Publication

This paper discusses the impact of US foreign policy on Iranian politics after 11 September 2001. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with 18 members of the Iranian political elite who may be considered part of the political opposition. The findings suggest that the World Trade Center attack initially caused a strengthening of Iranian national unity and a more coherent foreign policy, but that most of the respondents regard the "axis of evil" as destroying the nascent dialogue with the US and coming as a godsend to the conservatives and the ultras.