S2E8 | Kings and Ayatollahs: Iran's National Security

About this episode

The episode explores Iran's unique position in the Middle East, discussing its historical leaders and national security strategies.

Alone in the Middle East! Imperial Iran… Safavids, Qajars, and even the Pahlavis - alone in the Middle East. And then, the Ayatollahs. Again, Iran alone in the Middle East. 🚩In this interview: ►What is it about Iran and its history that separates it from the rest of the Middle East? ►Who was Reza Shah and why is he so important to Iran's modern history? ►What was the last Shah's primary national security fear? ►Have the Ayatollahs continued the Pahlavis' national security strategies? ►If not, in what respects are the Ayatollahs' national security strategies different than the Pahlavis'? ►If so, in what way are they similar? ►What is forward defense? ►What is scared defense? ►What was the Shah's green plan? 🚩About My Guest Scholar: Dr. Vali Nasr is a professor and former dean of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, where he is now the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative. Dr. Nasr has advised world leaders, business leaders, and senior American policymakers, including the U.S. President, Secretary of State, senior members of Congress, and presidential campaigns. In this interview, we…

People in this episode

Host: Adel Aali

Guest: Dr. Vali Nasr

Topics covered

• Iran's national security
• history of Iran
• Ayatollahs
• Pahlavis
• Reza Shah
• Middle East politics

Keywords

• Iran
• national security
• Ayatollahs
• Pahlavis
• Reza Shah
• Middle East
• foreign policy
• history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Johns Hopkins University

Books & works: Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History, The Dispensable Nation - American Foreign Policy in Retreat, How U.S. Sanctions On Iran Backfired On America

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