The New Iranian Leadership: Ahmadinejad, Terrorism, Nuclear Ambition, and the Middle East (Praeger Security International)

since His Election, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Of Iran Has Reversed The More Moderate And Pluralistic Policies Of His Predecessor And Projected Himself Onto The Public Scene With Headline-grabbing Speeches Regarding Jews And The State Of Israel, Open Defiance Of The Un Security Council On The Nuclear Issue, And An Apparent Vision Of His Country Becoming The Dominant Power In The Middle East. This Book Documents Ahmadenijad's Background And Rise To Power. It Explains The Current Structure Of The Iranian Revolutionary Government—the Competing Centers Of Power And The Major Players. In Separate Sections, It Details The Terrorist Groups Funded And Armed By Iran, Primarily Hezbollah And Hamas. And It Provides A Comprehensive Picture Of Iran's Apparent Aspirations To Acquire Nuclear Weapons, As Well As The Related Implications For Regional And Global Security Concerns. iran's Nuclear Ambitions Are In Direct Conflict With The Wishes Of The United States, The European Union, And Many Of The Governments Of The Middle East, Leading To Consequences That Remain Uncertain. Iran Is A Focus Of Attention In The Most Recent War In Lebanon, Expanding Its Influence As A (the?) Major Supporter And Supplier Of Hezbollah. And Iran Is Cited In The Most Recent Annual U.s. State Department Report On Terrorism As The Country That Is The Most Active Sponsor Of Terrorism. this Book Offers An Overview Of The Iranian State, The Country's Nuclear Ambitions, And Its Support Of Terrorist Groups, Particularly Hizbullah And Hamas survival

Since his election, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has reversed the more moderate and pluralistic policies of his predecessor and projected himself onto the public scene with headline-grabbing speeches regarding Jews and the state of Israel, open defiance of the UN Security Council on the nuclear issue, and an apparent vision of his country becoming the dominant power in the Middle East. This book documents Ahmadenijad's background and rise to power. It explains the current structure of the Iranian revolutionary government—the competing centers of power and the major players. In separate sections, it details the terrorist groups funded and armed by Iran, primarily Hezbollah and Hamas. And it provides a comprehensive picture of Iran's apparent aspirations to acquire nuclear weapons, as well as the related implications for regional and global security concerns.

Iran's nuclear ambitions are in direct conflict with the wishes of the United States, the European Union, and many of the governments of the Middle East, leading to consequences that remain uncertain. Iran is a focus of attention in the most recent war in Lebanon, expanding its influence as a (the?) major supporter and supplier of Hezbollah. And Iran is cited in the most recent annual U.S. State Department report on terrorism as the country that is the most active sponsor of terrorism.

"This book documents Ahmadinejad's background and rise to power. It explains the current structure of the Iranian revolutionary government - the competing centers of power and the major players. In separate sections, it details the terrorist groups funded and armed by Iran, primarily Hezbollah and Hamas. And it provides a comprehensive picture of Iran's apparent aspirations to acquire nuclear weapons, as well as the related implications for regional and global security concerns. There is little reason to believe that Ahmadinejad will leave the scene anytime soon, or that Iran's behavior will change in the near term, underscoring the importance of the understanding this book provides."--Jacket Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 14 1. Historical Perspectives......Page 18 2. Iran's Government Structure......Page 29 3. Iran's Leadership Profiles......Page 41 4. State-Sponsored Terrorism and Iran's Role......Page 64 5. Iran's Terrorist Network: Hizballah and HAMAS......Page 81 6. Iran's Nuclear Ambitions......Page 128 7. Iran's Ballistic Missile, Chemical, and Biological Capabilities......Page 193 Appendix I: Iran's Policies and International Reaction......Page 210 Appendix II: Nuclear Chronology......Page 228 Acronyms......Page 272 Notes......Page 274 Selected Bibliography......Page 328 Index......Page 340 Acknowledgements Historical perspectives Iran's government structure Iran's leadership profiles State sponsored terrorism and Iran's role Iran's terrorist network : Hizballah and Hamas Iran's nuclear ambitions Iran's ballistic missile, chemical and biological capabilities