Ali Alfoneh

Senior Fellow, AGSIW

Ali Alfoneh is a senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He is a political scientist by training and the originator of the theory of transformation of the Islamic Republic into a military dictatorship. Alfoneh first put forward the theory in the spring 2006 edition of Udenrigs, journal of The Danish Foreign Policy Society. In the United States since 2007, Alfoneh advanced the theory in a series of essays published by the American Enterprise Institute culminating in Iran Unveiled: How the Revolutionary Guards are Transforming Iran from Theocracy into Military Dictatorship published by AEI Press in April 2013. He is also the author of Political Succession in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Demise of the Clergy and the Rise of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (2020).

Alfoneh also created AGSIW’s Iran Media Review, a twice-weekly publication that monitors, translates, and reviews critical Persian-language media sources identifying important developments and trends in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Subscribe to receive the Iran Media Review Recap.

2024 Outlook

On January 9, AGSIW hosted a virtual roundtable with its leadership and scholars as they looked ahead and assessed trends likely to shape the Gulf region and U.S. foreign policy during the coming year.

Will the Israel-Hamas Conflict Spell the End of Regional Reconciliation?

On October 12, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Iranian Protests and Tehran’s Regional Role

On February 14, AGSIW hosted a discussion on Iran's regional relationships amid ongoing protests.

2023 Outlook

AGSIW hosted a virtual private roundtable with its leadership and scholars as they looked ahead and assessed trends likely to shape the Gulf region and U.S. foreign policy during the coming year.

Succession in Iran: Who Will Be the Next Supreme Leader?

On September 22, AGSIW hosted a discussion on political succession in Iran.

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Iran's 2024 Elections: Vote Without Voters

Does a voter boycott matter in a country that is not a democracy, and is there a correlation between lack of electoral participation and political violence?

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The End of Mandatory Hijab in Iran?

Should the Islamic Republic utilize the March 1 elections to end effective enforcement of the hijab law, it will remove a source of constant friction between state and society in Iran, but the regime will also lose an instrument of intimidating the urban middle class.

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Iran: Republic of Distrust

Forty-five years after the revolution and establishment of the Islamic Republic, the regime in Tehran is not only widely distrusted but has also sown the seeds of distrust among Iranians.

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Iran: Republic of God in an Increasingly Secular Society

Having failed to shape the society to its liking, can the Islamic Republic adapt to a society that is increasingly demanding separation between religion and state?

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What Do Recent Fatalities Reveal About the Quds Force and IRGC?

Targeted assassinations of skilled engineers, seasoned commanders, and intelligence operatives are no doubt taking a toll on the IRGC and the Quds Force but not enough for Iran to reconsider its attempt at containing the perceived threat from Israel.

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Iran Leadership Succession: Former President Rouhani Disqualified

While no immediate threat to the Islamic Republic’s survival, the gradual shrinking of the ruling elites presents a long-term threat to the regime in Iran.

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Obscure Track Record of Quds Force Deputy Fallahzadeh

Quds Force chief Brigadier General Ismail Qaani is likely to be succeeded by his deputy, but the role Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Fallahzadeh currently plays in the organization remains obscure.

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Lebanese Hezbollah Fatalities Since the Beginning of the War in Gaza

Reports on Hezbollah’s fatalities provide some insight into the structure of Hezbollah’s military units and strengthen the perception of a relatively low risk of the war expanding into Lebanon.

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ISIL’s Attack Will Not Weaken the Regime in Tehran

If history is any indication, the latest ISIL attack in Iran may serve to rally Iranians around the flag against a terrorist enemy and even strengthen the regime.