The Resilience of Populism in Iranian Politics: A Closer Look at the Nexus between Internal and External Factors

This article seeks to demonstrate that the resiliency of populism in Iran cannot be fully explained by internal variables alone. In contrast to many existing approaches, we argue that a combination of internal and external factors have contributed to the longevity and the resilience of Islamic populism in the country. The United States' hostile policies toward Iran—especially under Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump—have contributed to the rise of a nationalistpopulist backlash intended to safeguard the survival of the Islamic Republic.