Domestic, Regional, and Global Reverberations of the Iranian Revolution

This class explores the political history of Iran from the end of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979 to the present day. It examines the origins of the Iranian Revolution, how it unfolded, and its effect on the people of Iran, focusing on how the Revolution changed Iran’s system of governance and established a myriad of overlapping social, political, and military institutions to protect and advance the new order. The class then shifts attention to Iran’s grand strategy, its relationship with other powers in the Middle East—Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf states—and US foreign policy toward the region. 

Shahin Berenji, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Strategy and Policy Department at the U.S. Naval War College. Before joining the Naval War College, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Albritton Center for Grand Strategy at Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service. From 2020 to 2022, he taught at Southern Methodist University as a visiting assistant professor and Colin Powell Postdoctoral Fellow. Dr. Berenji earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from UCLA and his B.A. from the University of Southern California, respectively.  He studies foreign policy decision-making, diplomacy, military history, international security, and the modern Middle East. His research has appeared in peer-reviewed journals such as International Security & Security Studies, and his commentary has been featured by outlets such as the Modern War Institute at West Point, E-IR, and the National Interest. He has also provided expert analysis for NBC10 WJAR, the BBC, BBC Bangla, ABC Australia, and other local and international media outlets.