Kayhan Barzegar
Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
AP Photo
March 4, 2009
"For Iraq Stability, Look to Iran and Syria"
Op-Ed, PostGlobal, A Conversation on Global Issues with David Ignatius and Fareed Zakaria
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"If ethnic strife should return to Iraq in the post-withdrawal era, the United States must encourage cooperation between regional actors, especially Syria and Iran. By returning to Iraq, America will only further complicate the crisis in an already complex region. Instead, addressing the security concerns of regional actors and focusing on common interests that exist between them and America, and subsequently getting these regional actors' cooperation, would be a less costly way to avoid the return of civil war."
AP Photo
March 4, 2009
"For Iraq Stability, Look to Iran and Syria"
Op-Ed, PostGlobal, A Conversation on Global Issues with David Ignatius and Fareed Zakaria
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"If ethnic strife should return to Iraq in the post-withdrawal era, the United States must encourage cooperation between regional actors, especially Syria and Iran. By returning to Iraq, America will only further complicate the crisis in an already complex region. Instead, addressing the security concerns of regional actors and focusing on common interests that exist between them and America, and subsequently getting these regional actors' cooperation, would be a less costly way to avoid the return of civil war."
December 28, 2007
"Blame the Unfinished Afghan War"
Op-Ed, PostGlobal, A Conversation on Global Issues with David Ignatius and Fareed Zakaria
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"The assassination of Bhutto is the consequence of an unfinished job started in 2001 by the international community in Afghanistan; it is also a blow to the war against global terrorism and to democratization in the region."
Summer 2007
"Iran's Foreign Policy towards Iraq and Syria"
Journal Article, Turkish Policy Quarterly, issue 2, volume 6
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
This paper investigates the roots of Iranian foreign policy toward Iraq and Syria after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Because of its geo-strategic location, political-cultural characteristics and energy sources, Iran is a pivotal state in shaping the international politics of the Middle East. Since the September 11th events, Iran has increasingly had impact on the issues such as regional crises in Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon as well as the war against global terrorism, which are currently the most significant agenda items of international security. The author argues that Iran's foreign policy towards Iraq and Syria is primarily geopolitical, oriented at building a secure environment at its borders, for strategic-pragmatic purposes.
AP Photo
April 20, 2011
"Iran's Interests and Values and the 'Arab Spring'"
Op-Ed
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"Iran seeks closer relations with the future government of Egypt, irrespective of whether its character is secular-nationalistic or Islamic-ideological. Egypt has sidelined former President Hosni Mubarak's policy of leading an anti-Iranian coalition in the Arab worldand Iran would like to capitalize on this development."
AP Photo
December 4, 2010
"The European Union and Future Nuclear Talks"
Op-Ed
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"The weakening of the EU's role as an independent and mediatory player in the nuclear talks, however, beyond economic losses, could bring negative strategic and political consequences for the EU's status in the entire Middle East, which could in turn damage the region's interests. The new economic sanctions will preclude the opportunity of investment by the EU in Iran's gas and oil sectors, thus decreasing trade and commerce between the twoa shift of policy that provoked a sharp rise in China's activities in those sectors."
AP Photo
July 22, 2010
"Sanctions to Spur Negotiations: Mostly a Bad Strategy"
Op-Ed
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"...[S]ince sanctions and economic constraints will directly impact ordinary Iranians, they will intensify the current sense of distrust towards the West and especially the United States in all political trends and people, subsequently resulting in national mobilization and unity, thereby strengthening the hand of the Iranian government to resist the sanctions. This is the complete opposite of the result desired by the West."
AP Photo
May 15, 2010
"G-15 Challenges World Powers' Monopolies"
Op-Ed, Iran Review
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"In today's world, nations' access to middle or advanced range technologies such as car industries or nuclear technology, their increased national defensive and deterrent capabilities and thus their more regional political and economic clout, enable them to sway more influence on international and regional public opinion, and thereby express their ways of progress and national confidence. This can challenge the hegemony and power monopoly of great powers such as the United States and pave the way for creating new opportunities to establish regional coalitions by rising states."
AP Photo
January 20, 2010
"China: A Short-Term Solution for Iran"
Op-Ed, Iran Review
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"...[T]he real solution is for Tehran and Washington to opt for direct diplomacy over the nuclear issue....The Americans too must not overlook the delicate point that if they voluntarily promote the role of China in Iran's nuclear and strategic programs, they would somehow help develop Beijing's strategic role....it would be a strategic blunder for the US to let China get involved in the political and strategic issues of the Middle East."
AP Photo
February 6, 2008
"Iran Eyes the China Card"
Op-Ed, PostGlobal, A Conversation on Global Issues with David Ignatius and Fareed Zakaria
By Kayhan Barzegar, Former Associate, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program, 20102011; Former Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/international Security Program, 20072010
"...China’s fast-growing economy and its extensive demand for Iran’s energy sources have reinforced Iran’s inclination to advance further economic and political-strategic cooperation with China. Today, one of Iran’s strategic goals is to bind its energy-rich resources to the South-Asia region via the Iran-Pakistan-India Pipeline (IPI), extending the pipeline to China’s markets in future years."
