Shayan Ghajar
The level of attacks on Presidenet Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his faction from across the political spectrum are unprecedented, and as yet show no signs of abating. Following his political defeat during the latest conflict with Supreme Leader Khamenei, the setbacks have continued. more»
Shayan Ghajar
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appears to have survived the internecine struggles over the Ministry of Intelligence for the time being, yet the contest of wills between the embattled president and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has by no means abated. more»
Shayan Ghajar
On May 2, when much of the world’s attention was focused on the declaration that Osama bin Laden had been killed by American forces, Iran’s state-owned news services claimed that Israeli jets were massing in Iraq to prepare for a strike on Iran. Israel denied the Iranian allegations while simultaneously increasing its calls for the international community to deal with Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. Both Iran and Israel have increased the belligerence of their rhetoric against one another in recent weeks, a sign that the sea changes in the political landscape of the Middle East are leaving both nations feeling vulnerable and anxious about potential geostrategic disadvantages.
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Shayan Ghajar
Tension between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council states heightens daily as diplomatic and political wrangling over the future of Bahrain continues. However, amidst the flurry of articles analyzing the Machiavellian attempts to gain geostrategic dominance in the Persian Gulf, the fact that sectarian tensions are galvanizing widespread outrage in Iran is often overlooked.
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Shayan Ghajar
While protests continue to shake Syria and President Bashar al-Assad ends the48-year state of emergency, Iran and the United States continue to trade accusations of interference in Syrian affairs. more»
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Shayan Ghajar
Iran’s unwavering support for Syria has become axiomatic since the Arab wave of discontent began to shake Damascus. Iran has sent technical, material, and military support to Syria to help Bashar al-Assad quell protests. Syria’s strategic importance to Iran currently takes precedence over all the Islamic Republic’s other relationships. The Islamic Republic proved the primacy of its relationship with Syria by publicly claiming that Turkey, a trade ally and friendly neighbor of Iran, was fomenting Syria’s unrest by arming terrorist groups and engaging in secret talks with Israel.
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Shayan Ghajar
Though Turkey has invested a great deal of effort into its policy of maintaining good relations with neighboring states, the Arab winter of discontent has severely weakened the ability of the Turkish government to do so. Syria, which shares a border with Turkey stretching hundreds of miles, has proved particularly damaging to Turkey’s regional foreign policy. Forced to speak out on Syria’s burgeoning humanitarian crisis as Bashar al-Assad’s troops drive thousands to seek safety on the border between the two nations, Turkey’s stance has set it at odds with Syria’s staunch ally, Iran. more»
Shayan Ghajar
While the unrelenting attacks on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continue to curtail his power, some analysts in the United States mistakenly argue that his fall from grace may prevent future nuclear talks between Iran and the West. However, it is more likely that Ahmadinejad’s marginalization will have little impact on the nuclear impasse, as neither he nor his enemies in Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s faction have any motivation for real compromise on Iran’s enrichment program at present. more»