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The Mujahedeen-e Khalq Controversy
Omid Memarian
What is the Mujahedeen-e Khalq organization?
The Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK), or the People’s Mujahedeen Organization, was founded in 1965 as an urban guerilla group opposed to the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. It participated in the 1979 Revolution but later broke with…
Iran’s labor flashpoint
Kevan Harris Iran’s labor movement and working class have been pivotal political actors for more than a century, with one of the longest records in the Middle East. Iran has witnessed hundreds of strikes in major industries over the past two decades. And…
U.S. Gets Tougher on Iran
Robin Wright The Obama administration has become increasingly outspoken about Iran since the Egyptian and Tunisian uprisings. The main focus has notably shifted from Iran’s controversial nuclear program to issues of democracy and human rights abuses. …
Iranian quotes on Egypt's revolution
Semira N. Nikou Iranian leaders have welcomed the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Tehran and Cairo have had tense and difficult relations. The two predominantly Muslim countries had rival forms of rule: Egypt is…
A revolution’s anniversary: Iran’s creeping military rule
Shaul Bakhash Iran’s revolution marks its anniversary on Feb. 11. What is the political situation in Iran today?Iran marks the revolution’s 32nd anniversary in dramatically altered circumstances. It emerged from the disputed 2009 presidential election as a far more militarized state. The…
For Iran, both hope and danger in Egypt
Daniel Brumberg Strategically, Iran is hedging its position on the new Middle East turmoil. The theocrats like to publicly portray the democratic revolts in Tunisia and Egypt as an Islamist tsunami sweeping away corrupt…
Iranians split on Egypt’s turmoil
Semira N. Nikou Iranian leaders, from both the regime and the opposition, are increasingly speaking out about the turmoil in Egypt, Tunisia, and elsewhere. The two sides view the protests from starkly different perspectives, however. The theocracy likes to…
Iran’s New Foreign Minister: Ali Akbar Salehi
Mehrzad Boroujerdi The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is better noted for its dense, jargon-filled technical reports than for grooming future political personalities. Yet former IAEA officials have recently catapulted into the political spotlight of two…
Iran and Hezbollah: The balance of power shifts in Lebanon
Emile Hokayem How does the selection of new Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati--a Sunni Muslim hand-picked by Hezbollah, a Shiite movement--alter Iran’s influence or reach in Lebanese politics in practical terms? The swift change in government reflects the ascendancy of Hezbollah in Lebanese…
Why Tunisia and not Iran
Steven Heydemann In Tunisia, a small, homogeneous state on the southern Mediterranean, a popular uprising forced the overthrow of a long-ruling dictator in early 2011. Ruthless repression of mass protests failed. In just one month, Tunisians ousted an…
Why the Istanbul talks failed
Michael Adler in Istanbul Why did talks between Iran and the world’s six major powers in Istanbul January 21-22 fail to produce any agreement or significant movement toward a compromise? The talks deadlocked after Iran imposed two preconditions on any deal designed to assuage fears that the…
Could Iran deliver a bomb? Four basics about Iran’s ballistic missiles
Michael Elleman International concern—and diplomacy—over Iran’s nuclear program have focused largely on Tehran's growing abilities to enrich uranium, a process essential for both peaceful nuclear energy and to make a bomb. But a second key issue is the Islamic Republic's…
Iran’s domestic woes dictate outcome of nuclear talks
Geneive Abdo Iran’s leaders face a host of problems at home and abroad that deeply impact international diplomatic efforts. The outcome of current talks between Tehran and the world’s six major powers—as well as any future initiatives—is likely to be heavily…
Iran’s Nuclear Setbacks: A key for U.S. diplomacy
David Albright and Andrea Stricker Iran’s nuclear program is suffering mounting setbacks, which in turn will provide more time for diplomacy and reduce the imminence of military strikes. The problems fall into three broad categories : increased difficulty of…
Nuke estimate may buy diplomacy more time
Michael Adler What does the new estimate by Israel’s retiring Mossad chief Meir Dagan-- that Iran won’t have a weapon before 2015-- do to the diplomatic effort? It reinforces it. Diplomacy needs time and and gets time if Iran is stalled in its nuclear program, as is apparently the case…
What's Turkey's Role in the Second Round of Iran Talks?
Henri J. Barkey Previous talks have always been in European venues, so why Istanbul for this second round of talks between Iran and the world’s six major powers over Iran’s controversial nuclear program? Iran called for the talks to be held in Istanbul to reward Turkey—and also…
Patterns of Iran Human Rights Abuses 2010
Hadi Ghaemi Iran launched a sweeping crackdown on human rights and civil society in 2010, following political unrest after the disputed June 2009 presidential election. The executive branch, the Revolutionary Guards and security services increasingly engaged in…
Iran’s trade with major powers increasing, despite sanctions
Semira N. Nikou Trade between Iran and the world’s six major powers increased well into 2010, despite international sanctions and tough financial restrictions, according to International Monetary Fund figures and individual foreign ministries. Countries now negotiating with…
Iran nuclear talks: A widening chasm
Robin Wright (Council on Foreign Relations interview)There seems to have been a little progress during the two days of meetings in Geneva, but where's the emphasis? How "little" and how much "progress"?The emphasis has to be on "little." In many ways, it appears that the two sides are even further…
Statements on the Dec. 6-7 talks between Iran and the major powers
Iran and the world’s six major powers held talks in Geneva on Dec. 6 and 7. The only agreement was to hold a second round in Istanbul in January. These are major statements or comments by the delegations as widely reported in the press. . European Union…
Prospects for talks with Iran face huge obstacles
Shahram Chubin Negotiations between Iran and its critics are rare. They are always welcome, although they have seldom been productive. The talks in Geneva on Dec. 6 and 7 face the same huge obstacles as past diplomacy. …
Primer on Dec. 6-7 talks between Iran and the world’s major powers
Ellen LaipsonWhy are the upcoming talks between Iran and the world’s six major powers important? The talks are the most important opportunity in more than one year for the international community to vet differences with Iran over its nuclear activities. The mere resumption of talks--which…
U.S. cables “wiki-leaked” show Gulf hawkish on Iran
Afshin Molavi What are the most significant Wikileaks revelations?The U.S. diplomatic cables portray the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain as very hawkish on Iran, even urging the United States to attack their Persian Gulf neighbor to forestall its nuclear program.…
U.N. report says Iran’s nuclear program temporarily stopped
Michael Adler The International Atomic Energy Agency – the U.N. nuclear watchdog – issued a report on Iran’s controversial nuclear program on Nov. 23. What did it conclude, in a nutshell? It reported that Iran stopped uranium enrichment for at least one day on Nov. 16, although it provided no…
Iran's Worsening Military Status
Bruce O. Riedel Iran's military leaders, both in the regular military and the Revolutionary Guards, cannot be pleased with trends in the regional military balance. They retain formidable retaliatory power both in missiles and militant allies, but the basics…
Iran’s military exercises send strategic message to Israel, the United States
Michael Connell Iran launched five-day military exercises on Nov. 16 to test its air defenses in case of an attack on its nuclear sites or other sensitive facilities. The war games—dubbed Defenders of the Sky of Velayat III—are the largest exercises ever held,…
Case of alleged adulteress reflects Iran’s internal divisions
Haleh Esfandiari What is Iran trying to do or prove in the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, an Iranian woman sentenced to be stoned to death for alleged adultery and later sentenced to hang for complicity in the murder of her husband? The Ashtiani affair shows once again the internal…
New Report by U.S. Institute of Peace and Stimson Center: Recommendations to Rebalance U.S. Policy Toward Iran
Daniel Brumberg The chances of success in negotiations with Iran would increase if the international community extended a new offer of “strategic engagement,” while sustaining sanctions. The United States should take advantage…
Iran ranked higher than Turkey, Brazil by U.N. development index
Kevan Harris Iranians are doing better in health and education than their counterparts in key countries in the developing world, according to a new U.N. report. The 2010 U.N. Human Development Report ranks Iran at 70 out…
State and people both show nerves over subsidy reform
Semira N. Nikou A bad case of nerves has hit Iran. With long-delayed subsidy reform due to take effect any day, merchants have already jacked up prices of basic goods as much as 30 percent in anticipation of higher…