This individual is a guest contributor. MEI is not able to assist with contact requests.
Amin Naeni is a Ph.D. candidate and Research Assistant at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation (ADI) at the Deakin University in Australia, and a Fellow at the Center for Middle East and Global Order (CMEG). You can follow him on Twitter @Amin_Naeni.
Iran’s renewed Africa policy: Raisi’s ambition and the perception of Western decline
Amin Naeni discusses the revival of Iranian foreign policy with non-Western states, particularly African nations, in light of President Raisi’s recent visit to the continent. Additionally, the piece touches upon how this process has differed between Raisi versus Ahmadinejad, and whether Raisi’s Africa policy will prove any more successful than his predecessor’s.
Iran and Africa: Why Tehran will boost its ties with the continent under the Raisi administration
The inauguration of President Ebrahim Raisi has been heralded as the advent of a “New Iran” by the ultra-conservative camp. Although the Iranian authorities are still interested in the revival of the JCPOA, Raisi represents a resistance discourse that believes Iran has to focus on thwarting the sanctions instead of trying to lift them by means of political negotiations. The focal point of this worldview is the expansion of relations with non-Western countries, and Africa plays a central role in this effort.
Iran’s pre-election social media buzz: Toward avoiding a repeat of 2020
Iran’s presidential election is set to be held in less than two months, but the dynamics in the country’s domestic politics have changed significantly compared to 2017. The parliamentary elections of February 2020 saw the lowest voter turnout since the 1979 revolution, with only about 40% of Iranians casting a vote. Now, with the June presidential elections on the horizon, Tehran fears a repeat.
