Iran’s Factional Politics: Upcoming Elections and Foreign Policy Implications

Iran will hold legislative (2020) and presidential elections (2021) under heavy unilateral sanctions imposed by the US after withdrawing from the JCPOA. The processes will serve to measure the capacity of the current pragmatic-reformist governmental coalition to remain in power in the midst of heightened international, regional and domestic tensions, resulting from the latest developments in the Persian Gulf waters, and the demonstrations taking place in Iran after the elimination of fuel subsidies. The talk featured in this episode addresses the current factional scheme, the future prospects in face of the upcoming electoral processes, and the possible implications for Iranian foreign policy.