Inside Iran: Domestic Political Dynamics and Foreign Policy Choices

Abstract

Speakers Azadeh Kian-Thiébaut, Université de Paris Daniel Brumberg, Georgetown University This webinar explores the contemporary domestic political landscape of Iran and its foreign policy implications through the analytical lenses of state–society relations, authoritarian governance, and social mobilisation. Against the backdrop of sustained economic pressure, social contestation, and elite factionalism, the discussion explores how internal power configurations, institutional dynamics, and transnational advocacy networks challenge and shape Iran’s external behaviour at the regional and international levels. Particular attention is paid to the interaction between elected and unelected institutions, as well as the impact of popular mobilisation on foreign policy decision-making. The webinar also situates Iran’s foreign policy within broader regional transformations and global power shifts, assessing Tehran’s strategic recalibration vis-à-vis the Middle East, Europe, and major global actors. By linking domestic political developments with foreign policy outcomes, the webinar aims to contribute to comparative debates on authoritarian governance, resilience, and international engagement in the Middle East, offering insights relevant to scholars of Middle Eastern politics, EU–Middle East relations, and international political sociology. The webinar will tackle major questions such as: In what ways have social movements and gender-based mobilisation transformed state–society relations in Iran, and how do these dynamics challenge or reinforce authoritarian governance? How does the Iranian regime manage societal dissent and civil society activism while maintaining institutional resilience, and what does this reveal about Iran as a hybrid or adaptive authoritarian system? How do domestic power struggles inside Iran shape its foreign policy choices? How do external pressures, regional transformations, and global power shifts interact with these internal dynamics? What implications do Iran’s internal social and political dynamics have for future engagement strategies by the EU and other external actors?