Macho, Macho State: Iran's New Foreign Policy Objective

So, you're a politically tumultuous state fresh off of an election with widespread allegations of fraud and torture; you're building an internationally frowned-upon nuclear program; and you're on the eve of your first multinational talks, which might result in economically crippling sanctions against you. What do you do?

Well, if you're Iran, you orchestrate a series of test-missile launches and start loudly issuing a public list of things you refuse to talk about.
As preparations continue for Thursday's talks between the U.N. Security Council, Germany and Iran on the Middle Eastern state's nuclear ambitions, Iran seems to be putting up as much swagger and even deliberate provocation as it can muster. But, as Iran comes out swinging, the message sent by these actions seems meant more for ears at home than for ears of international leaders.

The missile tests themselves are a pretty clear indication. Iranian Gen. Hossein Salami told the Tehran Times yesterday that "the message of the exercise for some arrogant countries that intend to intimidate, is that we are able to quickly give a proper response to aggression." Really? That's odd, because the "tested" missiles were not new. In fact, among them was a system Iran has had up and working for over 11 years, so the message seems to have been "Iran: Totally caught up to 1998."

More likely, the tests were designed to catch the attention of the Iranian public and shore up a base of nationalist support for the nuclear program -- particularly in the face of growing public nervousness over what threatened sanctions could do to the economy.

Throughout his election campaign, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insisted that the Iranian economy was fundamentally strong -- a position he continues to advocate, telling Time magazine just last week that, despite the global financial downturn, Iran was one of a handful of countries that had been "least effected by the crisis." (Of course, just a few moments later, he also called Iran among the most politically stable countries in the world, so a grain or two of salt might be an appropriate accompaniment to any of that day's statements.)

In truth, unemployment and inflation in Iran have surged dangerously high and there are widespread questions over whether the reigning leadership has mismanaged oil profits. If sanctions are enacted as a result of Iran's nuclear program -- which is looking more likely -- then the effect on the economy would be harsh, and that would only increase the discontent of an already angry public.