Iran's Authoritarian Playbook: The Tactics, Doctrine, and Objectives behind Iran's Influence Operations

Tabatabai's comprehensive assessment of Iranian influence operations is one of the few detailed English-language analyses of Iranian IO doctrine — a gap in the literature given that Iran is one of the three primary state actors in the foreign interference space. The report examines Iranian cyber-enabled disinformation, proxy network management, and information operations targeting the US, Gulf states, and Europe.

Iranian information operations are frequently treated as less sophisticated than Russian or Chinese equivalents, but Tabatabai demonstrates they reflect a coherent strategic logic — focused on deterrence, regional power projection, and exploitation of US domestic political divisions — that is distinct from the Russian model. Understanding these different doctrinal logics is essential for accurate attribution and appropriate response design.