Diversification and Economic Resilience of Iran

Project Information

DIVERSIRAN

Grant agreement ID: 101025388

DOI

10.3030/101025388

Project closed

EC signature date 7 April 2021

Start date 1 May 2021

End date 28 June 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 174 806,40

EU contribution

€ 174 806,40

Coordinated by

GERMAN INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL AND AREA STUDIES (GIGA)
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DIVERSIRAN (Diversification and Economic Resilience of Iran)

Reporting period: 2021-05-01 to 2023-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Throughout my fellowship, I have contributed both to academic and policy analysis literature. I have also attended several research methodology counrses during my fellowship and applied the new knowledge that I gained through those courses to my resaerch. This have really boosted my pubication portfolio. Prior to my fellowship, my academic career was mostly focused on teaching. This is because of my previous job at Regent's University in London as a senior lecturer. But this fellowship allowed me to advance my research skills and be able to publish in high impact academic journals. I also have been involved as a non resident research fellow with two major global think tanks with significant policy analysis impact. That has allowed me to disseminate my research finding with a broader audience and specifically with the global policy analsysis community. I have also heavily engaged with media. I have given interviews to various international media platforms in Farsi, English, and German. This has allowed me to disseminate my research finding with the broader interested public.

The main focus of my research was to unpack the Iranian government's strategic thinking and calculus. I have contributed to advancing the mindset, and discourse of the Iranian political leaders. Since the October 2023 war in the Middle East, Iran has increasingly played a key role in the ongoing crisis. Therefore, my research on strategic planning, mindset and discourse of the Iranian government has been of high significance amongst academic and policy analysis circles, as well and the general public.

My overall objectives were broadly speaking as follows. 1) to advance my career goals and be able to return to work after a long parental leave, 2) to contribute in advancing knowledge on Iran. I am glad to report that I have achieved both objectives. As the personal level, I have significantly advanced my publication portfolio through publication in English and German at high reputable academic journals. I am currently on a short-term contract at my host institution, but I am confident that my research track record will allow me to find other opportunities in the near future. My success in achieving my academic objective is reflected in my successful publications.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

As noted, I took part in various policy analysis projects. The results of which are shown below:

2024 Bazoobandi, S. ‘Nuevos equilibrios regionales tras la guerra de Gaza’ Afkar/Ideas, (Nuevos equilibrios regionales tras la guerra de Gaza : IEMed)
2024 Bazoobandi, S., ‘Purification of Higher Education System and Jihad of Knowledge in Iran’ GIGA Focus, (Purification of the Higher Education System and Jihad of Knowledge in Iran (giga-hamburg.de))
2023 Bazoobandi. S., ‘Iranian-Saudi Deal Highlights Khamenei’s Control Over Tehran’s Foreign Policy’ The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington ( AGSIW | Iranian-Saudi Deal Highlights Khamenei’s Control Over Tehran’s Foreign Policy)
2023 Bazoobandi. S., ‘Iran Confident Israel-Hamas Conflict Can Advance Its Geostrategic Position, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW | Iran Confident Israel-Hamas Conflict Can Advance Its Geostrategic Position)
2022 Bazoobandi. S., ‘Waiting on Hardship: Economic Jihad or Market Liberalization in Iran’ The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (Available at: AGSIW | Waiting on Hardship: Economic Jihad or Market Liberalization in Iran?)
2022 Bazoobandi, S., ‘Middle East and North Africa’s 2023 Economic Outlook’ Istituto Per Gli Studi di Politica Internazionale (ISPI) (Available at: https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/middle- east-and-north-africas-2023-economic-outlook-36826 )
2022 Bazoobandi, S.,‘Iran Protests: Reform, Revolution, or Status Quo?’ The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington ( AGSIW | Iran Protests: Reform, Revolution, or Status Quo?)
2022 Bazoobandi, S., ‘Re-Revolutionising Iran: Condemning Prosperity and Jihadi Management’ GIGA Focus, 2022, ( Re-Revolutionising Iran: Condemning Prosperity and Jihadi Management (giga-hamburg.de))
2022 Bazoobandi, S., ‘The Conflict Between Azerbijan and Armenia through Tehran’s Lens’, ISPI, The Conflict Between Azerbaijan and Armenia through Tehran’s Lens | ISPI (ispionline.it))
2022 Bazoobandi, S., ‘Protests Redefine Iran’ The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington ( AGSIW | Protests Redefine Iran)
2022 Bazoobandi, S., ‘Hijab from Religious to Political Symbol’ Carnagie Endowment for International Peace (Hijab in Iran: From Religious to Political Symbol - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (carnegieeurope.eu))
2021 Bazoobandi. S (2021) ‘Iranian Voters Use Turnout, Voided Ballots, and Social Media to Rain on Raisi’s Electoral Parade’ The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW | Iranian Voters Use Turnout, Voided Ballots, and Social Media to Rain on Raisi’s Electoral Parade).
2021 Bazoobandi, S., ‘Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery in the Mena: Challenges for the Year ahead’ Istituto Per Gli Studi di Politica Internazionale (ISPI) (https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/post-pandemic-economic-recovery-mena-challenges-year-ahead-32419 )
2021 Bazoobandi, S., ‘A New President Won’t Change Iran’s Bleak Economic Reality’, Carnagie Endowment for International Peace (Iran’s Presidential Election: Opportunity or Dead End? - Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center (carnegieeurope.eu))

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

My progress as I noted above was both at a personal level and through my academic output. Through my research method trainings, teaching, media engagement and policy analysis work, I have successfully managed to regain my path into my academic career. At an academic level, I also managed to publish 7 peer-reviewed paper at various acadmeic journals through 3 years fellowship. I chose to work part-time for two years during my fellowship, which was financially very hard. But I had no other choice, as I would have not otherwise been able to achieve such level of productivity. I am proud of what I have done through this fellowship. It has open new doors for collaboration at both acadmeic and policy analsys realm. Iran has become increasingly important regionally and globally. It is involved inn Russia's war efforts in Ukraine and it is acively supporting various militia groups across the Middle East region. For those reasons, my contribution in understanding the strategic mindset of the Iranian political elite has been well received globally. I am planning to continue my work on Iran and I am grateful for having been granted a Horizon 2020 fellowship.

network analysis resistance discourse in Iran