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Iran's Middle East Gains Are Due to Arab Weakness
(Foreign Policy) Brian Katalus and Yoram Schweitzer - For decades since the 1979 revolution, Iran's regime has worked to shift political dynamics in key countries across the region to their favor. The past decade witnessed a historic expansion of Iranian influence as it deeply embedded itself in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. Yet Iran's gains are largely due to the deep fractures and divisions within Arab countries. As one leading academic in Israel said, "the story has not been so much about Iran's inherent strength, but rather one of weaknesses within Arab countries." Brian Katulis is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Yoram Schweitzer, a visiting fellow at the Center, is a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.