The Influence of American Think Tanks on Trump Administration's Foreign Policy against the Regional Presence of Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant professor in regional studies at the University of Tehran

2 Corresponding author: PhD candidate of the study of America

Abstract

Think tanks are known as the fourth force besides the media in America. Containing elites and knowledgeable experts in policy-making, with the increasing influence that they impose on the policy making, especially that of foreign policy, these think tanks are regarded as influential variables in this field. They have changed the decision-making of this government. One of the areas of interest and priority for these think tanks in America, during the past decades, has been the foreign policy of the West Asia, where various events such as the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the establishment of the Resistance Front, and strengthening of combative groups against the Zionist regime have taken place,. Iranian regional policy, or as they call it regional influence, is now being considered by American think tanks, and they are trying to control and limit it by resorting to various solutions. Hence, the main question of this research is: “What kind of policies have American think tanks proposed against the regional roles of Iran, and how have they affected the foreign policy of this country?” The proposed hypothesis suggests that while a number of American think tanks advocate a policy of engagement with Iran in relation to Iran's regional activities, they are also following a policy of control in this regard. Furthermore, the policy of overturning Iranian regime has also been supported by some members of American think tanks. This descriptive-analytical research has used library studies for data collection.

Keywords


- حسینی متین، سید مهدی (1391)، رویارویی آمریکا با ایران پس از جنگ سرد، تهران: مؤسسۀ فرهنگی مطالعات و تحقیقات بین­المللی ابرار معاصر تهران.
دویچه وله، تجارت آلمان با ایران به­دلیل تحریم­های آمریکا کاهش یافت، به نقل از:
- فتاحی، سجاد، قاسمی، روح­الله­، فکری، محمد، اینانلو، مینا (1398)، ساختار و کارکرد اندیشکده­ها، تهران: انتشارات علمی و فرهنگی.
- عبدالله­خانی، علی، کاردان، عباس (1390)، رویکردها و طرح­های آمریکایی دربارۀ ایران، تهران: مؤسسۀ فرهنگی مطالعات و تحقیقات بین­المللی ابرار معاصر تهران.
- هرسیج، حسین (1381)، تجزیه­و­تحلیل و ارزیابی سیاست مهار دوجانبه، فصلنامۀ مطالعات منطقه­ای؛ اسرائیل­شناسی آمریکا­شناسی، تهران: مرکز پژوهش­های علمی و مطالعات استراتژیک خاورمیانه.
-  Aaron, David Miller, (January 05, 2020), Where’s the Strategy?
- Adesnik, David and Saeed Ghasseminejad (September 10, 2018) Foreign Investment in Iran: Multinational Firms’ Compliance with U.S. Sanctions.
- At:https://www.fdd.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/MEMO_ CompaniesinIran.pdf.
- -Adesnik, David (September 27, 2018) Iranian Tankers Hide Location Ahead of Implimending Sanctions
- Allen, John R. and Michael E. O’Hanlon. A blueprint for minimizing Iran’s influence in the Middle East, Monday, (October 23, 2017). At:https://www.brookings.edu/blog/markaz/2017/10/23/a-blueprint-for-minimizing-irans-influence-in-the-middle-east.
- Amidror ,Yaakov, (September 27, 2019), Preventing Iran From Creating More Hezbollahs Across the Middle East, Jinsa, At:https://jinsa.org/the-time-to-counter-iran-and-its-proxies-was-yesterday/
- Ben Taleblu, Behnam. (5 December 2017) Analysis: Reported link between Houthi and Iranian ballistic missiles, FDD's Long War Journal. At:http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/behnam-ben-taleblu-analysis-reported-link-between-houthi-and-iranian-ballistic-missiles/.
- Carafano, James Jay, (Sep 20th, 2019), What Trump Can Do About Iran’s Saudi Attack, Heritage Foundation, At:https://www.heritage.org/middle-east/commentary/what-trump-can-do-about-irans-saudi-attack.
- Cordesman, Anthony H. (September 24, 2019), American Bluster and Blunders Have Made Iran its Fourth Long War, At:https://www.csis.org/analysis/american-bluster-and-blunders-have-made-iran-its-fourth-long-war.
- Cordesman, Anthony H. (March 16, 2009) Study on a Possible Israeli Strike on Iran's Nuclear Development Facilities, at:https://www.csis.org/ analysis/study-possible-israeli-strike-irans-nuclear-development-facilities.
- CRISISGROUP (5 NOVEMBER 2019), U.S. Maximum Pressure Meets Iranian Maximum Pressure, at:https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/gulf-and-arabian-peninsula/iran/us-maximum-pressure-meets-iranian-maximum-pressure.
- Dubowitz, Mark (September 26, 2017) How Trump Can Improve the Iran Deal 
- Edelman, Eric and General Charles Wald. Countering Iranian Expansion in Syria, JINSA’s Gemunder Center Iran Task Force, (November20, 2017). At:http://www.jinsa.org/publications/countering-iranian-expansion-syria.
- Edelman, Eric and General Charles Wald. (July 12, 2017) Strategy to Restore U.S. Leverage Against Iran, JINSA’s Gemunder Center Iran Task Force. At: http://www.jinsa.org/publications/strategy-restore-us-leverage-against-iran.
- Eisenstadt, Michael, (January 2018), Regional Pushback, Nuclear Rollback: A Comprehensive Strategy for an Iran in Turmoil At:https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/regional-pushback-nuclear-rollback-a-comprehensive-strategy-for-an-iran-in.
- Eisenstadt, Michael, (September 18, 2019), Operating in the ‘Gray Zone’ to Counter Iran, Washington Institute, At:https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/operating-in-the-gray-zone-to-counter-iran.
- Einhorn, Robert and Richard Nephew (2019), Constraining Iran’s Future Nuclear Capabilities: Foreign Policy at Brookings, Available At: https://www.brookings.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2019/03/FP_20190321_nuclear_capabilities_WEB.pdf.
- Evental Udi (jul, 2, 2020), How to fix the “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran, at: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/how-to-fix-the-maximum-pressure-campaign-on-iran/.
- Ghaddar, Hanin. To Stop the New Hezbollah, Think Regionally, Washington Institute, (May, 24, 2017) At: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/to-stop-the-new-hezbollah-think-regionally.
- Ghasseminejad, saeed (September, 26, 2018) Reports of Corruption Reinforce Case for Iran Sanctions At: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2018/09/26/reports-of-corruption-reinforce-case-for-iran-sanctions/.
- Gerecht, Reuel Marc (June, 11, 2018) Don’t Fear Regime Change in Iran At: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2018/06/12/dont-fear-regime-change-in-iran/.
- Gerecht, Reuel Marc (Dec, 12, 2018) Tehran Counts on a Divided West At: https://www.wsj.com/articles/tehran-counts-on-a-divided-west-11544656888.
- Golstone, Jack A (OCT10, 2019), don’t expect regime change in iran, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/dont-expect-regime-change-in-iran/.
- Indyk, Martin. (March, 28, 2017) U.S. strategy toward Iran. At: https://www.brookings.edu/testimonies/u-s-strategy-toward-iran.
- Intelligencesquaredus (March, 4, 2020), The Maximum Pressure Campaign Against Iran Is Working at: https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/maximum-pressure-campaign-against-iran-working.
- Kagan, Frederick W (September, 25, 2019), Attribution, Intent, and Response in the Abqaiq Attack, Jinsa, At:https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/attribution-intent-and-response-in-the-abqaiq-attack.
- kahn, Tzvi (September 15, 2018) the US should sanction irans key slush fund and its brutal custodian  At: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2018/09/15/the-u-s-should-sanction-irans-key-slush-fund-and-its-brutal-custodian/.
- kahn, Tzvi (August 9, 2018) Censorship and Sanctions: Should the US Sanction Iran’s Minister of Culture? At: https://providencemag.com/2018/08/ministry-culture-islamic-guidance-mcig-us-sanction-iran-minister-culture-abbas-salehi/.
- Knights, Michael. Countering Iran's Missile Proliferation in Yemen, Washington Institute, (November 8, 2017). at: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/countering-irans-missile-proliferation-in-yemen.
- Knights, Michael. Defeating Iran's Roadside Bombs in Yemen, Washington Institute, (March, 26, 2018). At:http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/defeating-irans-roadside-bombs-in-yemen.
- Knights, Michael. Supporting the New Gulf Effort to Ease Yemen's Humanitarian Crisis, Washington Institute, (February, 5, 2018). at: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/supporting-the-new-gulf-effort-to-ease-yemens-humanitarian-crisis.
- Lindsay, James M. Lindsay (November, 12, 2019), The President's Inbox: Should the United States Maintain Maximum Pressure on Iran?, at,https://www.cfr.org/blog/presidents-inbox-should-united-states-maintain-maximum-pressure-iran.
- Mackey, Robert (March, 24 ,2018), Here’s John Bolton Promising Regime Change in Iran by the End of 2018. At: https://theintercept.com/2018/03/23/ heres-john-bolton-promising-regime-change-iran-end-2018/.
- Maloney, Suzanne, (September, 2017) The Roots and Evolution of Iran’s Regional Strategy, Atlantic Council, at: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/publications/issue-briefs/the-roots-drivers-and-evolution-of-iran-s-regional-strategy.
- MODELL, SCOTT (7/1/20) The U.S. Should Adopt a Regime Change Strategy for Iran, at:https://www.newsweek.com/us-should-adopt-regime-change-strategy-iran-opinion-1514824.
- Moore, Mark (July, 8, 2018), Trump says harassment of US ships by Iran has ended. At: https://nypost.com/2018/07/08/trump-says-harassment-of-us-ships-by-iran-has-ended/.
- Nadimi, Farzin and Michael Knights, (April, 4, 2018) Iran's Support to Houthi Air Defenses in Yemen, Washington Institute, at: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/irans-support-to-houthi-air-defenses-in-yemen.
- Pollack, Kenneth, (February, 20, 2018) Pushing back on Iran, part 6: Pondering regime change, American Enterprise Institute, at: http://www.aei.org/publication/pushing-back-on-iran-part-6-pondering-regime-change./
- Pollack, Kenneth. (February 13, 2018) Pushing back on Iran, part 2: An overview of the strategy, American Enterprise Institute, at: http://www.aei.org/publication/pushing-back-on-iran-part-2-an-overview-of-the-strategy.
-Pollack, Kenneth, (February, 14, 2018), Pushing back on Iran, part 3: The Syrian civil war, American Enterprise Institute, at: http://www.aei.org/publication/pushing-back-on-iran-part-3-the-syrian-civil-war/.
- Pollack, Kenneth, (February, 15, 2018), Pushing back on Iran, part 4: The struggle for Iraq, American Enterprise Institute, at: http://www.aei.org/publication/pushing-back-on-iran-part-4-the-struggle-for-iraq/.
- Salter, Nicole, (March, 12, 2018), Oman Needs to Prevent Iranian Weapons Shipments to Houthis, FDD Policy Brief, at: http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/nicole-salter-oman-needs-to-prevent-iranian-weapons-shipments-to-houthis/.
- Ross, Dennis, (September, 16, 2019), Trump Must React to the Attacks on Saudi Arabia. But a Quick Fix Won’t Be Enough, Washington Institute, At:https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/trump-must-react-to-the-attacks-on-saudi-arabia.-but-a-quick-fix-wont-be-en.
- Rubin, Michael, (September, 19, 2019), Military strikes on Iran? Here are 5 possible targets, American Enterprise Institute, At:https://www.aei.org/op-eds/military-strikes-on-iran-here-are-5-possible-targets/.
Wallsh, David (feb, 12, 2020), The ‘maximum pressure’ campaign undermines Trump’s national security strategy, at: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/the-maximum-pressure-campaign-undermines-trumps-national-security-strategy/
Volume 13, Issue 48 - Serial Number 48
Quarterlyautumn
November 2020
Pages 105-137
  • Receive Date: 21 May 2020
  • Revise Date: 17 August 2020
  • Accept Date: 18 October 2020
  • Publish Date: 22 October 2020