Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

Dennis Ross

Examining Iran's Global Terrorism Network

A former senior CENTCOM advisor offers a comprehensive breakdown of the specific forces and mechanisms Tehran uses to sponsor terrorism abroad and destabilize its neighbors.

Apr 17, 2018

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Nader Uskowi

Video

Brief Analysis

Confronting Iran and the Future of the JCPOA

President Trump still seems intent on withdrawing from the deal, but his calculus could change given the lack of diplomatic consensus in Europe and the chemical weapons showdown in Syria.

Apr 16, 2018

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Karen DeYoung
James Jeffrey
Jay Solomon
Dennis Ross

In-Depth Reports

Tactical Issues Surrounding a U.S. Withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Agreement

President Trump has long signaled his distaste for the JCPOA. He warned in January that absent improvements to the Iran nuclear agreement, he might decide by the May 12 deadline not to extend the sanctions waivers, effectively withdrawing the United States from the deal. In reality, however, reimposing sanctions is

Apr 15, 2018

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Patrick Clawson

Brief Analysis

Iran Is Outpacing Assad for Control of Syria's Shia Militias

Although Damascus has sought to maintain a grip over its network of brigades, Tehran is gaining ascendancy and could push more of them to attack U.S. forces or Israel.

Apr 12, 2018

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Phillip Smyth

Brief Analysis

Israel Once Again Strikes Iran's UAV Base in Syria

Tehran continues to maintain significant drone forces at a base in western Syria, giving them dangerously easy access to the Israeli border and raising the risk of escalation.

Apr 10, 2018

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Farzin Nadimi

Brief Analysis

Military Strikes on Syria: Critical Considerations

Military action should seek to restore deterrence by hitting not just chemical weapons-related targets, but also ground and air units that are key to the Assad regime's war effort.

Apr 10, 2018

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Michael Eisenstadt

Brief Analysis

Iran's Nuclear Holiday: A Final Attempt to Deter Trump

Hardliners will take comfort in the government's latest nuclear warnings to Washington, but the rhetoric could backfire if more Iranians come to believe that costly new projects hold little economic benefit for them.

Apr 9, 2018

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Omer Carmi

Brief Analysis

The IRGC May Try to Divert Iraq's Electricity Payments

As Baghdad prepares to send large back payments to Tehran, any misappropriation could threaten the flow of electricity to Iraq and bolster sanctioned entities in Iran.

Apr 5, 2018

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Michael Knights

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, speaking

Brief Analysis

The Most Important Speech of the Year in Iran

The Supreme Leader's latest Nowruz speech signaled concern about the regime's political legitimacy while remaining notably silent on the nuclear deal.

Apr 5, 2018

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Patrick Clawson

In-Depth Reports

Cultural Heterogeneity in Post-Revolutionary Iran

The widening rift between religious traditionalists and "hybrid-postmodernists" could undermine the regime's guiding principle of Islamism.

Apr 5, 2018

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Saeid Golkar

Brief Analysis

Iran's Support to Houthi Air Defenses in Yemen

In addition to preventing the entry of smuggled Iranian air-defense systems, Washington should work with the Saudi-led coalition to blunt the impact of evolving Houthi SAM tactics.

Apr 4, 2018

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Farzin Nadimi
Michael Knights

Brief Analysis

Turkish-Russian-Iranian Summit: Limits to a Tripartite Entente

Although any attempts at coordinated action will be hampered by historical rivalries and modern disagreements, Moscow and Tehran can still use the Ankara meeting to harm U.S. interests in Syria.

Apr 3, 2018

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Soner Cagaptay
Anna Borshchevskaya
Nader Uskowi

Brief Analysis

Tehran's Financial Woes Will Test U.S. Policy Resolve

Mike Pompeo and John Bolton will have ample opportunity to punish Iran through sanctions and other moves, but simply articulating clear, achievable U.S. goals could prove a formidable challenge.

Apr 3, 2018

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Jay Solomon

Brief Analysis

How Will Iran Prepare for Potential U.S. Withdrawal from the JCPOA?

Tehran seems to believe that President Trump will kill the deal next month, so it may start prepping its dormant nuclear facilities, sowing division between U.S. allies, or courting other global powers.

Apr 3, 2018

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Omer Carmi

Articles & Testimony

If Trump Walks Away from the Iran Deal, Tehran Will Win

Far from making Washington look tough, abandoning the JCPOA would ignore the real threat and empower Iran to continue seeking regional hegemony.

Apr 2, 2018

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Mismanagement Leaves Iran's Economy Vulnerable

Findings from a new IMF report imply that greater U.S. pressure would have considerable impact on the country's shock-prone economy.

Mar 30, 2018

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Patrick Clawson

Articles & Testimony

Iranian Clergy Versus Democracy

With neither reform nor revolution likely to succeed in the near future, the Islamic Republic's essential flaws may become fatal.

Mar 29, 2018

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Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

A China-Pakistan Base Deal Could Put Iran on the Back Foot

Beijing's economic project in Gwadar Port and planned military presence in the Jiwani peninsula may wind up redrawing the region's geopolitical map.

Mar 27, 2018

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Farzin Nadimi

Brief Analysis

Defeating Iran's Roadside Bombs in Yemen

To save lives and speed the war's end, the United States and UN should make urgent use of their expertise and evidence on countering advanced Iranian munitions.

Mar 26, 2018

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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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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

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