Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

The administration's message is not a new one, the FTO listing does not add much additional pressure, and the resultant risks to U.S. interests are significant.

Apr 8, 2019

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Matthew Levitt

Articles & Testimony

How Might Tehran Respond to IRGC Designation?

The regime or individual hardline elements could opt for a number of provocations, from detaining foreigners to launching disruptive naval and cyber operations.

Apr 8, 2019

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Michael Eisenstadt

Articles & Testimony

IRGC Designation: From Visas to Symbolic Effects

The practical effects may be limited to minor issues such as visa regulations, while the symbolic implications are not in Tehran's favor.

Apr 8, 2019

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Patrick Clawson

Brief Analysis

Iran’s Missile Defiance: Potential Threats to Europe, the Gulf, and Israel

Tehran can be expected to continue its provocations amid Western pressure on its missile activities, issuing further threats against U.S. allies and showing off new systems.

Mar 29, 2019

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Farzin Nadimi

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, gestures while speaking

Brief Analysis

The Most Important Speech of the Year in Iran: Hostile to the West, No Concessions at Home

Historically a reliable indicator of Khamenei’s thinking, the Supreme Leader’s annual Mashhad address focused mainly on foreign policy, especially why the West should not be trusted, along with his usual call for Iran to develop its non-oil economy.

Mar 26, 2019

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Patrick Clawson

Articles & Testimony

Hezbollah’s Procurement Channels: Leveraging Criminal Networks and Partnering with Iran

A February visit to Tehran by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad showcased just how close the Qods Force-Hezbollah alliance is when it comes to acquiring weapons.

Mar 21, 2019

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

A U.S.-Iraq Security Partnership: Avoiding the Pitfalls Just Ahead

Nationalist sentiment and Iranian pressure have led some Iraqi legislators to oppose a continued U.S. military presence, but Washington could make things much worse if it overreacts.

Mar 13, 2019

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Barbara A. Leaf
Bilal Wahab

Brief Analysis

U.S. Sanctions Are Hurting Hezbollah

To further tighten the noose, Washington should disrupt the group’s efforts to tap international aid, Lebanese ministry budgets, Syrian smuggling revenue, and other resources.

Mar 6, 2019

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Hanin Ghaddar

In-Depth Reports

The Supreme Leader and the Guard:

Civil-Military Relations and Regime Survival in Iran

As the Islamic Republic of Iran turns forty, the dream of a unified theocratic state remains elusive. The national leadership faces three converging threats: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's uncertain health and the prospect of a destabilizing succession process; domestic dissatisfaction, manifested in daily protests across the country; and economic struggles brought

Feb 25, 2019

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Saeid Golkar

Brief Analysis

What Washington—and Iran—Should Take Away from the Warsaw Conference

The moderator of a landmark Middle East panel explains why the conference may signal growing Arab-Israeli strategic convergence, firmer European action on Iran, and further stalemate in Syria.

Feb 19, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Can Asaib Ahl al-Haq Join the Political Mainstream?

The Iraqi militia seeks to follow peers like the Sadrist movement and Badr Organization, but it must first back up its rhetoric with moderating actions.

Feb 14, 2019

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Michael Knights
Frzand Sherko

A banner of Iran's former Supreme leader Khomeini

Articles & Testimony

Iran, 40 Years After Revolution, Still Looms Large in Middle East

The ball has bounced mostly in the regime’s direction since 1979, though Tehran may now be approaching the revolutionary equivalent of imperial overstretch.

Feb 11, 2019

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Iran's Shift to a More Offensive Posture Could Be a Sign of Weakness

Pressures at home and abroad may be driving the regime to embrace new offensive operations and tactics, leaving the door open for a broader offensive strategy if another war erupts in the Middle East.

Feb 7, 2019

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Farzin Nadimi

Video

Brief Analysis

Reports from Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Capitol Hill

Middle East Policy Forecast for 2019

Three Institute scholars report on recent regional visits and U.S. legislative developments, looking ahead to the most critical policy questions in the coming year.

Feb 4, 2019

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Barbara A. Leaf
Dana Stroul
Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Iran’s Nuclear Roadmap for 2019: Pushing the JCPOA’s Boundaries

As Tehran’s economic patience grows thinner, it may try to exploit holes in the nuclear deal as a way of pressuring the West, but this strategy could prove to be a double-edged sword.

Jan 30, 2019

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Omer Carmi

Brief Analysis

Pushing Back on Iran in Syria: Beyond the ‘Boots’

Apart from its military intervention, Tehran has pursued a wide range of economic and social tactics for increasing its sway in Syria, but Washington can still push back with targeted assistance, innovative sanctions, and strategic messaging.

Jan 22, 2019

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Hanin Ghaddar
Dana Stroul

Articles & Testimony

Pompeo’s Cairo Speech More ‘Back to the Future’ Than Break With Past

The administration should focus more on amplifying the voices of regional citizens while convincingly standing against collective threats.

Jan 16, 2019

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Ben Fishman
Dana Stroul

Brief Analysis

Saudi Security Forces Kill Shia Militants Near Major Oil Facilities

Coming the same week as Secretary Pompeo’s Middle East tour, the incident is a powerful example of the regional threat posed by Iran.

Jan 10, 2019

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

It’s Time for a Serious Saudi-Houthi Back Channel

Riyadh has leverage to undermine Iran’s project in Yemen and can do so alongside UN-brokered peace talks.

Jan 9, 2019

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Barbara A. Leaf
Elana DeLozier

Articles & Testimony

What Trump Means by ‘America First’

In a world where major threats require help from partners, uncertainty about U.S. leadership does not make America safer.

Jan 8, 2019

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Dennis Ross

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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Policy Analysis on Iran

Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy

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