The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Downgrading Iranian-British Relations: The Anatomy of a Folly

Author

Summary, in English

Yet, as indicated, the most significant corollary of the diplomatic crisis in Iranian-British ties concerns the cataclysmic impact it can exert upon the likelihood of military confrontation with Iran. It is a gross miscalculation on the part of Iranian politicians and policy-makers to suppose that occupation of the UK embassy or reduction of relations with the country will “teach it a good lesson,” “awaken it to its mistakes,” or prompt it to “revise its hostile approach” to Iran. On the contrary, with Washington and Tel Aviv hell-bent on halting Tehran’s nuclear programme, Britain will undoubtedly press ahead more adamantly with its opposition to the Islamic Republic, now that it has much less motivation to restrain itself. One needs to understand that in the absence of effective communication, adversaries often gravitate towards developing worst-case perceptions about each other’s intentions, which in the case of Iran means all sides involved are drawing, willy-nilly, closer to military conflict and all-out war. The whole game is a systematic folly for which the entire Iranian nation will pay the price and of which it is the ultimate victim.

Publishing year

2012-01-23

Language

English

Publication/Series

e-International Relations (e-IR)

Document type

Journal article

Topic

  • Political Science

Keywords

  • Iran
  • Britain
  • relations
  • downgrading
  • 2011

Status

Published

Research group

  • Internationell politik
  • Freds- och konfliktforskning