Power, Perception, and Politics in the Making of Iranian Grand Strategy

This book explains changes to Iranian grand strategy over the past four decades, and it does so by advancing a multicausal model that unifies the three main paradigms of International Relations (IR) theory. Hence, ideas (constructivism) mediate between the structure of material capabilities (realism) and agents (liberalism) and interact with each to produce, respectively, threat perception and political preferences. Using these two explanatory factors, the author demonstrates how the Islamic Republic’s grand strategy has systematically varied over time to produce a mix of outcomes that includes balancing, expansionism, bandwagoning, appeasement, engagement and retrenchment. Beyond its theoretical contribution, this book is policy-relevant in that it explains – and predicts – the external conduct of what is arguably the Middle East’s most consequential actor, with implications reverberating far beyond the region. Academic in conception and rigor, the book is intended not only for specialists and practitioners but appeals to the lay reader interested in the broader Middle East/West Asia, the region’s relationship with major powers, and regional conflict dynamics.

“Power, perception and politics significantly advances our understanding of the making of Iranian grand strategy since 1979.  Kevjn Lim’s important book presents a rich historical discussion of the Iranian presidencies and the effect of structural, ideational, and domestic forces on their grand strategic adjustments.” (Steven E. Lobell, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Utah) 

“With this original book, Kevjn Lim convincingly invites us to abandon our analytical habit about Iranian grand strategy. While the book primarily dialogs with neoclassical realism, it also engages systematically with realism, liberalism, and constructivism. The book shows, as it were, that approaches working in silos have retarded our understanding of how sets of institutions, ideas, and forces crystallize into a grand strategy. The book signals the arrival of more theoretically robust scholarship on grand strategy as much as it shedslight on the contribution of comparative history to our understanding of the evolution of grand strategies in the Middle East.” (Thierry Balzacq, Professor of International Relations at Sciences Po, Professorial Fellow at CERI- Sciences Po, Paris, and Co-editor, "Oxford Studies in Grand Strategy" book series) 

“Analytical discussion of the Islamic Republic’s grand strategy is still in its infancy and while debate regarding the IRI’s foreign policy is extensive few have made the conceptual link between the two as well as Kevjn Lim. In his new book he provides one of the richest analytical discussions of Iran’s grand strategy - its origins, drivers, and results. One of the best books on contemporary Iran to date.” (Anoushiravan Ehteshami, Professor of International Relations at Durham University and co-author (with Gawdat Bahgat) of Defending Iran: From Revolutionary Guards to Ballistic Missiles) 

“The author has done a commendable job applying and amending the theoretical literature of international relations (IR) to explain the vagaries of Iranian grand strategy over the last four tumultuous decades. This is the type of book that both the aficionados of IR theory and those interested in Middle Eastern area studies should read with interest. Kevjn Lim’s new book elevates the theoretical level of analysis of Iranian grand strategy a notch up.” (Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Professor and Director, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech) 

“By systematically applying different and complementary methods to analyze Iran's regime, Kevjn uncovers the successive dynamics that have propelled Iran's regime since the fall of the Shah with great precision, illuminating the present as much as the past. Very valuable.” (Edward N. Luttwak, Government strategic advisor and author of “Strategy: the Logic of War and Peace”) 

“After four decades of Islamic rule, Iran’s revolutionary regime and its policymaking remain largely an enigma. Kevjn offers an impressive synthesis of the main paradigms in International Relations theory, and of historical methodology, in this eye-opening account of Iran’s grand strategy. He goes on to explain the interaction between Iran's threat perception and political preferences amid the Islamic Republic's internal rivalries and considerable domestic and foreign challenges. His proficiency in both academic disciplines, deep knowledge of state and society in Iran, as well as his command of Persian all combine to produce an innovative work that will interest scholars, policymakers and the educated audience at large.” (David Menashri, Professor Emeritus, Founding Director, Alliance Center of Iranian Studies Tel Aviv University)

Kevjn Lim is Middle East and North Africa principal research analyst, and Iran country risk lead at S&P Global Market Intelligence.