Publication

This paper discusses Iran's policy toward the Middle East, how it wields influence in the region, its rivalry with Saudi Arabia, and what the future might hold for the country. The authors argue that 1) Iran has been the most effective country at leveraging the disorder in the Middle East to expand its regional influence; 2) Tehran has done this by providing substantial political, military and financial backing to allies and proxies in other countries; and 3) despite a pending deal in the P5+1 nuclear negotiations, Iran's relations with the US are unlikely to improve while those with Saudi Arabia look set to deteriorate further.