Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

Iran's Religious and Socioeconomic Activities in Syria

The dalliance between the Assad family and Iran’s Shia clerics began in the 1970s. Back then, before the Islamic Revolution, the Syrian leader held leverage. Now the tables have been turned.

Mar 14, 2021

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Oula A. Alrifai

Articles & Testimony

How Biden Can Overcome Iran’s Maximum Pressure

The administration needs to demonstrate that its pursuit of nuclear negotiations will not inhibit the lengths it will go to counter Tehran’s regional provocations.

Mar 12, 2021

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Continued Houthi Strikes Threaten Saudi Oil and the Global Economic Recovery

Saudi Arabia used what Congress might consider “offensive weapons” to successfully defend major oil terminals, but a much more devastating attack is inevitable if Houthi missile and drone attacks persist.

Mar 12, 2021

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Michael Knights

Articles & Testimony

Our Presence in Iraq Remains a Vital US National Security Interest

American withdrawal would doom efforts against the Islamic State, undermine confidence in Baghdad, exacerbate Iraq's economic crisis, and deliver the country completely to Tehran.

Mar 11, 2021

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Biden’s Iran Policy So Far: Beware the New, Non-Nuclear Options

Instead of giving Tehran free carrots, the administration should adopt a clear transactional stance, such as approving sanctions relief only if militias stop their missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia.

Mar 10, 2021

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David Pollock

Articles & Testimony

Addressing Iran’s Weaponization Work Will Fortify the Nuclear Deal

Allowing Tehran to whitewash its nuclear activities and sites would set a terrible precedent for other nations who might be tempted to pursue a covert weapons program.

Mar 9, 2021

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Jay Solomon

Articles & Testimony

How Should Joe Biden Respond to Russia’s Middle East Strategy?

Washington has prioritized counterterrorism for years and is only now shifting to great-power competition, but Moscow has never lost sight of geopolitics, and its actions in the region should be seen through that lens.

Mar 8, 2021

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Anna Borshchevskaya

Articles & Testimony

Attack on Saudi Oil Facility Means New Headache for Biden

One obvious remedy involves asking Riyadh to end its production cutback, but any such request could be complicated by the administration’s recent friction with the crown prince.

Mar 8, 2021

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Simon Henderson

Assistant secretary of state David Schenker speaks at the Department of State in Washington, DC, alongside secretary of state Mike Pompeo

Video

Brief Analysis

Middle East Policy from Trump to Biden: Views from Inside the State Department’s Near East Bureau

The former assistant secretary of state in charge of the Middle East portfolio from 2019-2021 discusses his time in office and how the region’s challenges and opportunities are evolving at the start of the Biden administration.

March 10, 2021

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David Schenker
Robert Satloff

Brief Analysis

The Pope Meets the Ayatollah

The Vatican’s outreach to Iraq is laudable in its goal of decreasing religious violence, but Western officials should be realistic about what engagement with Shia religious leaders can accomplish in the near term.

Mar 3, 2021

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Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Understanding Iran’s Vast Media Network in Arab Countries

Designating Iranian-linked media outlets can limit their activities, but a more holistic strategy is needed if Washington hopes to effectively counter the regime’s regional propaganda machine.

Mar 2, 2021

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Hamdi Malik

Figure 1: Qais al-Khazali’s interview with iNEWS TV, June 1, 2021.

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

In Their Own Words: Senior Leaders Admit to Membership in the Tansiqiya

Qais al-Khazali, Muhammad Mohi, and Nasr al-Shammari have all provided televised prima facie evidence of their groups' involvement in acts of anti-coalition terrorism.

Feb 28, 2021

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Hamdi Malik

◆ Militia Spotlight

U.S. soldiers at an Iraqi base after a rocket attack by Iran-backed militias

Articles & Testimony

Why Biden’s Airstrikes on Iran Militias Matter

The operation on the Iraq-Syria border could prove more significant than critics allow, but only if the administration keeps showing that there are limits to what it will tolerate in pursuing a new nuclear deal.

Feb 26, 2021

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Phillip Smyth

Brief Analysis

Biden’s Warning to Iran and Its Proxies: Implications of the Syria Strike

The administration’s early recourse to armed force may have surprised Tehran, but the proxy tests will continue, suggesting the need for sustained U.S. intelligence support and multilateral engagement with partners.

Feb 26, 2021

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Michael Knights

Brief Analysis

Attributing the Erbil Attack: The Role of Open-Source Monitoring

Even Iran’s proxies now have proxies, but authorities can still untangle and attribute their illegal acts through expanded use of rich open-source evidence.

Feb 24, 2021

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Crispin Smith
Michael Knights
Hamdi Malik

Iran's Majlis head Qalibaf, former defense minister Dehghan

In-Depth Reports

The 2021 Iranian Presidential Election

A Preliminary Assessment

Whoever wins, the result will intimate deeper trends in Iranian society, such as public support for the regime and the Supreme Leader’s intentions for the country’s future.

Feb 23, 2021

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Albert B. Wolf

◆ Sudden Succession Essay Series

Brief Analysis

Israel Braces for U.S. Revival of the JCPOA

The best approach for both governments is to internalize lessons from 2015 and enter a comprehensive, discreet discussion focusing on constructive ideas and realistic outcomes.

Feb 22, 2021

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Michael Herzog

Articles & Testimony

Rocket Attacks on Erbil: Part 2

The U.S. response needs to get more specific, while the KRG and Baghdad need to patch up their urgent security differences and stop entangling them with broader territorial, constitutional, or budgetary issues.

Feb 18, 2021

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David Pollock

President Joe Biden speaks on the phone in the Oval Office of the White House

Articles & Testimony

Iran Just Handed Biden His First Credibility Test

Proxy rocket attacks in Iraq require a clear response, otherwise the safety of U.S. troops and the prospect of nuclear negotiations will both be in doubt.

Feb 17, 2021

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Michael Knights

Brief Analysis

Rockets over Erbil: How to Respond to an Iraqi Militia Outrage

Iran-backed militias took the unprecedented step of rocketing a major city and U.S. base in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the Biden administration must quickly find its own formula for restoring deterrence.

Feb 16, 2021

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Michael Knights

Supported by the

Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy

Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran poses the most serious and urgent set of security challenges to the United States and its allies in the greater Middle East. Since the Khomeini revolution in 1979, Iran has sought to export its radical ideology through the use of terrorism, subversion, and support to ideological fellow-travelers throughout the Muslim world.

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Featured experts

Farzin Nadimi

Farzin Nadimi, a Senior Fellow with The Washington Institute, is a Washington-based analyst specializing in the security and defense affairs of Iran and the Persian Gulf region.

Patrick Clawson

Patrick Clawson is the Morningstar Senior Fellow and Research Counselor at The Washington Institute.

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Policy Analysis on Iran

Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy

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Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy

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