Iran’s goal is to unseat Donald Trump Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei wants regime change in the US – and to achieve this, he wants war. The US must be careful not to fall into this Iranian conflict trap. Commentary | 13th Nov 2019
Ideology and Iran’s Revolution: How 1979 Changed the World Western policymakers should look beyond only the end of the Cold War in 1989 as the pivotal moment of our age. Ten years earlier, Iran’s Revolution had already sparked a process of geopolitical realignment that remains central to this day. Paper | 11th Feb 2019
The Fundamentals of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Western policymakers have underestimated Iran’s commitment to upholding and exporting 1979’s revolutionary ideology. That commitment is held by leaders across the spectrum, from those perceived by the West as hardliners to those seen as moderates. Report | 11th Feb 2019
Iran at a Tipping Point? The US administration’s decision to reinstate economic sanctions on Iran ramps up the pressure on Tehran, which is already facing an unparalleled level of internal dissent. Commentary | 6th Nov 2018
Forget Trump, True Pressure on Iran Is Coming From Iranians Europe’s carrots and Trump’s sticks may dominate discussions about the Iranian state, yet the real drivers of change are not sitting in Washington or Brussels but are on the streets of Iran. Unless the regime addresses the legitimate concerns of the Iranian people, widespread unrest could be on the horizon in coming months. Commentary | 28th Sep 2018
US-Iran Stand-Off Should Not Detract From Iranian Domestic Problems Recent exchanges between the US and Iranian leaders should not divert attention from the Iranian people’s outrage at Tehran’s damaging, ideologically driven policies in the region. Commentary | 27th Jul 2018
Can Rouhani Capitalise on Iran’s Appetite for Change? Iran’s recent instability has exposed an underlying tension in the structure of the Islamic Republic. To break this impasse and implement change, the reformists know they must tilt the structural balance of power to favour the country’s elected, representative institutions of governance. Commentary | 28th Mar 2018
The Politics of Proscription The increasingly globalised nature of extremism makes it ever more important for governments to work towards common definitions of terrorism. Commentary | 26th Jan 2018
What Is Ansar al-Islam? An attack on security forces in central Egypt has shed light on one of the country’s lesser-known armed movements. Explainer | 28th Nov 2017
Sunni-Shia Conflict Brewing in Nigeria Escalating tensions between Nigeria’s state authorities and a pro-Iranian Shia movement must be resolved through dialogue to avoid full-scale violence. Commentary | 15th Nov 2017
What Is the Hasm Movement? While the local wing of ISIS has become the prominent perpetrator of terrorism in Egypt, the operations of a shadowy militant organisation have gone largely unnoticed outside the country. Explainer | 3rd Nov 2017
