Shifting Power in the Middle East: The Decline of Clerics and Rise of the IRGC

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In this thought-provoking episode of “At the Boundary”, guest Ali Alfoneh from The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington dives deep into the shifting power dynamics in the Middle East. Together with GNSI Fellow Arman Mahmoudian, Ph.D., they explore the decline of clerical influence and the growing prominence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This conversation unpacks the implications of these shifts for national security and global policy—offering invaluable insights for anyone interested in the evolving political landscape of the Middle East.

Link's from the episode:
• Register for the Rethinking Afghanistan Policy Dialogue

• Ali Alfoneh's Book

At the Boundary from the Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida, features global and national security issues we’ve found to be insightful, intriguing, fascinating, maybe controversial, but overall just worth talking about.

A "boundary" is a place, either literal or figurative, where two forces exist in close proximity to each other. Sometimes that boundary is in a state of harmony. More often than not, that boundary has a bit of chaos baked in. The Global and National Security Institute will live on the boundary of security policy and technology and that's where this podcast will focus.

The mission of GNSI is to provide actionable solutions to 21st-century security challenges for decision-makers at the local, state, national and global levels. We hope you enjoy At the Boundary.

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