Afshon Ostovar

Afshon Ostovar, a prominent Iran scholar and author, delves into Iran's complex geopolitical landscape. He discusses the ongoing tensions between Iran, Israel, and the U.S., emphasizing the fragile ceasefire. Ostovar reflects on his Iranian heritage and how it informs his understanding of the region. He examines the shifting dynamics of Iran's influence since October 2022 and the implications of its military structure, particularly the IRGC. The conversation also tackles the looming threat of Iran's nuclear ambitions and its relationships with global powers like China and Russia.

From February 11, 2020: Afshon Ostovar is the associate chair for research and an assistant professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School. He is also the author of "Vanguard of the Imam: Religion, Politics, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards." The IRGC has been in the news of late because of the killing of the head of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qassem Soleimani. Benjamin Wittes spoke with Ostovar about the fallout from the Soleimani killing, how it is all playing in Iran, and why things are so quiet. They talked about whether people made a mountain out of a molehill at the time the killing happened, or whether the blowback just hasn't happened yet.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.