The speed of events in the disaster zone that is currently the Middle East is unrelenting. Just as attention was focused on Lebanon and refocused on Gaza, Israel announced the death of Yahiya Sinwar, head of Hamas and architect of the attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. Across the West, and possibly beyond, this development was viewed with relief - if only because it may allow for a hostage deal to finally occur. But in Iran, the death called for the mourning of a Martyr. This is not by chance: Iran is a major protagonist in the region.

From two missile attacks on Israel, to supporting Hizbollah, Hamas and the Houthis — Iran is perceived to be a malign presence across the Middle East, especially from the Western perspective. This is undoubtedly underpinned by its broken relations with the US, which dates back to the 1979-81 hostage crisis, coupled with its current closer relationship with China while also supplying armaments to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine.

These are difficult positions for the Western mind, but they stem from the Iranian interest and perspective. To better understand both interest and perspective, Ilana Bet-El is joined by Dr Roxane Farmanfarmaian of Cambridge University in a strong and enlightening discussion that touches on the history of Iran and its international position since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, through the Iran-Iraq war of the 1990s, all the way to understanding its regional and global interests today.

This episode was recorded on 14 October 2024

Mentions

• The Iran hostage crisis
• “A Brief History of Israeli-Iranian Cooperation and Confrontation” and “How Iran and Israel became archenemies”
• Roxane’s inspiration: An American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal by Neil King Jr

Follow:

• Roxane Farmanfarmaian LinkedIn, book “Blood & Oil: A Prince’s Memoir of Iran"
• Instagram @women_leaders_podcast
• European Leadership Network Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & website
• Ilana Bet-El

Credits

• Production: Florence Ferrando
• Music: Let Good Times Roll Uppbeat

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