The Iranian elites as perceived from their society and the main geopolitical actors

Abstract

This article proposes a non-conventional approach to the issue of
political elites and the internal structures of power in Iran. Based on
some influential authors from critical theory, the text explains the ideas
behind the Islamic Revolution, the nature of the state and the rationale
nurturing the ruling class. After a brief inquire into the current economic
context of this oil-rich republic, we will sketch the main features of this
Persian-Azeri society which struggles between political agency and an
acute alienation from the religious authorities. Finally, we will attempt
a «who’s who?» In the geopolitical relations of the IRI with a special
focus on how the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are shaping the
elites and perhaps even shifting the global centers of power.