ABSTRACT
Islam as a potent political force is a relatively new item on the international agenda: Yet for the Soviet Union, Islam has long been an issue. Academic and official analyses and interpretations of the so-called Islamic revolution must be understood within the context of Soviet studies of Third World political processes. The Iranian revolution under the leadership of the Shiite clergy appears to have surprised the Soviet leadership as much as their Western counterparts. With the arrest and trial of Tudeh party members in early 1983 and the expulsion of Soviet diplomate in May of that year, the Soviets resorted to outright name-calling. The Islamic revolution affects more than just the domestic politics of any given Muslim state; it has altered relations among Middle East and Persian Gulf states as well. With the resurgence of political Islam, the Islamic Conference as an international governmental organization has acquired major significance.
