July 25th, 2008 by Amanda

In an intriguing article by The Economist, questions are posed as to who really has the controls of government in Iran - Is it Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Despite Ahmadinejad’s exposure, “Mr. Khamenei … is plainly the most powerful man in the Islamic Republic; no big decision can be taken without his consent.” Even though the presidential elections are soon approaching and Ahmadinejad’s leadership role may be tenuous, the outcome may be superfluous when it comes to certain factors. Regardless of who the next president will be, “a big shift in Iran’s domestic and foreign policy seems unlikely while the 69-year-old Mr Khamenei remains the supreme leader.”

Time magazine examines the possibility of unilateral strikes on Iran by Israel, particularly after the US has changed its tone. Time posits that Bush’s shift in rhetoric “makes it more likely that Israel will follow Washington’s lead rather than striking out on its own.”

Posted in Iran, Israel, Political Islam, US foreign policy |