Iran's Soft Power in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Studies Iran's soft power in Afghanistan and Pakistan in cultural, religious, social, ideological and educational spheres Based on primary sources including Persian sources and materials collected through semi-structured interviews with research participants Discusses case studies about Iran's historical resources and instruments which it uses to increase its soft power reach, the reasons why Iran seeks to exercise soft power in both countries, and the outcomes Iran has been able to achieve through its soft power From a theoretical perspective, it engages with Iran's soft power in light of the political theories of soft power Brings together materials from a range of disciplinary areas - history, politics, Islamic studies This book explores Iran's soft power in two of its eastern neighbours - namely Afghanistan and Pakistan - in key areas including the cultural, religious, social, media, ideological and educational spheres. It explains what resources and instruments Iran has used to project its soft power in the two selected countries since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, and how Iran's attempt to increase its reach has been perceived by elites and opinion makers in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It therefore offers the most up-to-date examination of Iranian soft power tools and strategies and how they are received in both countries - topics which have not hitherto been fully explored. The book reflects the ideas of local Afghan and Pakistani participants from civil society, government, military, media, academia, think tanks and policymaking, explaining the extent to which research participants perceived Iranian soft power in a positive or negative manners