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Clear all filters- The Economist10 min
Did America ever have a plan for the Middle East? | The Economist
Following the end of the Bush administration's distinct democratic export framework, US regional strategy has shifted from direct military intervention to economic leverage via sanctions while withdrawing forces from Syria and Iraq. Concurrently, Iran is navigating a critical succession crisis under Supreme Leader Mujtaba Khamenei, delaying potential nuclear or security deals until internal factional power balances are resolved. As Washington draws down its footprint, Gulf states face a strategic dilemma wherein a strong or collapsed Iran each present significant threats, prompting them to hedge against Iranian proxy forces poised to fill the emerging power vacuum.
- The Economist8 min
How strong is Iran’s regime?
Nicolas Pelham, Adam Roberts, Nick, Ed
Iran's strategic pivot from a proxy-heavy "forward defense" to a missile-centric approach follows the erosion of its Syrian alliances, while the regime grapples with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's frailty and a shifting succession landscape dominated by factional money rather than ideology. To maintain power amidst a secular populace, the leadership is adopting nationalist narratives and rebranding the nuclear program as a permanent national asset, signaling a retreat from revolutionary theocracy. This reinvention faces an existential conflict between the public's desire for global integration and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' vested interest in preserving a closed economy that fuels its monopolies.