Iran and the Middle East: The Pursuit of Security and Legitimacy in the American Age

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

For much of 2006, Iran commanded the attention of US, European, and regional pundits and politicians. Despite the raging civil chaos in Iraq three years after the USled ousting of Saddam Hussein, Iran seemed to figure more prominently in the world spotlight for its perceived nuclear ambitions and support for Middle East groups Hezbollah and Hamas. In 2002, the Bush Administration had demarcated the nexus of “terror” and WMD as the number one threat to a post-9/11 America, and placed Iran with Iraq and North Korea on an “axis of evil” confronting the world.1 The 2005 election of controversial Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the 2006 rise of Hamas to power in the Palestinian legislature, the Hezbollah kidnappings of Israeli soldiers that sparked a brief war the same summer, and the IAEA’s finding that Iran was in violation of its NPT obligations, created new salience on the issue of Iran’s role in the Middle East.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationStrategic Interests in the Middle East
Subtitle of host publicationOpposition and Support for US Foreign Policy
PublisherTaylor and Francis
Pages171-193
Number of pages23
ISBN (Electronic)9781351897778
ISBN (Print)9780754670339
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2007
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Social Sciences

Disciplines

  • Political Science

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