Originally published 27 January 2022.

In the first episode of 'Mind the Gulf', hosts Darya Dolzikova and Tobias Borck introduce the series and speak with Professor Nasser Hadian from the University of Tehran about Iranian views on regional security and the nuclear question.

The podcast starts with Darya outlining the trajectory of international diplomacy around the Iranian nuclear programme and providing a quick backgrounder on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the ongoing negotiations in Vienna. Tobias then gives a brief overview of how the often tense relations between Iran and other states in the Gulf and the wider Middle East have shaped regional security for the past half century.

Later in the episode, Professor Hadian outlines Iran's key concerns, its relationship with Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states, and the interaction between Iran's foreign policy and its nuclear programme, as well as offering his thoughts on the future of the JCPOA. 

The podcast is part of RUSI's Iran in the Global Security Context project.