Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

Iran's Military Options Against Kurdish Independence

Tehran has several means of putting military and economic pressure on the Iraqi Kurds following the independence referendum, but taking action on its recent warnings could widen Kurdish discontent at home.

Sep 22, 2017

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Farzin Nadimi

Articles & Testimony

Risk and Reward: What Iran Learned after a Decade of Nuclear Talks

Given its miscalculations about withdrawing from the 2004 Paris Accords, Iran will likely refrain from any short-term steps that isolate it or strengthen Washington's case for revoking the JCPOA.

Sep 19, 2017

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Omer Carmi

Brief Analysis

The United States Needs a Middle East Strategy

Without a defined strategy, events will determine policy.

Sep 19, 2017

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James Jeffrey
Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

The Next Hizballah-Israel Conflict

There are signs of war on the horizon, and it could be the most destructive Arab-Israeli conflict yet.

Sep 19, 2017

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Michael Eisenstadt
Jeffrey White

The Outlook for Energy in the Middle East

Ambassador James Jeffrey joined the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast for a conversation on how the Middle East's political situation is affecting energy markets. Among the many topics of discussion were the political situation in Iraq and the outlook for future oil production; the future of the Iran nuclear deal and

Sep 18, 2017

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James Jeffrey

Brief Analysis

Russia Crosses the Euphrates: Implications

By helping Assad's forces bridge the river, Moscow is increasing the risk of direct confrontation while obstructing U.S. efforts to defeat IS, stabilize eastern Syria, and limit Iranian arms transfers.

Sep 18, 2017

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Andrew J. Tabler

Maps & Graphics

In-Depth Reports

Middle East Maritime Security:

The Growing Role of Regional and Extraregional Navies

A comprehensive accounting of naval-basing developments in the Middle East and North Africa, including recommended steps for advancing U.S. regional interests

Sep 14, 2017

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Theodore Karasik
Jeremy Vaughan

Articles & Testimony

Trump Can Make the Most of a Bad Iran Deal

In concert with its European allies, the United States should close loopholes, increase intelligence cooperation, and push international inspectors to interpret their mandate more broadly.

Sep 13, 2017

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

The Iran Deal Is on Thin Ice, and Rightly So

In responding to Tehran's dangerous regional behavior, Washington can pursue measures short of a full-scale JCPOA annulment.

Sep 8, 2017

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James Jeffrey

Articles & Testimony

The Right Way to Pressure Iran

Instead of decertifying the nuclear deal, and thus isolating the United States from its allies, Washington should impress upon Tehran the immense costs of producing a weapon.

Sep 8, 2017

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

A War with Hizbollah Would Essentially Mean War with Iran This Time Around

Conflict with Israel might be inevitable, but the context has become more complicated than ever for both sides.

Sep 4, 2017

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Hanin Ghaddar

Brief Analysis

Is Turkey's Rapprochement with Iran and Russia Sustainable?

A lasting Turkish shift toward Tehran and Moscow would require a perfect storm, but anti-U.S. sentiments in the country offer reason for concern.

Aug 30, 2017

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Soner Cagaptay

Articles & Testimony

Putin's Non-Response to Netanyahu

Warming Russian ties with Israel, the recent meeting suggests, will not include actual steps to curb Israeli foes such as Iran or Hezbollah.

Aug 29, 2017

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Anna Borshchevskaya

Brief Analysis

Ideology Outweighs Diplomacy in Iran's Hajj Decision

For Islamic Republic leaders, the benefits of allowing the pilgrimage to proceed transcended the risks of appearing soft in their confrontation with the Saudis.

Aug 28, 2017

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Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Trump's Afghanistan Policy and the Gulf

The new U.S. strategy, predicated on a changed approach to Pakistan, will need the support of Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE to succeed.

Aug 23, 2017

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

The al-Abbas Combat Division Model:

Reducing Iranian Influence in Iraq's Security Forces

One large faction of Shia volunteers demonstrates how the PMUs can function under Iraqi -- not Iranian -- control, offering a model that coalition forces should support.

Aug 22, 2017

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Michael Knights
Hamdi Malik

Brief Analysis

Murmurs of a Second Cultural Revolution

Gathering IRGC frustrations over liberal domestic trends could eventually prompt dramatic intervention, with troubling regional consequences for the United States and its allies.

Aug 21, 2017

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Farzin Nadimi

Brief Analysis

Rouhani's Road Already Taken

The second-term Iranian president has failed to deliver on campaign promises, and the Supreme Leader is fortifying his hardline backers.

Aug 16, 2017

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Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Iran's National Army Reorganizes

To meet emerging threats and ensure its continued relevance, the Iranian army is seeking to become a quick-reaction force, but institutional and budgetary constraints could still prevent dramatic change.

Aug 14, 2017

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Farzin Nadimi

Articles & Testimony

Focus on Clear Goals to Contain Iran in Iraq and Syria

The Powell Doctrine, a set of principles devised in the 1980s, can guide the United States in promoting regional stability and averting future disasters.

Aug 11, 2017

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James Jeffrey

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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