Intersections of Power: An Academic and Political Analysis of U.S.–Iran Relations, Think Tank Influence and Middle Eastern Geopolitics

The contemporary geopolitics of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf are shaped by interlocking strands of energy security, ideological competition, domestic politics and the roles of non state actors. This review synthesises scholarship on the strategic alignment of the United States and United Kingdom, the polarising effects of think tanks in American domestic policy, the implications of the Trump administration’s immigration and security doctrines, and the evolving contours of U.S.–Iran relations. It also considers the influence of proxy warfare, the cultural interpretation of international relations through literature, the causes of Iran’s brain drain, and the broader regional dynamics—including the decline of U.S. hegemony and the rise of China—culminating in an examination of nuclear negotiations and the foreign policies of emerging regional actors such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). By integrating these diverse studies, the review aims to illuminate how domestic and international pressures interact to shape policy outcomes.