Shafat Yousuf, PhD on LinkedIn: Call for Paper! Symbiosis School of International Studies' All India… (2024)

Why are non-Iranian people, especially Shia Muslims in South Asia, out on the streets mourning Raisi's death?-Many Shia Muslims view Raisi as more than a president, reflecting his significance beyond political roles. #Raisi #ShiaIslam-Raisi's presumed next Wali-e Faqih status represents a loss for the ideological manifestation of Wilayat- Faqih doctrine in Iran and beyond. #Iran #WaliFaqih-Raisi, a well-regarded cleric, holds titles such as Hujjatul Islam (authority of Islam), with some considering him an Ayatollah (sign of God) signifying his status of reaching the level of ijtihaad (independent reasoning in Islamic jurisprudence), thus being a mujtahid. #Raisi #Ijtihaad-As a Syed, Raisi is from the progeny of Prophet Mohammad. The socio-religious stature of being Syed has been historically significant among Muslims, especially in the Shia world. #Raisi #Syed-Raisi's humble family background resonates with many, underscoring his relatability and connection to the people.In the larger Muslim world, the ruling class has exploited state resources for their own benefits. Raisi's persona seems different to the people.-Raisi's steering of the Iran's policy against Israel during these critical times had given him a remarkable standing in the Global South, especially among the Muslim populations across nations--who share a deep sentiment with the Palestinian cause.

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Iran's IRGC hints at changing the nuclear doctrine. How much difficult is that?Re-sharing our work (co-authored with Jaleel Hussain) that proposes a fresh explanation of Iran's nuclear programme using the strategic culture framework."--The core argument of this article is that Iran’s strategic restraint in not overtly weaponising its nuclear programme is primarily driven by its strategic culture despite the continuously deteriorating regional security situation and a deeply hostile neighbourhood.--This has incentivised a ‘Shia way’ of looking at and practising a strategy that sees nuclear weapons as fundamentally un-Islamic. --Security-based realist explanations fail to account for such behaviour and can be better explained using a cultural framework. --The strategic culture-based framework also explains the reasons behind Iran’s policy of nuclear hedging and its acceptability by major sections of the political elite in Iran."

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In the context of the alleged ISIS attack in Russia:I am re-posting my work (co-authored) on Iran's Strategic Behaviour Against ISIS. In it, the 'takfiri' beliefs of ISIS and the threats emanated from them are discussed. Iran's response is analysed in the context of 'shrines' and 'martyrdom' using the strategic culture approach. https://lnkd.in/dZ6wjMgk

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Excited to share my latest publication "Not-So-Warm India-Iran Relations: Economic and Geostrategic Implications for India."It is part of India-Middle East Relations series by National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute.https://lnkd.in/dbjTcZPC

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Sharing my new research article (co-authored) published in the Strategic Analysis journal (Routledge): #strategic culture #isis #holyshrines #martyrdom #iranAbstract:The killing of Qassem Soleimani in 2020 again brought the religio-cultural significance of ‘martyrdom’ into limelight in Iran. He got recognized as the ‘Defender-Martyr of Holy Shrine’ given his role against ISIS in protecting the Shi’i holy shrines. This article analyses the relationship between ‘shrines and ‘martyrdom’ in Iran’s strategy against ISIS. It uses the strategic culture approach to understand Iran’s threat perception of ISIS and how the narratives of ‘defence of shrines’ and ‘martyrdom-seeking’ reinforce each other in Iran’s support to the ‘Defenders of Holy Shrines’. It analyses socialization in the Shi’i religious culture on the part of the Iranian policy elite, which influenced Iran’s strategic preferences against ISIS

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