https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/8257281a-821e-43a5-b673-9bc7a9890ae2 Hassan Ahmadian, an associate professor of West Asian Studies at University of Tehran, said in an interview with Al Jazeera that narratives portraying Iran as seeking regional hegemony overlook historical context. He argued that prior to 1979, Iran’s influence in the region was closely tied to its alliance with the United States, which he described as a more straightforward path to dominance. In contrast, he suggested that Iran’s current approach, emphasising independence and resistance to US influence, has strengthened its position despite higher costs. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:39:44 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://tankie.tube https://tankie.tube/lazy-static/avatars/3ba3ff73-a8b6-49c9-add8-9653ef090c7f.webp https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/8257281a-821e-43a5-b673-9bc7a9890ae2 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://tankie.tube/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.