Iran under Ahmadinejad: The Politics of Confrontation

The election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the summer of 2005 thrust Iran into the international limelight in a way that few would have predicted. Robust, confrontational and given to bombastic rhetoric, Ahmadinejad has drawn condemnation from the West and praise from the Middle Eastern street in almost equal measure.

This Paper looks at the details of his political rise and assesses his presidency to date within the context of the dynamics of I...