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The Payoff for Iran
(Washington Post) Ray Takeyh - Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stands as one of the most successful Persian imperialists in the history of modern Iran. Today, Khamenei has essential control of much of the Iraqi state, he is the most important external actor in Syria, and Hizbullah provides him with not just a means of manipulating Lebanon's politics but also shock troops who can be deployed on various war fronts. Iran has embarked on a dramatic new mission and is seeking to project its power into corners of the Middle East in ways that were never possible before. But without an arms control agreement and the financial rewards it will bring, Iran would find it difficult to subsidize this imperial surge. The massive financial gains from the prospective deal would enable the Islamic Republic's imperial surge while allowing a repressive regime that was on the brink of collapse in 2009 to consolidate power. The writer is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.