Iran's Policy of Regional Influence: Pan-Shiism or Pan-Islamism?

Ever since the 16th century, Iran has been the Motherland and protector of Shiism within the Muslim World. Many analysts believe that the Islamic Republic is now attempting to take advantage of its religious bounds with the Shia communities spread throughout the Middle East in order to weave a sphere of influence stretching from the Wall of China to the Wailing Wall. Even if the “Shia Crescent theory” discussed by authors such as Vali Nasr is attractive, it is appropriate to question its veracity: what are Iran’s interests in playing the Shia card? To what extent does it really attempt to exploit this source of influence? In the short run and on a small scale, a pan-Shia policy offers certain advantages such as allowing Teheran to create diversion from its nuclear program or to block the Anglo-US projects in Iraq. However, the Iranian leaders are also conscious of the limits and disadvantages attached to this strategy. They are aware that three decades of pan-Shiism in the Caucasus and in Central Asia have only produced meager results. They also know that the emergence of a Shia arc, strongly denounced by Western capitals, has only succeeded to antagonize the Sunni powers and to wedge the Iranian influence. The argument of this paper is that, in the longer-term and on a larger scale, the aim of the Islamic regime is, as it has always been, to overcome the logic of intra-Islamic confrontation to extend its traditional sphere of influence beyond the Shia territory. This thesis will be demonstrated through a historical analysis of the different initiatives taken by Teheran to create a spiritual rapprochement with the “Sunni Brothers” and to become one of the leaders of the Muslim World. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]