How did a Yemeni militia become one of Tehran's most powerful proxies? @osto.bsky.social and @thomasjuneau.bsky.social analyze the rise of the Houthis on the latest episode of The Iran Reckoning. (Members Only) Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Afshon Ostovar
@osto.bsky.social
Historian of the recent past | Naval Postgraduate School | FPRI | Opinions are mine & don't reflect any org. New Book: Wars of Ambition https://www.amazon.com/Wars-Ambition-United-States-Struggle/dp/0190940980/
It was great to talk Iran-Houthi ties - background, their evolution more recently, the consequences of growing Houthi power - with Afshon @osto.bsky.social:
War on the Rocks@warontherocks.bsky.social · 9mo agoHow did a Yemeni militia become one of Tehran's most powerful proxies? @osto.bsky.social and @thomasjuneau.bsky.social analyze the rise of the Houthis on the latest episode of The Iran Reckoning. (Members Only) Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
"Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has become more than a military force. In the latest episode of The Iran Reckoning, Afshon (@osto.bsky.social) and Yeganeh Torbati (@yjtorbati.bsky.social) unpack their growing role in the economy. Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep..."
New episode of the pod just dropped. Really enjoyed this conversation with Gregory Brew. Lucid and fascinating discussion on oil, politics, and the shadowy art of trade under sanctions
War on the Rocks@warontherocks.bsky.social · last yr.Iran’s economy runs on oil, but so does its foreign policy. Afshon Ostovar (@osto.bsky.social) and Gregory Brew unpack the regime's lifeblood in the latest episode of The Iran Reckoning — the newest members-only podcast from War on the Rocks. Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Look what just arrived! By some of the absolute best in their fields: Stéphane Lacroix, @musaalgharbi.bsky.social and @osto.bsky.social
Behind the warheads — Afshon Ostovar (@osto.bsky.social) and Fabian Hinz explore how politics, partnerships, and pressure shaped Iran’s missile ambitions. Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
Where does Iran go after the 12-day war? Can it restore deterrence? How much is it willing to risk in regaining some of its lost power & influence? Its options are limited and will test its commitment to self-reliance. My latest in @engelsbergideas.bsky.social
Iran’s forever crisis is far from over
As a result of Israeli and American attacks, the Islamic Republic’s problems have only intensified. Its next steps could prove definitive for both the country and its ruling establishment.
engelsbergideas.com
Where does Iran go after the 12-day war? Can it restore deterrence? How much is it willing to risk in regaining some of its lost power & influence? Its options are limited and will test its commitment to self-reliance. My latest in @engelsbergideas.bsky.social
Iran’s forever crisis is far from over
As a result of Israeli and American attacks, the Islamic Republic’s problems have only intensified. Its next steps could prove definitive for both the country and its ruling establishment.
engelsbergideas.com
Had an engaging, wide-ranging conversation with @faisalalyafai.bsky.social on Iran—what motivates its politics, what complicates its politics, and why it can be both a joy and a misery to cover. Many thanks to @newlinesmag.bsky.social for putting it together newlinesmag.com/podcast/what...
What Iran Wants
Historian and podcaster Afshon Ostovar joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss the ideology and strategy of Iran.
newlinesmag.com
Excellent analysis by @osto.bsky.social: “Ali Khamenei and the IRGC have lost; the regional status quo they established is finished.” www.foreignaffairs.com/middle-east/...
How Iran Lost
Tehran’s hard-liners squandered decades of strategic capital and undermined deterrence.
foreignaffairs.com
The regional status quo that Iran established over the past three decades is finished—and it is now clear that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have lost their decades-long conflict with Israel, argues @osto.bsky.social.
How Iran Lost
Tehran’s hard-liners squandered decades of strategic capital and undermined deterrence.
foreignaffairs.com
Ali Khamenei and the IRGC have lost; the regional status quo they established is finished. — My latest in @foreignaffairs.com
How Iran Lost
Tehran’s hard-liners squandered decades of strategic capital and undermined deterrence.
foreignaffairs.com
APNewsAlert: DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israeli strikes on #Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1,329 others, a human rights group says.
Ali Khamenei and the IRGC have lost; the regional status quo they established is finished. — My latest in @foreignaffairs.com
How Iran Lost
Tehran’s hard-liners squandered decades of strategic capital and undermined deterrence.
foreignaffairs.com
The intelligence apparatus that has kept Khamenei in power for 4 decades is crumbling around him. He will spend the autumn of his life fighting to salvage the Islamic Republic. "The ship that he stewarded has run aground,” @osto.bsky.social told me My story: www.wsj.com/world/middle... #iran
Israel’s Attacks Leave Iran’s Supreme Leader Exposed—With No Good Options
Tehran’s bruising fight with Israel has left its military weakened and unable to respond in kind to Israeli attacks
wsj.com
@osto.bsky.social: "It’s a huge blow. It’s eviscerated a brain trust that has led Iran’s strategy for the last 20 years...It’s like taking out the bulk of your national security council...Khamenei is much more alone now than he was yesterday."
John Haltiwanger@jchaltiwanger.bsky.social · last yr.Iran lost several top military commanders to Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours. To get a better sense of what these losses mean for Iran and the region, I spoke with @osto.bsky.social, a leading expert on Iran's military who wrote a book on the IRGC's history. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/13/i...
Some thoughts on the outbreak of war between Iran and Israel, and what it could mean going forward. Really appreciated this conversation with Jordan Kranse and @wsj.com www.wsj.com/video/series...
Iran’s Military Arsenal Against Israel
As Iran strikes back at Israel after an unprecedented attack on Tehran’s nuclear operations, WSJ explains Iran’s military capabilities and strategy.
wsj.com
Iran lost several top military commanders to Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours. To get a better sense of what these losses mean for Iran and the region, I spoke with @osto.bsky.social, a leading expert on Iran's military who wrote a book on the IRGC's history. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/13/i...
Iran’s Military Just Lost Its ‘Brain Trust’
Israeli strikes killed several of Iran’s top military commanders.
foreignpolicy.com
Iran is not abandoning the Houthis. If anything, the Houthis are more vital to Tehran than they’ve ever been. My latest in @unherd.com
Iran is rethinking its Houthi strategy
The Iranian regime is under intense strain. The collapse of its proxy network in Syria, Israel’s evisceration of Hezbollah and Hamas, and US President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure campaign have all...
unherd.com
Iran is not abandoning the Houthis. If anything, the Houthis are more vital to Tehran than they’ve ever been. My latest in @unherd.com
Iran is rethinking its Houthi strategy
The Iranian regime is under intense strain. The collapse of its proxy network in Syria, Israel’s evisceration of Hezbollah and Hamas, and US President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure campaign have all...
unherd.com
It was a real pleasure to sit down with @abuaardvark.bsky.social and @pomeps.bsky.social for a wide ranging discussion on my new book, Iran’s current political crisis, and shifting US policy pomeps.org/wars-of-ambi...
Wars of Ambition (S. 14, Ep. 3) - Project on Middle East Political Science
On this week’s episode of the podcast, Afshon Ostovar of the Naval Postgraduate School joins Marc Lynch to discuss his new book, Wars of Ambition: The United States, Iran, and the Struggle for the Mid...
pomeps.org
Iran’s Baha’is face escalating persecution amid crackdown: What to know www.al-monitor.com/originals/20...
Iran’s Baha’is face escalating persecution amid crackdown: What to know
The United Nations has expressed concern over persecution of Baha'is in Iran as arrests mount.
al-monitor.com
Has Iran suffered a strategic defeat, or is it just a setback? What does its regional presence look like today - and how did it get there? My podcast this weeks talks to the great Afshon Ostovar @osto.bsky.social about his new book Wars of Ambition pomeps.org/wars-of-ambi...
Wars of Ambition (S. 14, Ep. 3) - Project on Middle East Political Science
On this week’s episode of the podcast, Afshon Ostovar of the Naval Postgraduate School joins Marc Lynch to discuss his new book, Wars of Ambition: The United States, Iran, and the Struggle for the Mid...
pomeps.org
It was a real pleasure to sit down with @abuaardvark.bsky.social and @pomeps.bsky.social for a wide ranging discussion on my new book, Iran’s current political crisis, and shifting US policy pomeps.org/wars-of-ambi...
Wars of Ambition (S. 14, Ep. 3) - Project on Middle East Political Science
On this week’s episode of the podcast, Afshon Ostovar of the Naval Postgraduate School joins Marc Lynch to discuss his new book, Wars of Ambition: The United States, Iran, and the Struggle for the Mid...
pomeps.org
Very honored to see Wars of Ambition make this list and be among such illustrious company
Books of the Year 2024
Contributors to Engelsberg Ideas highlight the books they’ve enjoyed in 2024.
engelsbergideas.com
There is much that is unclear about Iran’s decisions over the last week. Iran has abandoned the revolution’s life’s work without a fight. There is little chance that such an extreme external collapse occured without severe turmoil inside the regime. This story is far from over.
There is much that is unclear about Iran’s decisions over the last week. Iran has abandoned the revolution’s life’s work without a fight. There is little chance that such an extreme external collapse occured without severe turmoil inside the regime. This story is far from over.
IRGC Telegram accounts coming to terms with what’s happening is something to behold. Their entire world is imploding and their side—the resistance—isn’t even resisting. There’s scant attempt to paint a rosy picture, or tease out some greater strategy. They’re simply losing.