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Iran

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More than 30 years after Iran's revolution, its political, military, and international activities continue to challenge and perplex its neighbors and many Western democracies. RAND research has informed and influenced U.S. policymakers on a range of topics, from engagement and containment and Tehran's ability to exploit pan-Islamic causes to Iran's ongoing development of nuclear capabilities.

Commentary
Iran: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Iran has faced an uphill battle since the first cases of COVID-19 were found in the country. Despite limited resources, Iran has also had its share of successes and innovations in combating the virus.
Apr 20, 2022
Report
What Drives Iran's Military Interventions?
Iran has risen as one of the most significant regional challenges faced by the United States. A RAND report identifies key signposts of Iranian military interventions that can be used as early warning indicators for U.S. military planners.
Sep 27, 2021

Explore Iran

Report
Proxy Warfare in Strategic Competition: State Motivations and Future Trends
The authors used quantitative analysis and case studies of China, Iran, and Russia to examine the causes and likely future trends in proxy wars: civil wars in which at least one local warring party receives material support from an external state.
Mar 9, 2023
Report
Proxy Warfare in Strategic Competition: Overarching Findings and Recommendations
This report synthesizes the findings and recommendations from two companion reports on intrastate proxy wars: civil wars in which at least one local warring party receives material support from an external state.
Mar 9, 2023
Commentary
'Wonder Weapons' Will Not Win Russia's War
With its army increasingly in shambles, Russia has turned to attacking Ukraine's civilian infrastructure with Iranian-made drones in an effort to destroy Ukrainians' will to fight. These tactics will inflict pain on the Ukrainian population, but if history is any guide, they will not forestall a Russian defeat.
Nov 10, 2022
Commentary
The Iran Protests: A Crossroads in Governance?
Iran has seen large-scale protests in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of the Iranian morality police in September. But are these protests the spark that will usher in a democratic form of governance in Iran?
Nov 4, 2022
Commentary
The Iran Nuclear Deal: Is the Juice Still Worth the Squeeze?
The talks to reinstate the Iran nuclear deal have been dragging on for 18 months. But the negotiations are not about very much; the general contours of the original agreement still hold. As the clock keeps ticking, though, it gets harder to revive it. At some point, the juice won't be worth the squeeze.
Oct 10, 2022
Brochure
RAND Arroyo Center Annual Report 2021
This Annual Report illustrates the depth, breadth, and responsiveness of the studies that RAND Arroyo Center conducted for the Army in 2021.
Jun 10, 2022
Report
U.S. Resourcing to National Security Interests in Latin America and the Caribbean in the Context of Adversary Activities in the Region
The authors assess the sufficiency of resources available to pursue U.S. national security objectives in the Western Hemisphere and describe the activities and investments of China, Russia, and Iran in the region.
Apr 28, 2022
Report
Exploration of Early COVID-19 Responses in Select Middle East Nations
Prior to the pandemic, many countries in the Middle East struggled with health care capacity and access. COVID-19 placed significant additional strain on health care delivery in the region. What common challenges did Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and Tunisia face in their pandemic responses?
Mar 24, 2022
Commentary
A Renewed Nuclear Deal With Iran: Turning Back the Clock?
Diplomats from Europe, the United States, Russia, China, and Iran are in Vienna trying to revive the Iran nuclear agreement of 2015. But even if negotiations succeed, the post-deal environment could be much more unstable than it was seven years ago.
Mar 4, 2022
Report
Multi-Domain Integration in Defence: Conceptual Approaches and Lessons from Russia, China, Iran and North Korea
A study examining Russia, China, Iran and North Korea's current and future thinking on Multi-Domain Integration.
Jan 20, 2022
Commentary
Afghan Refugees Are Being Recruited to Join an Iranian Paramilitary
As Western policymakers consider how to deal with Afghan evacuees, including former members of the Afghan security forces, they might consider how to prevent adversaries such as Iran from recruiting Afghan refugees for dangerous and destabilizing operations. Greater attention to these risks may become increasingly important as refugee flows from Afghanistan continue.
Nov 23, 2021
Blog
Supporting Undocumented and Asylum-Seeking Children, L.A. Housing, Veterans: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on educating and supporting undocumented and asylum-seeking children in U.S. schools, what drives America's adversaries to use military forces, and measuring the compounding effects of racism.
Oct 1, 2021
Report
What Drives U.S. Adversaries to Use Military Forces Abroad?
Where, how, and how often have China, Russia, and Iran intervened militarily since 1946? A review of their behavior and that of other U.S. adversaries identifies why they initiated military interventions and why they might do so in the future.
Sep 27, 2021
Report
What Drives Russia's Military Interventions?
Russia has engaged in more interventions than any other U.S. competitor since the end of the Cold War. A RAND report analyzes the 25 interventions that Russia has undertaken since 1991.
Sep 27, 2021
Commentary
Why Iran May Be in No Hurry to Get Nuclear Weapons Even Without a Nuclear Deal
History shows that many countries with advanced nuclear technologies but without nuclear bombs opt to stay that way. There are reasons to believe that Iran, too, may choose to remain non-nuclear at least in the foreseeable future.
Jun 28, 2021
Blog
Summer Learning, America's Middle Class, Waking Up After the Pandemic: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how to make summer learning count, U.S. deterrence in the ‘gray zone,’ why so many Americans are stuck outside the middle class, and more.
Apr 23, 2021
Commentary
China Does Not Have to Be America's Enemy in the Middle East
China and Iran made a deal in which China promised to boost its investment in Iranian infrastructure in exchange for a steady supply of oil. This uptick in Chinese influence does not necessarily erode U.S. power in the region. The United States may even find overlapping interests with China since both have a stake in containing conflicts and instability.
Apr 19, 2021
Blog
COVID-19 Demographic Trends, Vaccinating 'High-Contact' People, the Iran Threat Network: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how the pandemic is shaping demographic trends, targeting vaccines to
Apr 16, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Iran

Topic Synonyms:
Islamic Republic of Iran

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Karishma R. Mehta

Technical Analyst

Karishma Mehta (she/her) is a technical analyst at the RAND Corporation who works on projects related to terrorism, intelligence, national security, and homeland security implementing the lens of process mapping. She started her career at RAND as a research assistant working on projects that…
Heather J. Williams

Associate Director, International Security and Defense Policy Program

Heather Williams is associate director of the International Security and Defense Policy Program, part of the RAND National Security Research Division. She is a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, and a professor at Pardee RAND Graduate School. Williams previously served as…

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