CIAO DATE: 04/2012
April 2012
Center for Strategic and International Studies
US competition with Iran has become the equivalent of a game of three-dimensional chess, but a game where each side can modify at least some of the rules with each move. It is also a game that has been going on for some three decades. It is clear that it is also a game that is unlikely to be ended by better dialog and mutual understanding, and that Iran’s version of “democracy” is unlikely to change the way it is played in the foreseeable future. As newly imposed American and European sanctions begin to take hold on the Iranian economy, the government in Tehran seeks to mitigate their punitive effect by seeking partnerships with states on the geographic and strategic periphery of the US-Iran competition. In order to sidestep Western pressure, Iran pursues relationships with states in Latin America and Africa that are beyond the conventional geographic and political scope of US-Iranian competition. Iran seeks to build partnerships with other politically isolated governments, such as those in Venezuela and Zimbabwe. Tehran also seeks to forge closer commercial ties with states that are drawn to Iran for economic, rather than political, purposes. Although states such as Argentina and Brazil may not politically align themselves with the Islamic regime in Tehran, both have strong trading partnerships with Iran. Despite these efforts, however, Iran’s embrace in the periphery is limited and has been thwarted by US actions to undermine Iranian influence.
Resource link: U.S. and Iranian Strategic Competition: The Impact of Latin America, Africa and Peripheral States [PDF] - 984K