Introduction Vahid Haghanian’s role within the executive architecture of the Office of the Supreme Leader cannot be understood through biography alone. His significance lies not in the offices he formally occupied, but in the executive functions he performed inside one of the Islamic Republic’s most opaque institutions. Every political system relies upon an institutional mechanism […]
Introduction The Security Architecture of the Office of the Supreme Leader has received remarkably little scholarly attention despite occupying one of the most strategically important positions within the political system of the Islamic Republic. Political systems are usually analysed through the people who stand in front of them. Presidents deliver speeches, ministers announce policy,
Introduction Power is commonly understood through those who exercise it in public. Presidents deliver speeches, ministers announce policy, military commanders appear before the media and heads of state dominate political headlines. They become the recognised face of government, shaping both domestic narratives and international perceptions. Yet the visible exercise of authority should not be confused
How Foreign Governments Keep Iran’s Political Future in Permanent Suspension Introduction The Transition Veto describes a recurring pattern in international policy towards Iran. If January 2026 did not fundamentally change the way foreign governments approached the Islamic Republic, it is reasonable to ask what possibly could. That question lies at the heart of this
The Transition Veto Read More »
The Exile Gatekeepers Who Decides Which Iranian Voices Reach the World? Iranian diaspora gatekeepers do not usually describe themselves as political gatekeepers. When Western governments, universities, think tanks, media organisations and advocacy institutions seek an Iranian voice, the choice is usually presented as a professional decision: an editor needs an analyst, a parliamentary office needs
The Exile Gatekeepers: Who Decides Which Iranian Voices Reach the World? Read More »
How Iran’s Unresolved Transition Became a Political Economy Introduction The Transition That Never Arrives Iran’s unresolved transition has become one of the defining political conditions in the debate over the country’s future. For years, Iran has been described as standing on the edge of decisive change. Every major protest movement, mass killing, economic collapse,
The Permanent Crisis Industry Read More »
Why Legitimacy Becomes Controversial When Alternatives Are Named Introduction The Moment Transition Becomes Personal Reza Pahlavi legitimacy has become one of the most disputed subjects in discussions about Iran’s future. This is not because Iranians agree on him. It is because they do not. Few political figures generate comparable levels of support, opposition, scrutiny
The Prince Problem Read More »
Introduction: For more than four decades, the Islamic Republic has occupied a central position in international policy discussions. Governments negotiate with it. Intelligence agencies monitor it. Sanctions target it. Human rights organisations document its abuses. Think tanks analyse its behaviour. Universities study its political structure. Journalists report on its crises. Entire professional ecosystems have emerged
The Successor Problem: Why Nobody Is Preparing for a Post-Islamic Republic Iran Read More »
How Political Authority Built Inside the Islamic Republic Acquired a Second Life in Britain Introduction: The Narrative Problem The survival of authoritarian systems is often explained through the language of force. Observers point to security services, prisons, intelligence agencies, censorship mechanisms and political repression. These instruments matter. The Islamic Republic has relied upon all
Ataollah Mohajerani: From Islamic Republic Insider to British Public Intellectual Read More »
Introduction Trump’s Iran Policy. Donald Trump built his political case on a simple accusation: America’s Iran policy had failed. Barack Obama had failed. Joe Biden had failed. Diplomacy had failed. Negotiations had failed. Accommodation had failed. Again and again, Trump presented himself as the alternative. He promised strength where others had shown weakness. Pressure where
Donald Trump, Iran, and the Outcome Test Why the Islamic Republic Still Survives Read More »
