Publication

Iran is often seen only as a ‘rogue state’ by the US and its Western allies. This paper argues that such a view is rather simplistic. Iran’s first goal is to protect itself as a regime and a nation. This can be seen from its thinking towards Afghanistan which, as the recent past as well as in the post-9/11 period have shown, is dictated by a sense of realism. With this in mind, the author suggests that Iran can serve as a stabilizing factor in Afghanistan immediately after 2014, if old wounds and Washington’s tensions with Tehran don’t get in the way, that is.