July 2011
Patrick Clawson The Treasury department sanctioned a prominent Iran-based al Qaeda facilitator and five other members of his network. How important is this new development?The Treasury Department is effectively accusing Iran of being an important link in al Qaeda’s financing and recruitment… Read More
The U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced the designation of six members of an al-Qa’ida network headed by Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil, a prominent Iran-based al-Qa’ida facilitator, operating under an agreement between al-Qa’ida and the Iranian government. Today’s action, taken… Read More
2011 poll conducted by the Arab American Institute found that Iran’s popularity among the five Arab countries surveyed—Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—has declined in recent years. The United States ranked the lowest among the six, except in Saudi… Read More
Mark N. Katz During a visit to the United States in mid-July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov presented the Obama administration with a plan for "step by step" nuclear talks with Iran. What is new about the Russian initiative?Foreign Minister SergeiLavrov’s “step by step” approach to… Read More
The CSIS Burke Chair compiled a series of chronological reports with the assistance of Adam Seitz of the Marine Corps University on Iranian perceptions of national security and competition with the United States. The following is an excerpt with a link to the full report at the end… Read More
The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center recently released a report charting executions by the Islamic Republic of Iran since December 2010. The report is based on information from official and semi-official sources as well as other reports; links to the sources are included… Read More
The International Monetary Fund released a report today on Iran’s subsidy reform. The final section addresses the challenges ahead. A link to the full report is at the bottom: The successful implementation of the drastic price increases has created a unique opportunity for Iran… Read More
David Albright and Andrea Stricker The conflict over Iran’s nuclear program appears to be getting worse. In June, Iran decided to relocate 20 percent enrichment at its fortified Fordow enrichment plant near Qom and install advanced centrifuges that would triple its enrichment output. … Read More
Geneive Abdo: The following text was given to insideIRAN.org by a group of intellectuals who are leaders in the Green Movement in Tehran. They are also the authors of this manifesto.We, dozens of groups of Green activists in Iran, have decided to offer several recommendations for the reform and… Read More
Semira N. Nikou Tensions are deepening between Washington and Tehran over new claims about Iranian military aid to Iraqi militias. The Obama administration charges that the Iranian arms have been increasingly used in attacks against U.S. troops. The U.S. holds the radical militias responsible… Read More
Alireza Nader President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in hot water these days. His challenge to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which began after he fired the minister of intelligence in April, has provoked the deepening wrath of Iran’s political and military elite. There is even… Read More
The following is a statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: I am very pleased to announce a big step forward in the Obama Administration’s support of the Iranian people. Under our old visa policy, Iranian students and exchange visitors were eligible for visas that lasted… Read More
State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland issued the following statement on persecution of religious minorities in Iran on July 6, 2011: We are dismayed over reports that the Iranian courts are requiring Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his Christian faith or… Read More
Interview with Roberto ToscanoSemira N. Nikou Roberto Toscano served as Italy’s ambassador to Iran between 2003 and 2008. Along with five former European ambassadors to Iran, you wrote an open letter in June 2011 encouraging the United States and the European Union to engage Iran on its… Read More
Interview with Roberto ToscanoSemira N. Nikou Roberto Toscano served as Italy’s ambassador to Iran between 2003 and 2008. Along with five former European ambassadors to Iran, you wrote an open letter in June 2011 encouraging the United States and the European Union to engage Iran on its… Read More