The Canon

The texts you need to read to understand the situation.

The Unthinkable Revolution in Iran

"The Unthinkable Revolution in Iran," by Charles Kurzman, looks into the causes of the Iranian Revolution of 1979. It examines explanations drawn from the many aspects of Iranian society, including the military, political structure, social structures, culture, and the economy. The account concludes that the revolution was an anomaly; most theories regarding revolutions are unable to explain the occurrence of the revolution or its success. The study concludes that these classic explanations in fact detail events that were results of the growing popular mobilization, not causes of it. Furthermore, he casts doubt on the ability of historians to retroactively predict the success of a social movement based on the factors present at the time; he articulates the opinion that it is in fact the subjective calculations of the viability of a movement by the populations in question which ultimately determine the outcome.

Book: Harvard University Press

The Islamic Regime in Iran and its Attitudes towards the Jews: The Religious and Political Dimensions

"The Islamic Regime in Iran and its Attitudes towards the Jews..." by Soli Shahvar tries to provide a deeper understanding of anti-Semitism in Iran. The article first focuses on the historical development of this anti-Semitism, highlighting the differences in its prevalence and strength during the Pahlavi Dynasty, and later under the reign of the Ayatollah Khomeini. The article then makes apparent the real source of Iranian anti-Semitism by discussing the controversial accusations levied against the Jewish people by Iranian Fundamentalists. Through this focus on the historical origins and development of anti-Semitism in Iran, Shahvar's main argument is developed. This is the idea that the Islamic Regime in Iran fails to differentiate between Jews and Judaism (religious dimension) or Zionism and Israel (political dimension), conflating the terms and using them interchangeably. An understanding of this information is crucial to contextualizing and thinking about the Israeli aspect of the Iranian conflict.

Journal Article: Immigrants and Minorities

The Geopolitical Factor in Iran's Foreign Policy

Barzegar explains that Iran's regional policy is a balance between ideology and geopolitics, and that in recent years it has opted for a geopolitical focus as a response to the new realities that Iran faces. The first reality is that Iran's bordering nations, troubled with failing or emerging statehood and civil conflict, provide an unstable environment that threatens its security. The second is the increasing involvement of other Middle Eastern states in regional affairs based on sectarian, religious, and cultural relations, such as in post-invasion Iraq, which poses both challenges and prospects for Iranian influence. The third is Iran's relations with the United States, whereby increased US threats against Iran lead to ideologically-based policies, and less threats lead to a focus on geopolitical concerns. The fourth is the need of regional strategic alliances with Shi'a factions on the military and political level to shape the geopolitical conditions in Iran's favor.

Journal Article: The Middle East Institute Viewpoints: The Iranian Revolution at 30

The Shah, the Ayatollah, and the United States

This brief text looks at the relationship between Iran and the United States from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s. In this short space of time, Iran went from being one of America's most important allies in the Middle East to one of its biggest threats. Many of the events that took place within this period have laid the foundation for the icy relations that these two countries have had up to this day. The most profound of these was the Islamic Revolution of 1979. James A. Bill argues that is was the Carter administration's mishandling of the situation, both in the run up to the revolution and afterwards, that has led to the mistrust the Iranian people have for the Western forces. Their undying support for the crumbling regime of the Shah showed the US's reluctance to accept the legitimacy of the theocratic state of Iran.

Book: Foreign Policy Association

Book: Islam and Revolution

Islam and Revolution: Writings and Declarations of Imam Khomeini

Ayatollah Khomeini's 'Islam and Revolution' is an essential source in the study of modern Iran. Through a thorough explanation of the idea of 'Velayat-e-Faqih' in his 1970 speeches, Khomeini builds a convincing case for both the Islamic Revolution in Iran and any future Islamic theocracies by codifying Iran's current theoretical foundation and the role religion plays in the state. 'Velayat-e-Faqih', translated as the 'Government of the Islamic Jurists', argues that there should be no distinction between religion and government in an Islamic state and that, in the absence of the 12th Imam, a learned individual (or Faqih) is divinely inspired to enforce the laws of the Qu'ran. The historical and modern significance of these ideas are analyzed by Chehabi in his article 'Religion and Politics in Iran'. The study of the two sources reinforces the central role of Khomeini and his ideology in the revolution and contemporary issues.

Iran and the Bomb: The Abdication of International Responsibility

Remembering that Iran was introduced to nuclear technology by Western countries (which then officially cut off support), the current development of the Iranian nuclear program has been possible thanks to an alliance between several actors (Iran, China, Russia, Kahn) motivated by economic interests (logrolling) and by the common desire to counteract Western countries' domination. That's the most relevant point of T.Delpech's thesis since she has an "economical" and strategic vision of the Iranian crisis. She formally highlights a major consequence that could result from a nuclear Iran: the probable spread of nuclear weapons in an already unstable region. That's why T.Delpech asserts that the Iranian nuclear development has to be stopped. Deliberately polemical, she proposes to review how negotiations are carried out: she asks Western countries to broaden cooperation with other actors in the conflict (India, Russia) but to do so with firmness since "the delay [of negotiations] is beneficial to Iran".

Book: Columbia University Press

After the Elections: A New System Emerging in Iran

The response of Iran's Supreme Guide supporting Ahmadinejad in the contested election of June 12, 2009 has signalled that the government of the Islamic Republic is no longer upholding democratic principles, an original intention of the "Khomeinist system" in place after the revolution. Taheri claims that the rampant government corruption in the country, now more apparent than ever, is a sign that the Ayatollah Khamenhei has "transformed the country from an Islamic Republic into an Islamic Emirate". He discusses how unlikely Ahmadinejad's victory seemed prior to the elections, especially with the emergence of his strong opponent Mussavi, and how the results of the June 12 election have divided not only the Iranian public, but also the government elites like never before. He offers an overview on the role of the president since 1980, the workings of the government, and how its corruption is a source of public unrest.

Journal Article: American Foreign Policy Interests

Book: Yale University Press

Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States

In Treacherous Alliance, Trita Parsi argues that anti-Semitic rhetoric became the reality in the post-Cold War era due to a shift in regional interests. Bitter enemies externally, Israel and Iran had overt and clandestine military and economic co-operation under Shah Pahlavi and Ayatollah Khomeini. Following Khomeini's death in 1989, Iran's efforts to bolster U.S relations were ignored. The Gulf War in 1991 removed Iraq as a threat to Israel, causing a rivalry with Iran for regional pre-eminence. For Israel, the collapse of the Soviet Union created a perceived loss of U.S strategic significance. Israel then lobbied the U.S to break ties with Iran, contradicting prior sentiments. Iran, regionally isolated, started actively sabotaging the American/Israeli peace process. In this way, Israel undermines Iran's relationship with the U.S and vice versa. Iran's nuclear threat and funding of Hezbollah is a source of conflict, making this tense relationship a key to peace in the Middle East.

"Social Origins of the Iranian Revolution" by Misagh Parsa

Traditional theories on the 1979 revolution name rapid modernization and the rise of a middle class as the social causes. Parsa disagrees, and describes the social causes as resource mobilization of collective action. The mobilization consisted of financially marginalized groups who assembled as a result of the Shah's interventionist economic policy. Groups organized through the mosque, not for ideological, but for strategic purposes, as the mosque served as one of few institutions that had autonomy from the state. Although mobilization and collective action were integral to the revolution, the author notes that the movement itself was not unified, and instead was comprised of many different groups with disparate interests. This was manifested in the conflict experienced in Iran upon the establishment of the Islamic Republic. An understanding of the social causes of conflict in 1979 is integral to both understanding the social conditions from 1979 to present day, and assessing the possibility of conflict in modern day Iran.

Book: Social Origins of the Iranian Revolution

The Iranian Power Structure and Social Change 1800-1969: An Overview

Addressing the change in social and political structures within Iran between 1800 and 1969, Keddie's article addresses critical power dynamics that both empowered and constrained the Iranian state. Iran's weak, decentralized government struggled with a geographically vulnerable domestic and global environment. The state lacked the "monopoly of force" and suffered endemic competition between internal opposition forces and external actors. Tribal leaders, provincial governors, and "lower authorities" served as core opposition to the state, with the increasingly powerful "ulama" endorsing traditional qualities of Islam; privileging the religiously-based, anti-western perspective that resulted in constitutional reform between 1905 and 1911. This article contributes to the broader discussion of Iran by assessing the variable interplay between internal and external forces and the result these processes had on Iranian state formation. Debate over oil reserves, resources, and the role of the government - meddled with by foreign powers - requires careful dissection of the Iranian state structure.

Journal Article: Cambridge UP

Iran: Between Two Revolutions (Chapter 9: Politics of Uneven Development)

The White Revolution was a series of social and political reforms administered by the Pahlevi regime from 1963 to 1977 to develop Iran into a modern and progressive state. Abrahamian argues that, although the fourteen years of the White Revolution helped modernize Iran on the socioeconomic level, political underdevelopment strained the links between the government and the social structure. Furthermore, the Shah's ambitious attempts at rapid modernization of the nation birthed a torrent of fatal consequences that crippled his regime. The reforms incited a conservative backlash against the Westernization and secularization of the national Muslim identity, many programs were haphazardly administered with major shortfalls, the socioeconomic reforms increased regional polarities in the quality of government services, and land reforms coupled with quick urbanization widened economic disparity. These class inequalities and social injustices fueled civilian discontent, which climaxed during the 1979 Iranian Revolution with the establishment of an Islamic republic.

Book: N/A

Is the Dream Already Over?; The Crisis in Iran

With the recent elections of Iran, there has been debate on the legitimacy of the campaign. The Economist describes the battle for freedom between the people and the Islamic republic of Iran. Ahmedinjadin, the current president defeated Mousavi, a reformer. With speculations about how Ahmedinjadin actually won the elections, huge riots were held in cities across Iran that unfortunately led to many deaths and the arrest of thousands of civilians. The Economist illustrates opinions of foreign leaders including Obama, France's president, and Germany's chancellor on the atrocities that are occurring due to the so-called "fraud" elections. The problematic issue is Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader who has control of the state's affairs and is biased towards Ahmedinjadin. In the long battle of the Iranian people to gain freedom, they are still living with the uncertainty of the corrupt system that has infiltrated the government.

Magazine: The Economist

The Devil We Know: Dealing With The New Iranian Superpower

Iran's role in international politics has been challenging and paradoxical: challenging because the West has been continuously threatened by the quasi-dictatorial Islamist regime and paradoxical because, despite the marginalization of the nation by the West, it has discreetly emerged as a growing superpower. Robert Baer's critique of US supremacy is a masterful analysis of the Iranian political power-play and its possible implications on future international relations. Baer uses his influential connections to study the pattern behind Iranian politics by getting first-hand information from Iranian military officials and those in President Ahmedenijad's administration. The important qualifications of this work are twofold: first, it explores the contentious and uppopular possibility of Iran as a superpower, and second, it provides an entirely new way of looking at Iran's relations with the outside world.

Book: Random House Canada

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions by Shahram Chubin is an interesting and valuable source. The book explores an important issue in the sphere of international relations, Iran's nuclear development. While it is easy to come by information explaining the international perspective that sees Iran's actions as a global threat, this book explores the underlying motivations for Iran's nuclear project, including influences from its history and regional positioning. While reviewing Iran's past, Chubin explores Iran's position in the Middle East, international non-proliferation agreements, the country's religion, as well as the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq among other influencing factors. The source also explains the mechanics of Iran's nuclear project, how it is going about it, and what it hopes to achieve. Apart from Iran's domestic perspective, Chubin also assesses international response and explains why Iran's nuclear capability should concern the global community.

Book: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Preparing the Battlefield

A Once-classified Presidental Finding from 2008 notesd that Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives and the United States Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) had been running covert operations in Iran: citing Iranian involvement in the Iraq war as justification. The Democratic Congress had financially supported the Finding's policies, while oversight - regarding the spending and implications of these programs - was ineffective and unreliable. Subsequent Presidential Findings omitted pertinent information regarding the actions of JSOC. The U.S. government's position on Iran was ambiguous, with some members of the Bush's cabinet discussinged the "case for war," (casus belli) while Defense Secretary Gates cited concerns regarding aggressive U.S. military actions. Financial support for Iran-based opposition groups indicated a U.S. willingness to support Al Qaeda/Taliban terrorist cells, provided they were working against Tehran. The tumultuous history of state interference, and the lack of effective intelligence, indicates that trends in Iranian opposition towards the government in Tehran are worthy of review.

Op-Ed Piece: The New Yorker