Since we’re likely to end up with an administration whose foreign policy toward Iran doesn’t begin and end with “Hulk smash!”, understanding a bit more about the power structure of the country just might be more useful than knowing about its military capabilities. This Foreign Affairs article is a good start down that road:
Ahmadinejad is only as powerful as he is devoted to Khamenei and successful at advancing his aims. Khamenei’s power is so great, in fact, that in 2004 the reformist Muhammad Khatami declared that the post of president, which he held at the time, had been reduced to a factotum. Blaming the country’s main problems on Ahmadinejad not only overstates his influence; it inaccurately suggests that Iran’s problems will go away when he does. More likely, especially regarding matters such as Iran’s foreign policy, the situation will remain much the same as long as the structure of power that supports the supreme leader remains unchanged.
It’s a long read, but well worth your time, I think.
Peej
Excellent article and kudos to the person who translated.*
There are a few notes msising that would make this all even easier to understand–a lot of the interpersonal relationships between Khamenei, Rafsanjani, and the man who is never mentioned (Velayati).
Still, the best article I have seen in the English language on this. Nice job finding it, MB.
*The articles on Ganji’s site are really top notch, by the way. It’s a shame there are not more translated.