All Policy Analysis by پاتريك كلاوسون

Raising the stakes for the nuclear negotiations is the only way to test if Tehran is serious.

In January, the Atlantic published a series of policy proposals for the Obama administration's second term by Washington Institute scholars. The full series is collected here.

The depreciation of the rial is unlikely to change Iran's foreign-policy calculations.

Although the United States and Israel agree that Iran should not be permitted to have nuclear weapons, they may not see eye-to-eye on how to achieve that goal. In particular, high-profile disagreements have surfaced regarding redlines and deadlines for termination of the regime's nuclear program. In addition to complicating U.S.-Israeli

On September 21, 2012, Patrick Clawson and Dennis Ross addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute to discuss the findings of the soon-to-be-released study Preventing an Iranian Nuclear Breakout: U.S.-Israel Coordination . Dr. Clawson is director for research and head of the Iran Security Initiative at the Institute. Ambassador

Iran's economy has taken a turn for the worse, primarily due to poor domestic policies as well as international sanctions. But it would be unduly optimistic to think this will change the regime's nuclear stance.

U.S. statements about Iran have become more consistent and tough since early March, but the impact of this shift remains unclear.

Iran sees itself in a strong position relative to the West and therefore believes it has little reason to be forthcoming in nuclear negotiations.

While Tehran may be preparing the ground for an interim agreement on terms the West would accept, any deal-in-principle would have to be finalized, put into practice, and followed by fuller agreements.

The question is not whether sanctions have worked but whether the strategy they serve is correct.

In pursuing a nuclear deal with Tehran, Obama is betting against the future. You wouldn't know it from following the news, but the nuclear impasse is not the only issue dividing Iran and the United States. In his latest message to the Iranian people on the occasion of their festival

If Iran decides to seriously negotiate during upcoming nuclear talks -- currently scheduled to begin this weekend in Istanbul -- what might it expect to gain from the resultant deal? Probably not much, because even a comprehensive agreement on nuclear issues would not close the profound geostrategic split between Washington

The regional impact of Bashar al-Asad's eventual fate may be at least as important for American interests as the direct effects inside Syria.