Iran's Deadly Ambition

Iran's Deadly Ambition
Author: Ilan Berman
Publisher: Encounter Books
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2016-12-06
Genre: History
ISBN: 1594038988

Are we on the cusp of détente with Iran? Conventional wisdom certainly seems to believe so. Since the start of diplomacy between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 powers (the United States, France, England, Russia, China, Germany) in November 2013, hopes have been running high for a historic reconciliation of Iran’s clerical regime with the West. Yet there is ample reason for skepticism that the United States and its allies can truly curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions by diplomatic means. Moreover, the West’s current focus on Iran’s nuclear program is deeply dangerous insofar as it fails to recognize—let alone address—Iran’s other international activities or its foreign policy aims. Those objectives are global, and they continue to grow in scope and menace. In this sobering book, Ilan Berman illuminates the multiple dimensions of the Iranian threat and exposes the perils of lodging confidence in diplomacy with the Islamic Republic.

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions
Author: Shahram Chubin
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2010-03-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0870032917

Iran is aggressively seeking nuclear technology that could be used for making weapons—and its quest has set off alarms throughout the world. This widespread concern stems in part from Iran's uncertain intentions and recent history. Will it remain a revolutionary power determined to subvert its Sunni Arab neighbors, destroy Israel, and spread theocratic government to other lands? Or would an Iran with nuclear weapons merely defend its territory from foreign aggression and live in peace with its neighbors? Are the country's leaders and society willing to negotiate limits on nuclear capability and normalize relations with the West, or will they resist accommodation? Iran's Nuclear Ambitions provides a rare, balanced look into the motivations, perceptions, and domestic politics swirling around Iran. Shahram Chubin, an Iranian-born security expert, details the recent history of Iran's nuclear program and diplomacy. He argues that the central problem is not nuclear technology, but rather Iran's behavior as a revolutionary state, with ambitions that collide with the interests of its neighbors and the West. Topics include: The view from Tehran Iran's nuclear energy rationale, domestic politics, and decisionmaking Sources of concern, including the nature of Iran's regime, its nuclear infrastructure, missile development, and terrorism Iran's negotiating strategy The international response Iran and regional security, including the U.S. as a threat and rival, Iran's regional ambitions, and Israel Policy options

Tehran Rising

Tehran Rising
Author: Ilan Berman
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2007-04-24
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1461666384

The Islamic Republic of Iran today constitutes the single greatest challenge to the United States and the War on Terror. In the Persian Gulf and Central Asia, Iranian policymakers are busy cobbling together alliances intended to elevate it to the status of a regional superpower at the expense of the U.S. and its European allies. In Iraq, Iran is spending millions to perpetuate a lingering insurgency that threatens to transform the former Ba'athist state into another Islamic Republic. Iran remains the world's most active sponsor of terrorism, fueling the activities of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and al-Qaeda. And through its nuclear advances, mature chemical- and biological weapons programs, and an expanding conventional military, Iran is gaining the capability to catastrophically alter the balance of power far beyond its immediate neighborhood. All of this has been guided by an ambitious strategic agenda that is designed to make the Iranian regime the center of gravity in the post-Saddam Middle East. As evidence of this threat mounts, one thing remains crystal clear to Ilan Berman: 'Washington is woefully unprepared to deal with this mounting peril.' Berman's approach is hard-hitting, provocative and unflinchingly critical. But he takes the exploration of Iran's menace one step further, providing what has been missing so far in the foreign policy discourse regarding Iran, both within the U.S. government and outside it_practical policy prescriptions designed to contain Iran's strategic ambitions.

The New Iranian Leadership

The New Iranian Leadership
Author: Yonah Alexander
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2007-12-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 0275996409

Since his election, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has reversed the more moderate and pluralistic policies of his predecessor and projected himself onto the public scene with headline-grabbing speeches regarding Jews and the state of Israel, open defiance of the UN Security Council on the nuclear issue, and an apparent vision of his country becoming the dominant power in the Middle East. This book documents Ahmadenijad's background and rise to power. It explains the current structure of the Iranian revolutionary government—the competing centers of power and the major players. In separate sections, it details the terrorist groups funded and armed by Iran, primarily Hezbollah and Hamas. And it provides a comprehensive picture of Iran's apparent aspirations to acquire nuclear weapons, as well as the related implications for regional and global security concerns. Iran's nuclear ambitions are in direct conflict with the wishes of the United States, the European Union, and many of the governments of the Middle East, leading to consequences that remain uncertain. Iran is a focus of attention in the most recent war in Lebanon, expanding its influence as a (the?) major supporter and supplier of Hezbollah. And Iran is cited in the most recent annual U.S. State Department report on terrorism as the country that is the most active sponsor of terrorism.

The Shadow Commander

The Shadow Commander
Author: Arash Azizi
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 392
Release: 2020-11-10
Genre: History
ISBN: 1786079453

‘An excellent contribution to our knowledge of Iran and Soleimani.’ Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave When the US assassinated Qassem Soleimani, he was one of the most powerful men in Iran. Known as ‘the shadow commander’, he enacted the wishes of the country’s Supreme Leader across the Middle East, establishing the Islamic Republic as a major force in the region. But all this was a long way from where he began – on the margins of a nation whose ruler was seen as a friend of the West. Through Soleimani, Arash Azizi examines how Iran came to be where it is today. Providing a rare insight into a country whose actions are often discussed but seldom understood, he reveals the global ambitions underlying Iran’s proxy wars, geopolitics and nuclear programme.

Wars of Ambition

Wars of Ambition
Author: Afshon Ostovar
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2024
Genre: History
ISBN: 0190940980

In Wars of Ambition, Afshon Ostovar explores America's decline and Iran's rise in the Middle East since 9/11 and through 2023. It examines America's involvement in the region, Iran's counter to it, and how their clash for a new regional order became entwined in a broader, more complex struggle involving multiple regional and foreign powers. In telling that story, Ostovar shows how the battle for the Middle East reflects the politics and dividing lines of an emergent multipolar world.

Iranian and Hezbollah Hybrid Warfare Activities

Iranian and Hezbollah Hybrid Warfare Activities
Author: Dave Dilegge
Publisher: iUniverse
Total Pages: 466
Release: 2016-11-07
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1532008678

This anthology covers Small Wars Journal writings on Iranian and Hezbollah hybrid warfare activities around the world. Writings date from 2007 to 2015, including coverage on the nuclear deal, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) and Qods Force global movements, and Hezbollah’s expanding influence as Iran’s proxy. This anthology is meant to support the U.S. security debate on a post-nuclear deal Iran and an increasing Hezbollah presence in Middle East affairs as well as Latin America. This volume is composed of sixty chapters divided into four sections on Iran’s military capabilities and nuclear ambitions, Hezbollah’s global operations, Iranian and Hezbollah influence in Middle Eastern security affairs and their activities in Latin America. Also included is a foreword by Jason Rivera, an afterword by Dr. Luis Fleischman, a postscript by Dr. John P. Sullivan, an acronym listing, chapter notes, suggested readings following each section, and short biographies of the fifty-three contributors showcased in this work.

Global Issues

Global Issues
Author: CQ Researcher,
Publisher: CQ Press
Total Pages: 977
Release: 2018-02-22
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 150639700X

Written by award-winning CQ Researcher journalists, this collection of non-partisan reports offers an in-depth examination of today’s most pressing global issues. The 2018 edition of this annual reader looks at topics such as North Korea's nuclear program, the European Union's future, stolen antiquities, and foreign aid. And because it’s CQ Researcher, the reports are expertly researched and written, presenting readers with all sides of an issue. Key Features: Chapters follow a consistent organization, beginning with a summary of the issue, then exploring a number of key questions around the issue, next offering background to put the issue into current context, and concluding with a look ahead. A pro/con debate box in every chapter offers readers the opportunity to critically analyze and discuss the issues by exploring a debate between two experts in the field. All issues include a chronology, a bibliography, photos, charts, and figures to offer readers a more complete picture of the issue at hand.

The Shadow War

The Shadow War
Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 343
Release: 2023-07-25
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1645720578

Is peace with the Islamic Republic of Iran possible? There has been an ongoing shadow war between the West and Iran, one that could explode and plunge the world into a third world war. The Biden Administration's move to make peace at any cost with the mad mullahs of Iran may be the very spark for a regional war that turns into a global conflict, the likes of which not seen since the 1940s. As the Biden Administration pines for a return to the ill-fated Iran nuclear deal, Tehran makes ready to consolidate its growing power in the Middle East at America's expense. For the last decade, Iran has consistently expanded its own reach and influence across the region—all while judiciously building up its military capabilities. As America looks for a way out of the Middle East and a return to the Obama-era nuclear agreement, Iran enhances the ability of its terrorist proxies, like Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthis in Yemen, to threaten the security of Israel and to destabilize the Saudi regime. Each time the Biden Administration signals its willingness to negotiate with Iran, Iran gets more aggressive. In the words of one Saudi official, Iran is a "paper tiger with steel claws." These steel claws have extended to encompass the whole region, and they include Iran's growing arsenal of complex drones, precision-guided munitions, EMP weapons, and their nuclear weapons arsenal. Thankfully, there is a path forward for the United States and the solution can be found in the policies outlined by the previous Trump Administration; in the form of the Abraham Accords and daring "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran. But time is not on America's side. Should President Biden continue down the destructive, illusory path to "peace" with Iran, he will not only have abandoned America's long-standing allies, but he will have also helped to trigger the very conflict he seeks to avoid. After all, as Ronald Reagan once quipped, world wars do not start "because America is too strong." They start because the United States is deemed too weak by its rivals. In The Shadow War: Iran's Quest for Supremacy, author Brandon Weichert explores how the next world war is unfolding right before our eyes and explains how the American government can avoid it while maintaining its position of strength and support for its allies.

What Justice Demands

What Justice Demands
Author: Elan Journo
Publisher: Post Hill Press
Total Pages: 452
Release: 2018-06-12
Genre: History
ISBN: 1682617998

In this book, Elan Journo explains the essential nature of the conflict, and what has fueled it for so long. What justice demands, he shows, is that we evaluate both adversaries—and America's approach to the conflict—according to a universal moral ideal: individual liberty. From that secular moral framework, the book analyzes the conflict, examines major Palestinian grievances and Israel's character as a nation, and explains what's at stake for everyone who values human life, freedom, and progress. What Justice Demands shows us why America should be strongly supportive of freedom and freedom-seekers—but, in this conflict and across the Middle East, it hasn't been, much to our detriment.