic Republic, by Nikki Keddie 46 The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30 • www.mideasti.org 5 Women and the Islamic Republic: Emancipation or Suppression? by Fatemeh Etemad Moghadam 49 Where Are Iran’s Working Women? by Valentine M. Moghadam 52 Social Change, the Women’s Rights Movement, and the Role of Islam, by Azadeh Kian 55 New Challenges for Iranian Women, by Elaheh Koolaee 58 Education, Media, and Culture Educational Attainment in Iran, by Zahra Mila Elmi 62 Attitudes towards the Internet in an Iranian University, by Hossein Godazgar 70 Literary Voices, by Nasrin Rahimieh 74 Communication, Media, and Popular Culture in Post-revolutionary Iran, by Mehdi Semati 77 Society Iranian Society: A Surprising Picture, by Bahman Baktiari 80 Iranian Nationalism Rediscovered, by Ali Ansari 83 Iranian “Exceptionalism”, by Sadegh Zibakalam 85 Energy, Economy, and the Environment Potentials and Challenges in the Iranian Oil and Gas Industry, by Narsi Ghorban 89 Iran’s Foreign Policy and the Iran-Pakistan-India Gas Pipeline, by Jalil Roshandel 92 Environmental Snaphots in Contemporary Iran, by Mohammad Eskandari 95 6 The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30 • www.mideasti.org Back to the Future: Bazaar Strikes, Three Decades after the Revolution, by Arang Keshavarzian 98 Iranian Para-governmental Organizations (bonyads), by Ali A. Saeidi 101 Poverty and Inequality since the Revolution, by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani 104 Government and Politics Elections as a Tool to Sustain the Theological Power Structure, by Kazem Alamdari 109 Shi‘a Politics in Iran after 30 Years of Revolution, by Babak Rahimi 112 Muhammad Khatami: A Dialogue beyond Paradox, by Wm Scott Harrop 115 Minorities Religious Apartheid in Iran, by H.E. Chehabi 119 Azerbaijani Ethno-nationalism: A Danger Signal for Iran, by Daneil Heradstveit 122 III. Regional and International Relations Sources and Patterns of Foreign Policy Iran’s International Relations: Pragmatism in a Revolutionary Bottle, by Anoush Ehteshami 127 Culture and the Range of Options in Iran’s International Politics, by Hossein S. Seifzadeh 130 The Geopolitical Factor in Iran’s Foreign Policy, by Kayhan Barzegar 134 Iranian Foreign Policy: Concurrence of Ideology and Pragmatism, by Nasser Saghafi-Ameri 136 The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30 • www.mideasti.org 7 Iran’s Tactical Foreign Policy Rhetoric, by Bidjan Nashat 139 The Regional Theater The Kurdish Factor in Iran-Iraq Relations, by Nader Entessar 143 Iranian-Lebanese Shi‘ite Relations, by Roschanack Shaery-Eisenlohr 146 The Syrian-Iranian Alliance, by Raymond Hinnebusch 149 Twists and Turns in Turkish-Iranian Relations, by Mustafa Kibaroglu 152 The Dichotomist Antagonist Posture in the Persian Gulf, by Riccardo Redaelli 155 Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council, by Mehran Kamrava 158 Iran and Saudi Arabia: Eternal “Gamecocks?”, by Henner Fürtig 161 The Global Arena The European Union and Iran, by Walter Posch 165 Iran and France: Shattered Dreams, by Pirooz Izadi 168 The Spectrum of Perceptions in Iran’s Nuclear Issue, by Rahman G. Bonab 172 Iran’s Islamic Revolution and Its Future, by Abbas Maleki 175 Maps 178 Statistics Demographics 188 8 The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30 • www.mideasti.org Economy 191 Energy 196 Gender 199 Political Power Structure 201 From the Pages of The Middle East Journal’s “Chronology:” Iran in 1979 205 Selected Bibliography 223 The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30 • www.mideasti.org 9 Dedication Andrew Parasiliti It is only fitting that “The Iranian Revolution at 30” begin with an introductory essay by R.K. Ramazani and that this project be dedicated to him. For 55 years, Professor Ra- mazani has been a teacher and mentor to many scholars and practitioners of the Middle East. His body of work on Iran is unrivalled in its scope and originality. Many of his articles and books on Iranian foreign policy are standard works. For over a quarter century, Dr. Ramazani also has written with eloquence and conviction of the need for the United States and Iran to end their estrangement and begin direct Andrew Parasiliti is Prin- cipal, Government Affairs- diplomatic talks. Ramazani has no illusions about overcoming three decades of animos- International, at The BGR ity, but he believes that reconciling US-Iran differences is vital to resolving America’s Group in Washington, DC. other strategic challenges in the Middle East — including in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the From 2001-2005, he was Israeli-Palestinian conflict — and to bringing sustainable peace and security to the foreign policy advisor to US Senator Chuck Hagel (R- region. NE). Dr. Parasiliti received a Ph.D. from the Paul H. Nitze Professor Ramazani’s service to both the Middle East Institute and to the University of School of Advanced Interna- tional Studies, Johns Hopkins Virginia has been recognized time and again. As one of Dr. Ramazani’s former students, University, and an MA from and as a former director of programs at MEI, I can personally attest to his deep com- the University of Virginia. He mitment to both institutions. His life-long contribution to the Middle East Institute was has served twice as director recognized at MEI’s Annual Conference in October 1997, when he was presented with of programs at the Middle East Institute. the Middle East Institute Award. Currently, Dr. Ramazani serves with distinction on The Middle East Journal’s Board of Advisory Editors. At the University of Virginia, his teaching and scholarship embodied Thomas Jefferson’s precept for the University that “Here we are not afraid to follow truth, wherever it may lead, nor tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it.” It is in that spirit that this volume is dedicated to R.