Iranian Foreign Policy Since 2001: Alone in the World(Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Politics)

Examining Iranian foreign policy, with a focus on the years since 2001, this book analyses the defining feature of Iran’s international and regional posture, its strategic loneliness, and the implications of this for the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy. Iranian Foreign Policy since 2001 offers an in-depth analysis of the key drivers behind Iran’s foreign policy; power, strategic culture, and ideology. In addition, the authors examine Iran’s relations with key countries and regions, including its often tenuous relations with China, Russia and America, as well as its bilateral relations with non-state actors such as Hezbollah. The common thread running throughout the volume is that Iran is alone in the world: regardless of its political manoeuvrings, the Islamic Republic’s regional and international posture is largely one of strategic loneliness. Assimilating contributions from the US, Canada, Europe and Iran, this book provides an international perspective, both at the theoretical and practical levels and is essential reading for those with an interest in Middle Eastern Politics, International Relations and Political Science more broadly.

Table of Contents:
Introduction – Thomas Juneau and Sam Razavi 1 Iran: Rising but Unsustainable Power, Unfulfilled Potential – Thomas Juneau 2 Iran: Foreign Policy Strategic Thinking in the 21st Century – Jalil Roshandel 3 Iran’s Foreign Policy and Islamic Ideology – Mahmood Monshipouri 4 Iran’s Nuclear Program and its Foreign Policy – Nader Entessar 5 The Shifting Nature of Iranian Influence in Iraq – Kayhan Barzegar 6 Iran and its Persian Gulf Neighbours– Mehran Kamrava 7 Iran’s Levantine Ambitions – Sam Razavi 8 Iranian Relations with the South Caucasus – Houman A. Sadri and Omar Vera-Muniz 9 Iran in South Asia: Dealing with a Rising India – Harsh Pant 10 Iran and Russia – Mark Katz 11 Iran-China relations and the Emerging Political Map – Manochehr Dorraj and James E. English 12 US Iran Relations: Mutually Assured Estrangement – William O. Beeman Conclusion: Why 'Alone'?– Farhang Rajaee

About the Author :
Thomas Juneau is a senior analyst with the Department of National Defence, Government of Canada. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Raoul Dandurand Chair in Strategic and Diplomatic Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM). He has published on Iran, Yemen, Central Asia, international relations theory and teaching methods. Sam Razavi is a Middle East Analyst, focusing mainly on Iran, for the Government of Canada in the assessment branch of the Privy Council Office. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Raoul Dandurand Chair in Strategic and Diplomatic Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM).

Review :
"This important volume provides readers with a wealth of information on what propels the Islamic Republic into the theater of world events... [a] valuable collection." - Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs