Usips scott worden discusses the complex relationship between the two countries, how iran has built influence there, and where the u. Since 1979the year of irans revolution and the soviet invasion of afghanistanrelations between. As an alternative, the kindle ebook is available now and can be read on any. The ideology of the islamic revolution is more than just the concept of velayate faqih, the system of clerical guardianship that sees irans supreme leader above the whole system of government. Iran has maintained close ties with afghanistans tajik and hazara populations in order to gain political influence and protect its interests after the u. Sunnimajority pakistans relations with shiamajority iran became strained at. Irans chabahar port empowers indiaafghanistan trade at. Instead of trying to contain iran, washington should invest in forging a regional order that will reduce tensions and encourage stability.
Although the countrys official name is the islamic republic of iran not everyone is muslim. Sunnimajority pakistan s relations with shiamajority iran became strained at times due to sectarian tensions, as pakistani shia muslims claimed that they were being discriminated against under the sunnibiased islamization program being imposed throughout pakistan. Iran wields considerable influence in afghanistan, particularly among shias, who comprise about 20 percent of the total population. Its mission is to be an analytical, researchled global forum for informing, influencing and. International forces in afghanistan have seized shipments of iranian weapons en. Much of the iranian aid to afghanistan has been spent on. Afghanistan is the fourthlargest importer of goods from iran, which is suffering from crippling u. The islamic republics unconventional alliance network reaches far and wide, and its workings have only intensified since the killing of gen.
Iran is not the cause of the civil war, nor are the houthis its proxy. Nor, in contrast to the actions of the pakistani leadership, did iranian authorities properly cultivate or manage their population of afghan refugees in order to spread their influence. It is too simple to suggest that irans paramount interest in afghanistan is to get the united states. Sep 18, 2019 the rq170 sentinel was based in southern afghanistan within short flying distance of iran. Irans policy towards afghanistan usf scholar commons. As neighbors with a 585mile frontier, iran and afghanistan have connections spanning centuries.
Bush line distorts irans real interest in iraq common. The united states and iran share an interest in ensuring that a departure of the more than 20,000 u. After pakistan gained its independence in august 1947, iran was one of the first countries to recognize its sovereign status. Human terrain probes irans influence in afghanistan wired. It also supports the government of president hamid karzai, contributes to afghanistan s reconstruction and fights against its narcotics trafficking. The real threat to us interests in afghanistan fair observer.
Tehran massed some 200,000 troops on its eastern border. Why is it even in irans geopolitical interest to be an. However, according to a new rand study, iran seeks to extend. A few greeks slapped it down at a place called thermopylae. Occasional paper understanding irans role in the syrian conflict. Is the iranian government interested in assuming a stabilization role in afghanistan and will it step in and assume a stronger supporting role. Irans foreign and defense policies congressional research service 3 factional interests, competition, and public opinion irans foreign policy often appears to reflect differing approaches and outlooks. Afghanistan has changed a lot in recent years and the country is undergoing a period of transformation. Zone of crisis should be required reading by all persons interested in achieving. It is using afghanistan to send a message to america that it cant be messed with. Veteran social justice advocate medea benjamin examines the history and politics of the islamic republic of iran in her new book, inside iran, published by or books. Nevertheless, afghanistan itself is not the core issue in saudi arabias policy towards the country. How iran found its feet in afghanistan foreign affairs.
Jul 10, 2014 the iran factor in afghanistan this article is part of a monthly series by the author that highlights possible post2014 scenarios for afghanistan. Iran and the future of afghanistan council on foreign relations. Iranian president mohammed khatami mooted the topic of india developing chabahar into a trade and transshipment hub during his visit to new delhi in 2003. Irans unconventional alliance network in the middle east. The fundamentals of irans islamic revolution institute.
The human terrain system, armys social science program, recently investigated this question and found that, in one part of afghanistan, irans influence is largely limited to soft power. Sacred and religious places to visit in iran updated 2019. The iransaudi arabia proxy conflict, sometimes also referred to as the middle eastern cold war is the ongoing struggle for influence in the middle east and surrounding regions between the islamic. Occasional paper understanding irans role in the syrian. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Milani since 1979, iran s objectives in afghanistan have changed as afghanistan s domestic landscape changed. Deposit interest rate in iran 20032016 data 20192020.
The case in point is the antiimperialist and antimonarchical revolutionary ethos turning the islamic republic against both the united states us and its arab allies in the. Afghanistan s president ashraf ghani meets with iran s religious leader ayatollah ali khamenei and iran s president hassan rouhani in iran s capital tehran on april 19, 2015. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the saudiiranian war the russian agents book 2. The successors of irans islamic revolution galvanised preexisting movements with new potential across the muslim world. Iran had been very helpful in both military and diplomatic terms in setting up a new government for afghanistan after the taliban were removed. This article attempts to explain iran s paradoxical relationship with afghanistan by providing the history of iran s pre911 relations with the country, examining its actions after the fall of the taliban in 2001, and assessing iran s overall goals in afghanistan. The enemy of irans enemy in afghanistan foreign affairs. Sacred and religious places to visit in iran iran is a deeply religious nation.
The saudiiranian war the russian agents book 2 kindle. Saudi arabia is grossly exaggerating irans power in yemen to justify its own expansionist ambitions. This explains iran s support for the sunniled insurgency, experts say. Tehran must make its choices carefully if it is to maintain good ties with kabul. May 21, 2018 irans support for the taliban brings it to a crossroads with afghanistan. Irans great game in afghanistan the jerusalem post.
Apr 12, 2017 the combination of military moves in afghanistan, such as partnering with the taliban, and diplomatic efforts, such as organizing a strategic plan on afghanistan with other regional powers, is a sign that moscow is after more than defeating is. The west asian states of afghanistan, pakistan, iraq and iran have over the last few. Afghanistans president ashraf ghani meets with irans. Since 1979the year of iran s revolution and the soviet invasion of afghanistanrelations between tehran and kabul have ebbed and flowed.
Security, diplomacy and american influence was published in 2015. Irans call for exit of foreign forces from afghanistan. Apr 17, 2020 over the past few decades, iran has seen a revival in the native religion that predates islamsomething that the ayatollahs desperately want to suppress, the israel projects zenobia ravji stated in 2016. As the islamic republic fails, renewed interest in. Irans call for exit of foreign forces from afghanistan grows. Irans interests in afghanistan are in some respects parochial. These talks were about afghanistan, about alqaeda detainees, alqaeda members fleeing afghanistan through iran, and also about iraq and what the united states might expect if it overthrew saddam hussein.
Iran and afghanistans long, complicated history united. Nov 16, 2010 iran has reinforced its call for the exit of foreign forces from afghanistan ahead of a key meeting of nato leaders that is being held in lisbon from friday. The us government bookstore is receiving new print titles on a weekly basis from the us army war college, strategic studies institute, so please check for future available titles on the topics of u. Irans support for the taliban brings it to a crossroads with. The fundamentals of irans islamic revolution institute for. Oil, gas and the us interest in afghanistan oil and gas are not the direct causes of the war in afghanistan, but understanding the motives of longterm us policy is important.
Earl contehmorgan this dissertation is a case study of the islamic republic of irans approach to soft power with a focus on irans use of soft power in afghanistan. Irans support for the taliban brings it to a crossroads. Four senior iranian commandos were among the scores of dead, afghan intelligence officials said, noting their funerals in iran. Like the united states, iran seeks a stable afghanistan free of the taliban and al qaeda, which it considers a strategic menace. While pakistan has generally backed the afghan taliban as an. Over the past few decades, iran has seen a revival in the native religion that predates islamsomething that the ayatollahs desperately want to suppress, the israel projects. Abdalaziz 19061975, also plays a role in these decisions, although it is not known to. In december 2011, a sentinel crashed on the afghanistan iran border and was captured by iranian troops. International forces in afghanistan have seized shipments of iranian weapons en route to taliban groups before, once in 2007 and again in 2011. Given that the chinese have used soft military power in several pacific, asian and african countries in the past to grow its comprehensive power, the united states cannot afford to.
Irans modern islamic republic has continued the historic antagonism of irans various islamic rulers towards zoroastrianism, whose often illustrious past began some 3,500. This transformed a potential afghanistan wide influence into a far more localized interest. It was part of the northern alliance along with india and russia. Iran has traditionally focused its efforts on the empowerment of persian speakers in the country and the protection of afghan shiitesonefifth of afghans are shiitewho in recent years have been subject to horrific attacks by sunni to read the full article. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Iranian interests in afghanistan are more political. This study explores iranian influence in afghanistan and the implications for the united states after. The three media outlets feature news reports that hold little interest for afghans, but are important to iran, using the same messages and wordage carried by. During the taliban regime in afghanistan from 19962001, iran was known for its strong antitaliban stance. This paper examines irans interests in afghanistan and the consequent iranian policies affecting u. Iran played a crucial role in the emergence of the karzai government in afghanistan by, 1 allowing the us to use its air space for attacking the taliban positions. Irans predominant interest is in stabilizing afghanistan, but as long as. In crafting a new approach to the war in afghanistan, u.
Fatemeh aman is a veteran iranianamerican journalist with a focus on developments in middle east and. Foreign minister saud alfaisal, son of the late king faisal b. Still, iran has consistently sought to see a stable and independent afghanistan, with herat as a buffer zone and with a tehran. Pakistan and irans dysfunctional relationship middle east. Iran has traditionally focused its efforts on the empowerment of persian speakers. Recent reports about iran recruiting and training taliban fighters are alarming, but they arent new. Having read many of the blogs as they rolled off mr. Iran and afghanistan institute for the study of war. Yet, what was conveniently and not equally relayed was the subsequent disenfranchisement of the iranian people on the receiving end of the islamic revolutions ideology. The iranian government is playing a double game in afghanistan. Irans great game in afghanistan news archive news,the. Irans strategic penetration of latin america by joseph m. Assessing the threat to uk interests in afghanistan moddco.
Mod dcb features writer paul elliott spoke to martin bell, country manager, lpd afghanistan and. In a stable afghanistan, a priority for tehran should be increasing trade between the two countries. Trade between iran and afghanistan is valued between two and three billion dollars annually. Irans policy toward the gulf can be seen in three historical stages. Irans foreign and defense policies congressional research service 3 factional interests, competition, and public opinion irans foreign policy often appears to reflect differing approaches and outlooks among key players and interest groups.
Milani since 1979, irans objectives in afghanistan have changed as afghanistans domestic landscape changed. Supreme leader khamenei sits as the apex of irans hardliners, who dominate. Moreover, iran has been successful in establishing a security and economic bufferzone in the western province of herat. For national security professionals, diplomats, and other stakeholders who are engaged in partnerships and business in latin america, irans strategic penetration of latin america. It is the most suitable link it has with the international petroleum market, and, despite all the pretensions that iran has about being involved in the arab east and central asia and so forth, the gulf always defines the core of its national interest. Since 1979the year of irans revolution and the soviet invasion of afghanistanrelations between tehran and kabul have ebbed and flowed. Iran s interests in afghanistan are in some respects parochial. The saudiiranian war the russian agents book 2 kindle edition by halstead, ted. Harts keyboard, i commend this book to anyone with an interest in better understanding what the u.
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