New Articles
IMF Report: Iran’s Economy Weak
Government mismanagement, rampant inflation and international sanctions have taken a heavy toll on Iran’s economy, according to a new study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Martin Cerisola, Assistant Director for the Middle…
Members of Congress Support Iran Diplomacy
More than 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed a bipartisan letter supporting diplomacy with Iran on its controversial nuclear program. They sent the letter to President Barack Obama just days before…
A Final Nuclear Deal: Getting from Here to There with Iran
Joe Cirincione The stakes could not be higher—or the issues tougher—as the world’s six major powers and Iran launch talks February 18 on final resolution of the Iranian nuclear crisis. The goal “is to reach a mutually-…
President Rouhani’s New Rights Charter
Hadi Ghaemi On November 26, 2013, President Rouhani’s government published a draft Citizens’ Rights Charter and solicited public reaction. The publication of this draft within the first 100 days of his presidency was…
Iran’s Tumultuous Revolution: 35 Years Later
The following article was originally published as Viewpoints No. 52 by the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Shaul Bakhash The Iranian…
Khamenei on Revolution’s Achievements
Iran’s supreme leader celebrated the 1979 revolution on his Facebook page, even though the site is banned in the Islamic Republic. The following are images Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s account posted in early February to mark the…
Event: Iran's Revolution 35 Years Later
On February 10, the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Middle East Program and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace convened a panel of experts to discuss Iran’s revolution on its 35th anniversary. The following is a recorded video…
Iran and U.N. Watchdog Agree on Next Steps
On February 8 and 9, the U.N. nuclear watchdog and Iran reached groundbreaking agreement on seven measures to be implemented by May 15, 2014. The measures are based on the interim nuclear deal’s framework brokered in November 2013.…
President Rouhani’s Interview Delayed
On February 5, President Hassan Rouhani did a live interview that sparked controversy before it even started. Some Iranian media outlets reported that there had been a disagreement between state television and Rouhani’s office, which preferred different journalists…
Treasury Exempts Sanctions on Technology
On February 7, the U.S. Treasury issued a general license allowing Iranians to purchase computers, cell phones, software, mobile applications and Internet services. “We are committed to promoting the free exchange of information in…
Treasury Targets Sanctions Evaders
On February 6, the Treasury announced sanctions targeting entities and individuals across Europe and the Middle East for evading U.S. sanctions on Iran. Some allegedly aided Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs or supported…
Nasser Hadian: Reasons Iran Wants Peace in Syria
Nasser Hadian Iran has turned the corner on Syria, its longstanding ally in the Arab world. It still wants close ties to a country that is the strategic center of the Arab world. But after three years of war, Tehran is also increasingly concerned that Syria…
Nasser Hadian: Revolution at 35
Nasser Hadian On the 35th anniversary of its revolution, Iran has found often novel compromises in blending Islam and modernity—politically, economically and socially. The government and most Iranians today share three goals: honoring the great Persian past and…
State Dept Outlines Terms for Enduring Nuke Deal
On February 4, Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on implementing the interim nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers − Britain, China,…
Treasury Dept: Sanctions Far from Being Lifted
On February 4, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the limited sanctions relief for Iran included in the interim nuclear deal.…
Kerry and Zarif: Meeting in Munich
On February 2, Secretary of State John Kerry discussed upcoming nuclear negotiations with his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, on the margins of the Munich Security Conference. After the bilateral meeting, Zarif told conference attendees…
Western Countries Flood Tehran
More than two dozen delegations of lawmakers, officials and businesspeople have visited Iran since the interim nuclear agreement was brokered in November 2013. Many Western countries and South Korea are particularly hopeful that…
Hillary Clinton on Iran: Give Talks a Chance
Hillary Clinton reportedly wrote a letter opposing new sanctions in response to an inquiry from her former Senate colleague, Carl Levin. Levin had written to Clinton in January, asking for her insight as former Secretary of State, on whether new sanctions would…
US Intel Assessment
On January 29, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Iran’s nuclear program and regional aspirations. Clapper warned that new sanctions could “undermine prospects of a…
Iran and Asia 2: Japan Is Torn, Oil Hungry But Anti-Nuke
Garrett Nada
As an oil- hungry island nation, Japan’s position on Iran is fraught with inherent tensions. It has to balance an existential thirst for oil — to fuel industries, cars and homes — against a moral abhorrence of nuclear weapons, especially as the only country devastated by…
Iran and Asia 1: China Is The Quiet Giant
Yun Sun
China is the quiet giant in the latest diplomatic campaign to prevent Iran from getting a bomb. As Tehran’s largest trading partner, Beijing has enormous political and economic leverage over the Islamic Republic. As a veto-wielding member of the United…
Erdogan in Tehran : Iran is Second Home
On January 29, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Iran to strengthen bilateral economic ties and ease tensions over the Syrian crisis. Erdogan made the trip amidst a sweeping corruption probe that has led to the…
State of the Union: Obama on Iran
On January 28, President Barack Obama warned Congress that he would veto a new sanctions bill that could jeopardize diplomacy with Iran. In his State of the Union address, Obama attributed the halting of Iran's controversial nuclear program to “…
Thousands Suffer from Chemical Weapons Quarter Century Later
The following article first appeared in Time magazine.Robin Wright Hassan Hassani Sa’di has been dying from chemical weapons for almost 30 years. The Iranian still…
The Elders in Tehran: To Advance Dialogue
On January 27, the independent group of global leaders called The Elders began a three-day visit to Iran to “encourage and advance the new spirit of openness and dialogue between Iran and the international community.” The…
Polls: Americans Support Nuclear Deal
The majority of Americans support the interim agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, according to two new polls. An AP-GfK survey found that 60 percent of participants approve of the agreement. But 47 percent are not confident that it…
Kerry at Davos: Addresses Iran Issues
Secretary of State John Kerry spoke extensively about Iran at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The first excerpt below is from his January 24 address to the gathering. The second excerpt is from a January 23 interview…
Rouhani at Davos: Invites Oil Execs, Speech in Tweets
On January 23, President Hassan Rouhani invited oil companies to invest in Iran in an address to some 30 executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Without international engagement, objectives such as growth,…
Rouhani at Davos: "Nothing Impossible" on US Relations
On January 22, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would respond positively to U.S. actions that help “eradicate animosity” between the two countries. He acknowledged the difficulty in improving U.S.-Iran relations but added that “…
Rouhani Tweet Streak on Syria Peace Talks
On January 22, President Hassan Rouhani said that Syria peace conference in Geneva “has already failed before it has started” because of the “lack of influential players in the meeting.” He criticized the gathering for inviting “…