New Articles
US Issues New Travel Warning for Iran
On March 14, the U.S. State Department issued new guidance warning Americans to “carefully consider nonessential travel” to Iran. The warning reiterated the risk of arrest and detention of U.S. citizens, particularly dual national Iranian-Americans. The updated travel warning comes as businessman…
UN: Iran Executions Hit Two-Decade High
Iran executed nearly 1,000 prisoners in 2015, according to a new report by the U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed. Some 65 percent of the executions were for drug-related offenses. The New York Times reported that Iran has reportedly not executed so many people in one…
Khamenei: Iran Yet to See Benefits from Foreign Delegations
On March 10, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the recently elected Assembly of Experts that Iran has not yet benefited from receiving Western delegations. Dozens of trade delegations from European countries have visited Tehran since the nuclear deal was announced in July 2015. “Unless…
US Renews State of Emergency with Iran
The following is the full text of the White House press release and President Obama’s letter to Congress on the renewal of the national emergency with respect to Iran.
CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO IRAN
On March 15, 1995, by Executive Order 12957, the…
Iran Launches Ballistic Missiles, US Reacts
On March 8 and 9, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched several ballistic missiles as part of a military exercise. The variations of Ghadr, Qiam and Shahab missiles reportedly had ranges between 185 miles and 1250 miles. The launches, publicized widely by Iranian media outlets, were…
US on Anniversary of Robert Levinson's Disappearance
March 9 marked nine years since Robert Levinson went missing in Iran. Levinson, a former FBI agent, disappeared on March 9, 2007, during a visit to Kish Island. Initial reports indicated that he was researching a cigarette smuggling case as a private investigator. In late 2013, his family…
Experts on What’s Next for Iranian Women
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2016, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars published views of women from across the Middle East and the United States on the status of women and prospects for this year. The recent parliamentary elections could be a game changer for…
US General on Iran in the Region
On March 8, General Lloyd J. Austin III, warned the Senate Armed Services Committee that “Iran maintains hegemonic ambitions and will continue to pose a threat to the region” through its use of proxies. The commander of U.S. Central Command also highlighted expanding Russia-Iran cooperation and…
UN: Iran Improves in Human Development
Iran has seen major improvements in human development during the past three decades, according to the U.N. Development Program’s 2015 Human Development Report. The Islamic Republic rose six places on the U.N. index in a single year, placing it in the “high human development category.” Gary Lewis, a…
Rouhani on Elections, Turnout
President Hassan Rouhani welcomed the results of February 26 elections for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. “The time for cooperation has started,” he said at a conference. In a letter, during a cabinet meeting and in a speech, he also highlighted the high turnout and briefly commented on…
Election Results 3: In Tweets
The following tweets are snapshots illustrating results of and reaction to the February 26 elections for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. Top LeadersI feel responsible to appreciate this public response to the Islamic System’s call. #IranElections2016 pic.twitter.com/lYhlRnU3iq—…
Election Results 4: Newspaper Headlines
Iran’s diverse newspapers portrayed the results of Iran’s elections differently depending on their political affiliations. Reformist paper Shargh Daily called the elections a "decisive victory" for centrist and reformist allies of President Hassan Rouhani and former President Akbar Hashemi…
Election Results 1: Parliament
Garrett Nada and Katayoun Kishi The resounding message from voters on February 26 was a rejection of hardliners and an endorsement of President Hassan Rouhani. The largest faction in Iran’s new Parliament will be an array of moderates, conservatives and independents, who won more than half of…
Election Results 2: Assembly of Experts
Cameron GlennHardliners suffered a serious setback in Iran’s election for a new Assembly of Experts, a body of 88 clerics and scholars tasked with overseeing and appointing the supreme leader. Candidates aligned with former President Hashemi Rafsanjani and current President Hassan Rouhani, who have…
Election Day in Iran! Color and Tweets
Iranians went to the polls on February 26 to elect a new Parliament and Assembly of Experts at a pivotal time in the Islamic Republic’s history. The following are snapshots of different aspects of the day — leaders voting, reformist and centrist turnout, hardliners at the polls, youth and women…
UN Report on Nuclear Deal Compliance
The U.N. nuclear watchdog has released its first quarterly report on Iran’s nuclear program after the deal went into the implementation phase on January 16. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted that Iran briefly exceeded the 130 metric ton limit on its heavy-water stockpile as…
Amnesty International on Human Rights
In 2015, Iranian authorities “severely curtailed the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, arresting and imprisoning journalists, human rights defenders, trade unionists and others who voiced dissent, on vague and overly broad charges,” according to Amnesty International’s…
Poll on Upcoming Elections
A new poll by iPOS (Information and Public Opinion Solutions LLC), suggests that Iran could set a new record for voter turnout on February 26. More than 70 percent of voters indicated that they will vote in the parliamentary and Assembly of experts elections. Iran has not seen such a turnout since…
Iran's Election Coalitions
Katayoun Kishi Iranian candidates often run in loose coalitions rather than formal parties, mainly because of the difficulty in building name recognition and momentum in a short time. But candidates are technically considered independent regardless of which list—or lists—they ally with. Some…
Khamenei on Eve of Elections
On February 24, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States of interfering in Iran’s upcoming elections. Khamenei said that Iran is "standing firm" against the United States' "evil goals" during an address to thousands of people from Najafabad. He also released infographics on…
Election Timeline, Quotes & Factoids
Iran is scheduled to hold elections on February 26 for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. The following is a chronology of events related to the polls, which have the potential to shift the political balance of power.
Dec. 17, 2015: The candidate registration …
Iran’s Elections: Facts, Tweets & Images
Cameron Glenn On February 26, Iranians will go to the polls to vote for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. Parliamentary candidates are only allowed to campaign for eight days prior to the election - in this case, between February 18 and 25. The following are factoids, tweets, and images…
Part 2: Turnout in Iran v Mideast Polls
Garrett Nada and Katayoun Kishi For Iranian leaders, voter turnout is critical to proving the legitimacy and public support for the Islamic Republic. Voting is considered a national duty because it represents a commitment to the 1979 revolution and its values. On February 26, Iranians will…
Part 1: Iran v Other Mideast Elections
Katayoun KishiElections in the Islamic Republic are colorful, complicated affairs that can produce unexpected results, occasionally even turning the political tide. Ultimate authority in the theocracy still rests with the supreme leader, and candidates are heavily vetted by the Guardian Council of…
Iran Versus OPEC and Russia
On February 16, Russia and three OPEC members – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Venezuela – agreed to freeze oil production if other oil producers did so as well. Iran's OPEC envoy Mahdi Asali rejected the proposal, claiming that it would be “illogical” for Iran to freeze output. Other OPEC…
Khamenei: US Trying to Influence Elections
On February 17, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that the United States is trying to influence the results of Iran’s upcoming elections for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. In East Azerbaijan province, he said that U.S. criticism of the Guardian Council, the powerful body that…
Revolution I: Khamenei, Rouhani Speeches
Iran celebrated the 37th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution for 11 days from February 1 to February 11. On February 8, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran’s enemies were trying to undermine the revolution through cultural and economic invasion. Tens of thousands turned out in…
Revolution II: Street Celebrations
On February 11, Iranians celebrated the 37th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The popular uprising, led by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, led to the ouster of Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi and ended centuries of monarchical rule. Large street rallies across the country are held each year…
House Hearing: Nuclear Deal Implementation
On February 11, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing to evaluate the status of the nuclear deal and its consequences. Stephen Mull, the State Department’s lead coordinator on the nuclear deal, and John Smith, acting director of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, provided…
Khomeini Grandson Disqualified in Elections
Seyyed Hassan Khomeini lost his appeal of the Guardian Council’s decision to bar him from running for a seat in the Assembly of Experts. A grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, he is widely considered the heir apparent of the late revolutionary leader’s legacy. The young Khomeini’s long-…