Insight: Rethinking Iran—Why the Search for “Allies” May Be Fundamentally Flawed
The path to influencing Iran may lie not in choosing the right partners—but in redefining what a partner actually is. Erbil, Iraq, March 27, 2026 Kurdish Policy Analysis Efforts by Western policymakers to identify allies inside Iran may be based on flawed assumptions, according to a recent analysis by the Lawfare , which argues that influence in the country operates in less visible and more complex ways than commonly understood. The report challenges the long-standing focus on exiled opposition groups and overtly pro-Western actors, suggesting these figures often lack credibility inside Iran and have limited ability to shape internal outcomes. Instead, it points to domestically rooted individuals and networks—many operating within state institutions or broader society—as more consequential, even if they are not publicly aligned with foreign governments. “Visible alignment with external powers can undermine local legitimacy,” the analysis indicates , noting that such percepti...