Book contents
- Defending Iran
- Defending Iran
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations and Acronyms
- 1 Iran’s Defense and Security Doctrine
- 2 Iran’s Threat Perceptions
- 3 Defense Institutions
- 4 Iran’s Military–Industrial Complex
- 5 Structure and Makeup of Iran’s Armed Forces
- 6 Iran’s Ballistic Missiles and Space Program
- 7 Cybersecurity
- 8 Naval Forces
- 9 Iran’s Drone Capabilities
- 10 Proxies and Partners
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Select Bibliography
- Index
10 - Proxies and Partners
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2021
- Defending Iran
- Defending Iran
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations and Acronyms
- 1 Iran’s Defense and Security Doctrine
- 2 Iran’s Threat Perceptions
- 3 Defense Institutions
- 4 Iran’s Military–Industrial Complex
- 5 Structure and Makeup of Iran’s Armed Forces
- 6 Iran’s Ballistic Missiles and Space Program
- 7 Cybersecurity
- 8 Naval Forces
- 9 Iran’s Drone Capabilities
- 10 Proxies and Partners
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Iran was a victim of a foreign power (Soviet Union) using ethnic groups (Kurds and Azeris) as proxies in efforts to destabilize the country. Ironically, in the 1960s and 1970s, the Shah used the same tactic against Iran’s regional adversaries by cultivating ties with the Kurds in Iraq and the Shia communities of Lebanon. After the 1979 revolution, supporting proxies has become a cornerstone of the Islamic Republic’s security doctrine and its regional policy. Indeed, the republic’s network of proxies is an essential part of Tehran’s asymmetric warfare strategy and has been extensively used for both offensive and defensive purposes.
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- Information
- Defending IranFrom Revolutionary Guards to Ballistic Missiles, pp. 197 - 217Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021