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Obama, Romney Debate Iran Policy
On October 22, President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney clashed over U.S. policy toward Iran’s nuclear program. During the final presidential debate, Obama claimed U.S.-led sanctions have brought Iran to its "weakest point…
Iran, U.S. Deny Report on Bilateral Talks
On October 20, the New York Times published an article claiming that the United States and Iran had agreed to hold bilateral talks after the U.S. presidential election. The article was allegedly based on comments by anonymous White…
Pew: More Americans Favor Firm Stand on Iran
The Pew Research Center conducted a poll on the U.S. public‘s views on the Middle East in early October. Around 56 percent of respondents favored taking a firm stand against Iran, while 35 percent preferred avoiding war. The results…
U.S. Targets Iran-based al Qaeda Branch
On October 18, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned the deputy of an al Qaeda branch operating in Iran. Abdel Radi Saqr al Wahabi al Harbi is responsible for transferring operatives to Afghanistan or Iraq via Iran. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial…
Sanctions Bite, Iran Scrambles
Gary Clyde Hufbauer The European Union imposed new sanctions on Iran’s financial, energy, trade, and transport sectors on October 15. What impact will these measures have on Iran’s economy? Oil and gas account…
U.S. Welcomes E.U. Sanctions
On October 15, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said that “Iran is under more pressure than ever before” thanks to new E.U. sanctions on its financial, trade, energy and transport sectors. At a separate press briefing, U.S.…
E.U. Imposes New Sanctions
On October 15, the European Union targeted Iran’s nuclear program with new sanctions on its financial, energy, trade, and transport sectors. The E.U. Council condemned Tehran’s “continuing production of enriched uranium” and “…
Opiate Trafficking Through Iran
On October 11, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime released a report showing that Iran is the only Western/Central Asian country to make more heroin seizures every year since 2004. Over the last decade, Iran built extensive…
Biden, Ryan Debate on Iran Crisis
On October 11, Vice President Joe Biden and Republican candidate Paul Ryan quarreled over how to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. During the vice presidential debate, Ryan charged that President Barack Obama’s administration is not…
US Tightens Sanction Loopholes
On October 9, the United States moved to tighten loopholes in its Iran sanctions. President Barack Obama’s new Executive Order will implement additional punitive measures that he signed into law on August 10, 2012. National Security…
West Claims Sanctions Now Biting
After six years of international sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program, Western powers claim that their punitive measures are having a significant impact on Iran’s economy. According to U.S., European and Israeli officials, sanctions have compounded…
Blame Game on Currency Crisis
Helia Ighani Iran’s currency crisis has sparked deep divisions inside the regime. Top officials have blamed others in the Tehran government for mismanagement and…
IMF Forecasts Limited Sanctions Impact
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts economic growth and lower inflation for Iran in 2013, suggesting that sanctions have taken a limited toll on the economy. The IMF’s semi-annual World Economic Outlook estimates that…
Iran's Enrichment Pace
On Oct. 8, the Institute for Science and International Security warned that Iran’s uranium enrichment pace is increasing and that its breakout times are shortening. The report also notes that the United States would likely detect an…
Analysis on Iran Currency Crisis
Iran's currency has dropped by a stunning 40 percent in a mere week, generating protests in Tehran. But the currency crisis dates back more than a year. The following is a news analysis providing context on Iran's fluctuating rial…
Foreign Minister on Nukes, Diplomacy, Syria
On Oct. 1, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told the Council on Foreign Relations that Iran was not seeking a nuclear weapon because it would only increase regional tensions and threats to Iran. He also warned against…
Part III: Would Iran Turn to Terror?
Alireza Nader In a conflict with the United States or Israel, Tehran could turn to terror tactics—directly or indirectly through proxies—to create leverage when it is significantly outmanned and outgunned against conventional…
Part II: Will Iran Close the Strait of Hormuz?
Alireza Nader Iran’s repeated threats to close the Strait of Hormuz are a pivotal part of a military strategy based on psychological and asymmetric warfare. Blocking the strategic waterway, through which 90 percent of Persian…
Part I: How Would Iran Fight Back?
Alireza Nader Iran’s response to Israeli or U.S. air strikes is likely to feature unconventional tactics that would not necessarily lead to battlefield successes, such as defeat of the U.S. Fifth Fleet. But its strategy could…
US takes MEK off terrorism list
On Sept. 28, the U.S. State Department revoked the Mujahedin-e Khalq’s (MEK) designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The leftist group killed six Americans in Iran in the 1970s and attempted an attack against the Iranian…
Iran and the Arab Spring: Ascendancy Frustrated
Shahram Chubin On Sept. 27, the Gulf Research Center published “Iran and the Arab Spring: Ascendancy Frustrated” by Shahram Chubin. A PDF of the full report can be found at the bottom of the page. The following excerpts are a summary of the report: Introduction: The…
World Leaders React to Ahmadinejad
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in New York on Sept. 22 and addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 26. President Barack Obama and other U.S. and world leaders condemned Iran’s positions on Syria, Israel and its…
Ahmadinejad’s Speech at the United Nations
On Sept. 26, President Ahmadinejad addressed the 76th annual U.N. General Assembly. He spoke about the need "to remove the structural barriers" between people and criticized the current state of global decision-making…
U.S. Senate Rejects Containment Policy on Iran
On Sept. 22, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution ruling out the policy of containing a nuclear-armed Iran. But it stipulates that it shall not be “construed as an authorization for the use of force.” Resolution 41 also urges…
Ahmadinejad in New York for U.N. Assembly
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to several New York audiences after arriving Sept. 22. He discussed Iran's nuclear program, Syria, the "Innocence of Muslims" film, Israel and other key issues. The following are excerpts…
Treasury Links Iran Oil to Elite Military
On Sept. 24, the Treasury Department submitted a report to Congress determining that the National Iranian Oil Company is an agent or affiliate of the Revolutionary Guards. The following is an excerpt from the report. The IRGC is Iran’…
Talk of Tehran: Squabbling over the Economy
Helia Ighani The hottest topic in Tehran’s media—and society generally—is the Islamic Republic’s deeply troubled economy. Over the past 12 months, the national currency has lost half of its value. Despite Iran’s vast oil and…
FACT SHEET: Two Years of Tightening U.N. Sanctions
On Sept. 20, one week before the U.N. General Assembly’s opening session, the American mission to the United Nations issued a fact sheet outlining the growing squeeze on Iran from U.N. sanctions since the passage of Resolution 1929…
IAEA Presses Iran on Nuclear Program
On Sept. 13, the U.N. nuclear watchdog passed a resolution urging Iran to cease uranium enrichment and comply with international obligations on its nuclear program. At a board of governors meeting in Vienna, 31 out of 35 countries,…
U.S. Treasury: Iran Oil Exports Down 55 Percent
On Sept. 12, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen announced that Iran’s crude oil exports have decreased by 55 percent since January 2012. “Today, the Iranian government is relegated to the backwaters of the international financial system,” said Cohen at the New York…