About this site
Welcome! When I created this site, my intention was to focus on fun stuff—the amazing peoples and cultures encountered on my travels in the Islamic World: Iranians, Arabs, Turks, Pakistanis, Afghans, Tajiks, Amazigh (“Berbers” to Orientalists); Muslims, Christians, Jews (principally, the Jews of Iran), and Zoroastrians. I wanted to bring to readers the scintillating cultures, cuisines, archaeology, architecture, and art of the Islamic World.
Alas, events in West Asia (“Middle East” to imperialists) since 7 October 2023 have compelled me to spend time on geopolitical and military affairs, specifically:
Asymmetric Warfare: “Warfare that is between opposing forces that differ greatly in military power and typically involves the use of unconventional weapons and tactics.” Iran’s Sipah (IRGC) emphasizes asymmetric warfare. Iran’s defensive “Triad” comprises: missiles (ballistic missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, and land-attack cruise missiles), UAV/UCAV (“drones”), and Electronic Warfare (EW). I write about the Triad’s strategies, tactics, and technologies. The two wars imposed by US-Israel have proven that Iran’s Triad is robust.
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR): “Integrated ISR” is the seamless fusion of ISR across multiple sensors (miscellaneous types of electronic and human “eyes and ears”); platforms (satellites, UAVs, manned aircraft and ships equipped to harvest electronic emissions, and the ground stations that collect and broadcast signals); and domains (space, ground, cyber, air, and sea) to develop a comprehensive real-time picture for decision-making. China’s superb network of dual-use and military satellites, and the BeiDou satellite navigation system, support Iran in defending itself.
About Me: See the about me page for my professional training and interests.
Publications: I have published peer-reviewed journal articles and monographs on Iranian and Islamic history; and on (1) al-Qaiʾda; Pakistani Taliban and Afghan Taliban; al-Hashd al-Shaʿbi (Iraq), Hizballah (Lebanon), and Ansarallah (“Houthis” of Yemen); (2) on ISR, mostly relating to PLA-IRGC cooperation; and (3) intelligence histories of the “Cold War” and the “Global War on Terror.” See the publications page for titles and links.
Podcasts: A selection of essays and interviews will be available on Perspectives: Iran Past and Present, at Spotify, Apple, Amazon/Audible, etc. Links are at the podcast page.
Current Projects: I am researching a monograph of medieval Iran, this on the lovely desert city of Yazd. I am also writing a travelogue about Iran.
I hope you enjoy the content.
Shivan (Twitter/X: @S_Mahendrarajah)
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