Publication

This publication reflects on how the succession of two key figures in religious and political leadership in Iran and Iraq – Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistan and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – could impact these countries and the greater Middle East. The text’s authors contend that whoever succeeds these leaders will determine the extent of international influence in Iraq, the direction of Iran’s foreign policy and nuclear program, and the nature of both countries’ relations with the US. They argue this by explaining Sistani’s and Khamenei’s political philosophies and leadership style, and outlining how changes in the latter could disrupt the current trajectory of Middle Eastern politics, particularly as tensions between Iran and the US continue to mount.