Essential readings to understand Iran's foreign policy

This autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi is one of the most important works for understanding post-revolutionary Iran through individual experience. It offers a cultural and social perspective that complements political analyses, showing the changes the country underwent after the triumph of the Islamic revolution.

This recent work by Federico Aznar Fernández Montesinos is essential for understanding Iran's 'dual policy,' which balances the export of the revolution with national interests. It offers a detailed analysis of the elements that determine Iranian foreign policy, including its imperial past and its nuclear challenge.

This book by Mohsen Milani, published in 2026, is one of the most recent and comprehensive works on the rivalry between Iran and the United States and Israel. It evaluates the effectiveness of Iran's revolutionary strategy from the Islamic Revolution to the present day, making it indispensable for analyzing the dynamics of the Middle East.

In 2026, Afshin Matin-Asgari offers an updated history of relations between Iran and the United States, a crucial link for understanding Iranian foreign policy. This book is fundamental due to its recent publication and for providing a current perspective on the evolution of this complex relationship.

In 2026, Behrooz Ghamari addresses the persistent confrontation between the United States and Iran, a central factor in Iranian foreign policy. This book is a very current work that shows how relations have reached a critical point, regardless of who is in power in Tehran.

Scott Anderson's work, published in 2026, is essential for understanding the roots of the Iranian Islamic Revolution and its direct repercussions on current foreign policy. It reconstructs the collapse of the Shah's regime, highlighting the social disconnection and political errors that led to one of the most significant ruptures of the 20th century.

This recent essay by Javier Gil Guerrero is an essential reading in Spanish for tracing the history of the Islamic Republic from 1979 to the present. It analyzes its ideology, institutions, and key actors, being fundamental for understanding how the revolution continues to influence Iran's contemporary geopolitics.

Ross Harrison, in his 2025 book, offers a precise theoretical framework for understanding Iranian foreign policy, rejecting common interpretations. He argues that Iran behaves as a nation-state with decisions based on classic strategic interests and regime survival, making it essential for in-depth analysis.

Nicole Grajewski's work is an important contribution to understanding the growing cooperation between Russia and Iran in the 21st century, a crucial factor in the current geopolitics of the Middle East and beyond. Her analysis, based on primary sources and interviews, is fundamental for understanding this strategic alliance.

This article by Marta González Isidoro, published in 2023, offers a recent analysis of Iran's strategy to project its regional influence. It is crucial for understanding how the Islamic Republic positions itself as an essential actor in the multipolar scenario of the Middle East, using an assertive and revisionist foreign policy.

This article by El Orden Mundial - EOM, published in September 2024, provides an updated analysis of the pillars of Iranian foreign policy. It is essential for understanding how Iran has consolidated itself as a power in the Middle East, focusing its geopolitical strategy on enmity with the United States and Israel and the projection of its regional influence.

This article by Vali Nasr, published in January 2026, offers a very current perspective on how internal dynamics and external threats are shaping Iranian foreign policy. It is crucial for understanding the mass protests in Iran and the government's response, placing them under the shadow of the Iran-Israel war of June 2025.

This collection of 14 articles, published in April 2026, is an extremely current source that directly addresses the consequences of a recent conflict between Iran and Israel. It offers multiple perspectives on Iran's defense strategy, clerical-military leadership, and the roots of hostility towards the United States, making it indispensable for understanding post-conflict foreign policy.

This collection of policy analyses from The Washington Institute provides a continuous, real-time view of Iran's challenges and strategies. Its articles, published between 2024 and 2025, are crucial for understanding the Iranian nuclear program, support for proxy groups, and relations with the United States from a policy analysis perspective.

Although published in 2020, this book by Paloma González del Miño and Juan Carlos Pastor Gómez remains a work of 'radiant topicality' and a crucial analysis for understanding the dynamics of power and security in the region. It provides an exhaustive overview of the political transformations in Iran's recent history and their impact on the international climate.

Despite its age, this report by Ryszard Kapuściński is considered the 'best text for understanding modern Iran' and the origins of its current foreign policy. It is highly instructive for understanding the conditions that led to the Islamic Revolution and the fall of the last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

This work by Michael Axworthy, published in 2007, is a fundamental introduction to understanding Iranian identity and its evolution, which is crucial for understanding its foreign policy. It describes historical events and examines the cultural processes that have shaped the Islamic Republic of Iran.