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Book Review: Russia & Iran by Nicole Grajewski

November 07, 2026 7:34 PM | Anonymous

RUSSIAN AND IRAN; PARTNERS IN DEFIANCE FROM SYRIA TO UKRAINE

BY NICOLE GRAJEWSKI
MAY 1, 2026
PUBLISHER: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

 


 Book Review:

 Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has cast a spotlight on Russia's burgeoning partnership with Iran. Moscow looked to Tehran for drones and ammunition to fuel its so-called 'special military operation', and Iran's support for Russia's war reflected a decade-long strengthening of Russo-Iranian ties, beginning with the 2011 outbreak of the Syrian Civil War.Despite a relationship historically marred by mistrust and unmet expectations, the two regimes have worked together to promote their common interests in Syria, where battlefield coordination soon developed into much deeper political alignment. Drawing on extensive Russian and Persian primary sources, and interviews with elites from both countries, Nicole Grajewski uncovers the drivers of ever-closer cooperation between the Kremlin and the Islamic Republic. Detailing the internal structures, shared anxieties and broader ambitions underpinning this alignment, she explores the genesis of Russia and Iran's mutual antagonism towards the Western-led global order; the impact of deep-seated leadership concerns over regime security and domestic protests; and the future trajectory of the partnership within the larger world order.Examining both military dynamics and economic endeavors, as well as elaborate sanctions evasion schemes and collaboration within international organizations, this is the definitive account of contemporary Russia-Iran relations.

 Indigo / Amazon 

 

 Reviews:

 "A very important book. Grajewski's ability to work with both Russian and Farsi sources is especially impressive, and gives Russia and Iran greater authority than books written by other authors." --Mark N. Katz, Professor Emeritus of Government and Politics, George Mason University"A deeply insightful and fascinating account charting the Russian partnership with Iran, its history and role in shaping geopolitical developments in the Middle East, and beyond." --Michael Kofman, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment, Washington, D.C."Grajewski brilliantly dissects the history and anti-Western imperative of the "partnership of defiance" between Russia and Iran. Meticulous research enriches this unique and incredibly timely exposition of how historical grievances were overcome by the confluence of interests. A major contribution to international affairs and the study of illiberal regimes."

--Laura Kennedy, former US ambassador to Turkmenistan and former acting governor to the International Atomic Energy Agency

 See also:

 Russia and Iran as reviewed by Maria Lipman for Foreign Affairs November / December 2026

  Russian Defense Minister visits the Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Sept. 20, 2023. Russian Ministry of Defense.

 About the book: 
Russia and Iran: Partners in Defiance from Syria to Ukraine

by Nicole Grajewski 

Oxford University Press - 604 pages $32.39 (Kobo)

Publication Date: May 1,, 2026 


 

About the Author: Nicole Grajewski
Nicole Grajewski is a nonresident scholar in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a tenure-track assistant professor at the Centre de recherches internationales (CERI), Sciences Po in Paris. She is also an associate with the Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. A specialist on Russia and Iran, Nicole’s work examines the nuclear and military policies of both states and the bilateral Russia–Iran relationship. Her research on Russia focuses on nuclear strategy and forces, limited nuclear war, and escalation management, including nuclear–conventional integration, force employment, and the role of space and counter-space capabilities in Russian decision making. Her work on Iran centers on nuclear decision making and missile forces, with particular emphasis on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the operational role of missile warfare in deterrence and escalation.

Grajewski is the author of Russia and Iran: Partners in Defiance from Syria to Ukraine (Oxford University Press/Hurst, 2026). She regularly analyzes and comments on Russian and Iranian nuclear and military developments, with her writing appearing in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and The Atlantic. She is frequently quoted by leading outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker.

Previously, she was a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at Carnegie in Washington, D.C. and has held appointments at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, the European Council on Foreign Relations, and the Notre Dame International Security Center. She received her PhD from the University of Oxford in the Department of Politics and International Relations. 

 Biography Credit: Carnegie Endowment for Peace

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