Entessar & Afrasiabi's Iran Nuclear Negotiations (Rowman & Littlefied, October 2015) offered a thorough analysis of the negotiation process between Iran and the 5+1 great powers about its nuclear program. This book essentially builds upon it, focusing this time on the final nuclear agreement, the ensuing debates around it, and its global and regional ramifications especially in the Middle East. The first section analyzes the agreement through the prism of international relations theories, using a constructivist-critical theory approach. This is followed by an overview of the intense debates in Iran, the West, and other parts of the world, on the nuclear agreement and its various pros and cons, not to mention the connected, yet separate Iran-IAEA agreement. The second section covers Iran's foreign policy and its various priorities, looking in particular at the impact of the nuclear deal on the country's external relations and orientations, contextualized in terms of pre-existing issues and concerns and the profound influence of the nuclear agreement on the perceptions of Iranian power in the region and beyond. Iran's relations with its Arab, Turkish, Russian, and other neighbors are discussed, focusing on both the direct and indirect impact of the nuclear agreement on these relations, especially the paradoxical implications of the nuclear deal with respect to the non-nuclear crises in the Middle East, such as the Syria-Iraq crisis, and the re-alignments that have put Iran at the crossroads of East and West. Other issues covered include energy security, regional economic cooperation, the endemic sectarianism highlighted by Iran-Saudi competition, and the deadlock on the Middle East peace process. The third section then examines the issue of a Middle East nuclear weapons-free zone and the likely consequences of the Iran nuclear deal on this prospect, which, in turn, raises the issue of regional proliferation and counterproliferation. The last section explores some possible various scenarios and the challenges of implementation as a relatively long-term agreement, providing specific policy recommendations for the regional actors and the external powers that are stakeholders in the volatile Middle East.

About the Author
Nader Entessar is Professor Emeritus and former Chair of the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at the University of South Alabama where he specializes in the politics of the developing areas (especially the Middle East) as well as foreign policy decision-making, defense and security, and North-South issues. Kaveh Lotfollah Afrasiabi is an Iranian-American political scientist and author. He has taught Political Science at the University of Tehran, Boston University, and Bentley University and was a visiting scholar at Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, Binghamton University and the Center for Strategic Research, Tehran. During 2004-2005, he was involved as an advisor to Iran's nuclear negotiation team.

Reviews
In this timely, up to date, well-researched and insightful book, the authors provide a refreshing look at Iran's Nuclear Accords in the larger context of its foreign policy and the factors that shape Iranian leaders' perceptions and their choice of policy. The book serves as a corrective to the pervasive "hawkish and Iranophobic" perspectives on the subject that has now become the basis of "regime change" policy under the Trump administration. For those readers who are interested in a more thoughtful, balanced and nuanced analysis of the subject, this volume provides much food for thought. -- Manochehr Dorraj, Professor of International Affairs, Texas Christian University
Entessar and Afrasiabi have assembled a data-rich collection and rigorous analysis that illuminates complexities involved in the critical negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear deal. The book goes beyond skewed analysis by providing a nuanced understanding of the history, dynamics, and broader implications of US-Iran relationship. By challenging some pervasive assumptions about the Nuclear Deal, this volume makes a major contribution to the art of diplomacy and conflict resolution. It is an essential book for all students of International Relations. -- Mahmood Monshipouri, San Francisco State University/UC-Berkeley



Book Information
ISBN 9781442271272
Author Nader Entessar
Format Hardback
Page Count 298
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 562g
Dimensions(mm) 237mm * 161mm * 24mm