The Thinking Muslim Iran Exposes the Delusions of Empire | Dr Nader Hashemi
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Apr 3, 2026 
Nader Hashemi, Iranian-born Georgetown professor known for Middle East scholarship and democratic reform advocacy. He examines how American empire shapes the war with Iran. He discusses Iran’s regional independence, Gulf states’ security dilemmas, Iran’s use of drones and missiles, and how external pressure strengthens domestic resilience. He stresses principled support for justice and democratic solidarity.
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Why Iran Became A Geopolitical Thorn
- Iran's post-1979 independence made it a persistent geopolitical irritant to Western interests, prompting sustained efforts to weaken it.
- Nader Hashemi traces this to the Shah's 1953 US-backed placement and Iran's break from Western orbit after the revolution.
US Objective Is To Cripple Iran's Regional Reach
- The US-Israel goal is to prevent Iran projecting power regionally so an Israeli-centric order can prevail, modeled on the Abraham Accords.
- Trump expected a quick collapse like Venezuela but misjudged Iran's resilience and local dynamics.
Arab Regimes Sit On A Dependence Spectrum
- Many Arab regimes are client states reliant on US security, but richer Gulf states have recently flexed more independence.
- Hashemi places regimes on a spectrum from wholly dependent (Bahrain) to relatively autonomous (UAE, Saudi).