Publisher's Synopsis
This volume presents the research and analyses of scholars, and concerns the internal and extenal dynamics which affect and often determine the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Following an introduction designed to provide an analytical and contextual backdrop, the book begins with a detailed look at the Iranian polity, its evolution before and after the revolution, and the role of ideology. The next section addresses Iranian foreign policy with respect to the Arab Gulf States, and discusses this policy as a function of domestic dynamics, and as a response to regional and international events and constraints. The third section discusses Iran's military capabilities and includes reasoned judgements concerning the Islamic Republic's intentions and aspirations in the military realm. The book concludes with a discussion of the evolving relationship between the GCC states and Iran, with particular focus on the security dynamics that attend that relationship for the forseeable future.
