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Source: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/PolicyNote42-Carmi.pdf
Deconstructing and Countering the Iran Threat Network
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) IDF Major Omer Carmi - Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has invested a great deal of money and effort into developing a complex network of allies, partners, and surrogates worldwide, enabling it to project influence throughout the region and beyond. Iran is more an opportunistic player than an actor implementing a grand strategy regarding where to get involved, although it does have a grand strategy aimed at promoting its vision of Islamic revolution. It probes for vacuums in fragile states, seeking to exploit sectarian conflicts to increase its influence abroad and using Shia populations as change agents within foreign countries. Any policy designed to contain Iran's activities abroad and constrain the players known collectively as the Iran Threat Network (ITN) must hold Iran accountable for the actions of its partners, establish efficient information sharing with other countries regarding the network, and demonstrate to Shia communities worldwide that Iran is exploiting them. The writer is a 2017 military fellow at The Washington Institute.