The Iranian Puzzle Piece
Understanding Iran in the Global Context
Edited by Amin Tarzi
ABOUT THE BOOK
The symposium at Marine corps University, “The Iranian Puzzle Piece: Understanding Iran in the Global context,” held in September 2008, sought to clarify the waters—to examine the “puzzle piece” labeled Iran and understand how it fits into the larger, global puzzle. Out of that symposium came these chapters, which provide insight into the multifaceted nature of Iran and its regime, examine the feasibility and possible outcomes of official engagement of the regime, and discuss the domestic, regional, and international implications of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Amin Tarzi is director of Middle East Studies at Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia. He supports the university by providing a resident scholar with expertise in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Persian Gulf region. His latest work, The Taliban and the Crisis in Afghanistan (2008), is a coedited volume with Robert D. crews of Stanford University.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
By Amin Tarzi
Chapter One: Iran Under Ahmadinejad
By Ali M. Ansari
Chapter Two: Talking to Tehran: With Whom, About What, and How?
By Karim Sadjadpour
Chapter Three: When U.S.-Iranian Negotiations Start: A Primer
By Ronald E. Neumann
Chapter Four: The Iranian Nuclear Issue
By Simon Shercliff
Chapter Five: Iran’s Policies and Iraq
By Mohsen M. Milani
Chapter Six: Iran in the Israeli Threat Perception
By Gerald M. Steinberg
Epilogue: The 2009 Iranian Presidential Election and Its Implications
By Karim Sadjadpour
Glossary