This paper argues that the Iran-Iraq War was essential to the securitization of Iran’s energy sector by transforming it from a standard political issue into a matter of national survival. The paper will first examine how Iran enabled the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to consolidate control of the country’s energy industry as a means of safeguarding it from external pressure, followed by an investigation into how the regime created a secret “shadow fleet” network to facilitate illicit oil exports, which Iran began to perceive as a crucial tool for its survival. Finally, the paper will explore how Iran has employed a range of unconventional tactics to defend its critical energy infrastructure from external attack, thereby cementing Tehran’s energy sector as a top priority for the regime.

This is the first in a multi-part series exploring Captagon and the future of the amphetamine trade inside the Middle East. In this article, we contextualize the importance of Captagon and explore its associated trade to both the former Assad regime and various non-state actors within the Middle East.

On November 5, 2024, Donald Trump was reelected the next president of the United States. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated “his friend” for winning reelection on X (Formerly Twitter). However, regardless of the cordial personal rapport between the two leaders, a Trump presidency has the potential to create issues for India, including human rights, China, Russia, and Iran, many of which stem from Trump’s erratic personality.

Lebanon’s new leadership under President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam signals a potential shift from years of political deadlock and economic collapse. As they take office, they must confront deep-seated corruption, rebuild state institutions, and manage regional instability, all while balancing sectarian divisions and international expectations.

The imperial histories of Iran and Turkey have left an enduring imprint on their modern political identities, ideologies, and the public preferences of their citizens. Their similarities and distinctions present a unique case study of how historical grandeur informs modern governance.

This article aims to provide a new framework for analyzing the feminist movement in relation to religious symbols in Iran. After interpreting the literature in the field, it is clear that feminism and Islamic feminists have joined forces in the past in order to accomplish social change. Secular and Islamic feminists did not have a collective identity, but for a period of time they were united by collective goals. Thus, collective goals are a means of accomplishing social change.

Why has Iran resolved to ensure crippling sanctions and exist as a pariah state in the international system? Is the Iranian leadership rational for seeking nuclear weapons?

As Joe Biden begins his term as President of the United States, he is left with the question of how to best tackle the dispute between the United States and Iran over the Iranian nuclear program and the JCPOA. To best understand how the Biden administration ought to proceed, it is important to first understand the legal context behind the final actions of the Trump administration and what strategy they wished to pursue.