Vatanka Reports
News and Analysis on the Greater Middle East
Iran's Two-Pronged Problem with the Islamic State: At Home and Abroad
September 11, 2014
<p class="font_7" style=""><span style=""><span style="">The authorities in Iran consider the Islamic State to pose two different kinds of threats to Iranian regional interests and domestic stability. On the one hand, the rise of the Islamic State in Syria and in Iraq threaten Tehran’s geopolitical interests as two of its closest Arab allies – the governments in Damascus and Baghdad – fight to contain the rise of the extremist Sunni and anti-Iran jihadist movement. Accordingly, Tehran’s first priority is to contain the threat of the Islamic State </span></span><span style=""><span style="">to</span></span><span style=""><span style=""> outside of its borders. But recent statements from Iranian officials suggest a heightened degree of fear that the extremist anti-Shi’a message of the Islamic State might find some sympathy among some of Iran’s disgruntled Sunni minority, especially in the Sunni-majority province of Balochistan.</span></span></p>
<p class="font_8"> </p>
Iran's Two-Pronged Problem with the Islamic State: At Home and Abroad
September 11, 2014
<p class="font_7" style=""><span style=""><span style="">The authorities in Iran consider the Islamic State to pose two different kinds of threats to Iranian regional interests and domestic stability. On the one hand, the rise of the Islamic State in Syria and in Iraq threaten Tehran’s geopolitical interests as two of its closest Arab allies – the governments in Damascus and Baghdad – fight to contain the rise of the extremist Sunni and anti-Iran jihadist movement. Accordingly, Tehran’s first priority is to contain the threat of the Islamic State </span></span><span style=""><span style="">to</span></span><span style=""><span style=""> outside of its borders. But recent statements from Iranian officials suggest a heightened degree of fear that the extremist anti-Shi’a message of the Islamic State might find some sympathy among some of Iran’s disgruntled Sunni minority, especially in the Sunni-majority province of Balochistan.</span></span></p>
<p class="font_8"> </p>
Iran's Two-Pronged Problem with the Islamic State: At Home and Abroad
September 11, 2014
<p class="font_7" style=""><span style=""><span style="">The authorities in Iran consider the Islamic State to pose two different kinds of threats to Iranian regional interests and domestic stability. On the one hand, the rise of the Islamic State in Syria and in Iraq threaten Tehran’s geopolitical interests as two of its closest Arab allies – the governments in Damascus and Baghdad – fight to contain the rise of the extremist Sunni and anti-Iran jihadist movement. Accordingly, Tehran’s first priority is to contain the threat of the Islamic State </span></span><span style=""><span style="">to</span></span><span style=""><span style=""> outside of its borders. But recent statements from Iranian officials suggest a heightened degree of fear that the extremist anti-Shi’a message of the Islamic State might find some sympathy among some of Iran’s disgruntled Sunni minority, especially in the Sunni-majority province of Balochistan.</span></span></p>
<p class="font_8"> </p>
Iran's Two-Pronged Problem with the Islamic State: At Home and Abroad
September 11, 2014
<p class="font_7" style=""><span style=""><span style="">The authorities in Iran consider the Islamic State to pose two different kinds of threats to Iranian regional interests and domestic stability. On the one hand, the rise of the Islamic State in Syria and in Iraq threaten Tehran’s geopolitical interests as two of its closest Arab allies – the governments in Damascus and Baghdad – fight to contain the rise of the extremist Sunni and anti-Iran jihadist movement. Accordingly, Tehran’s first priority is to contain the threat of the Islamic State </span></span><span style=""><span style="">to</span></span><span style=""><span style=""> outside of its borders. But recent statements from Iranian officials suggest a heightened degree of fear that the extremist anti-Shi’a message of the Islamic State might find some sympathy among some of Iran’s disgruntled Sunni minority, especially in the Sunni-majority province of Balochistan.</span></span></p>
<p class="font_8"> </p>