To understand the Islamic Republic we need to not look not at its consistencies but at its 'adjustments'. Iran has now placed a premium on maximising both influence and soft power, constantly renegotiating its margins of maneuver and seeking situations of strength where possible. Whatever hard power it still holds, it has repurposed into tools of deterrence in order to hold its enemies hostage against the threat of regime decapitation and war.
Tag: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Iranian parliamentary elections indicator of regime’s and Supreme Leader’s mounting anxieties
Khamenei’s chief challenge will be to preserve the status quo and his influence-patronage networks. This will be reflected in the individuals approved by him to head the key institutions, including the next presidency in 2013 ...