Publications

Striving for regional hegemony is a fundamental element in Iran’s strategic conception. Up until now, this ambition has not translated into territorial expansion. Iran’s goals are to change the conditions of its strategic environment, bolster its status in the region, influence the region’s main processes, and motivate groups and powers to acknowledge Iranian interests in the region. This ambition, relating first and foremost to the Persian Gulf area, and broadly to the Middle East as a whole, can be attributed to several causes: Iran’s geopolitical position; its potential economic wealth; its central standing in the Muslim world, mainly in the Shiite camp; its imperial history in the region; its capability for building up a strong military force; and last, but not least, Iran’s recognition that the surrounding environment poses threats and risks, but also opportunities.