Since the 1979 revolution, the ruling establishment of Iran has developed and articulated a defense strategy reflective of the country's Iran-Iraq war experience and its international isolation. Its asymmetrical warfare doctrine, use of irregular forces in military campaigns, deployment of ballistic missiles, use of fast naval vessels to harass and confuse adversaries, and finally development of a sophisticated cyber warfare capability, are all features of this unique defense strategy. Based on a wide range of primary sources in Persian, Arabic and English, Gawdat Bahgat and Anoushiravan Ehteshami offer a detailed and authoritative analysis of Iran's defense strategy. Additionally, this book provides a comparative analysis of the Islamic Republic's capabilities in relation to Israel and Saudi Arabia, its main regional adversaries. Framing Tehran's threat perceptions following the revolution within a wider historical context, this book will facilitate further analytical reflections on the country's changing role in the region, and its relations further afield, with the United States, Europe, Russia and China.

‘Defending Iran provides a first-class assessment of Iran’s defense doctrines, motivations, and capabilities. In doing so, it deftly highlights the opportunities and constraints that the Islamic Republic confronts in its effort to establish its dominance in the Persian Gulf - and underscores the challenges that the United States and others face in seeking to foil that ambition.’

James M. Lindsay - Council on Foreign Relations

‘This is a book of impressive scope and depth, providing one of the most valuable and insightful examinations of the Iranian military and its capabilities. Defending Iran is essential reading for anyone seeking a thorough understanding of the country’s politics and the role, composition, and profile of its armed forces.’

Mehran Kamrava - Georgetown University Qatar

‘Gawdat Baghat and Anoushiravan Ehteshami, two well-respected experts, have produced an important and insightful analysis of Iran’s defense and security doctrine tracing its evolution from pre-revolutionary days to the current context deftly weaving together the nexus of ideology, threat perceptions and national interests amid the changing strategic international and regional landscape.’

Sanam Vakil - Chatham House