Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

How al-Qaeda Survived Drones, Uprisings, and the Islamic State

Over the past eight years, al-Qaeda's fortunes have ebbed and flowed. Drones, uprisings, and a challenge from the Islamic State have forced the core al-Qaeda organization—historically based in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region—and its various branches to adapt and migrate outward. In this new Policy Focus, Washington Institute fellow Aaron Y. Zelin

Jun 28, 2017

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Articles & Testimony

The Fight for the Northern Iraq-Syria Border

At the symbolic level, Iran and its proxies are achieving great success in planting their flags along this contested frontier, but real control will entail the much tougher task of establishing permanent bases and logistical arrangements.

Jun 27, 2017

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Michael Knights

Articles & Testimony

Tillerson's 'Peaceful' Regime Change for Iran:

Really? And What Comes Next?

Efforts by U.S. officials to identify or suggest support for anti-regime "elements" within Iran will only undermine any authenticity these elements previously enjoyed.

Jun 26, 2017

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Eric Pelofsky

Brief Analysis

Iran Missile Strikes Reveal Potential Military Weaknesses

The retaliatory attacks against alleged Islamic State facilities in eastern Syria apparently failed to hit any of their intended targets, undermining Iranian deterrence and raising questions about the effectiveness of Iran's missile force.

Jun 22, 2017

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Farzin Nadimi

Articles & Testimony

Trump Is on a Collision Course with Iran

The United States cannot defeat the Islamic State without first reckoning with Iran's nefarious role in Syria.

Jun 20, 2017

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

A New Battlespace in Syria: Prospects for U.S. Policy

Iran-led forces present arguably the greatest future threat to U.S. military personnel and overall interests in Syria, and therefore must be the centerpiece of a broader strategy addressing the conflict.

Jun 20, 2017

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Nader Uskowi

Articles & Testimony

Russia's Strategic Objectives in the Middle East and North Africa

The Institute's leading Russia expert outlines the best means of tempering Moscow's influence in the region, recommending a more active U.S. military and diplomatic role while explaining why Putin will never be a reliable partner there.

Jun 15, 2017

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Anna Borshchevskaya

Articles & Testimony

China Courts Iran to Sell Goods, Diversify Oil Sources

The Washington Institute's Simon Henderson and Cipher Brief's Bennett Seftel met to discuss key areas of Saudi-China cooperation, the ways in which increased bilateral relations affect China's role in the Middle East, and ties between China and Iran.

Jun 15, 2017

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Hezbollah's Redeployment in Syria: Potential Confrontations

If Washington fails to press Russia diplomatically and raise the military costs on Hezbollah, a wider confrontation may erupt between U.S. and Iranian proxies in Syria.

Jun 13, 2017

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Hanin Ghaddar

Articles & Testimony

Attacking Hezbollah's Financial Network: Policy Options

A former Treasury official describes how the group has continued to expand its criminal and operational activities worldwide despite the changes wrought by the Syria war and Iran nuclear accord.

Jun 8, 2017

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

How Will Iran Respond to Terrorist Attacks in the Heart of the Islamic Republic?

Considering the current regional situation, the country's first serious terrorist attacks in many years could have major implications for Tehran's policies at home and abroad.

Jun 7, 2017

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Farzin Nadimi

Articles & Testimony

Will Qatar's Diplomatic Exile Spark the Next Great War?

The Sunni Gulf powers have long been spoiling for a fight with Iran, and this could be just the excuse they need.

Jun 5, 2017

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

The Scramble for Eastern Syria

Washington's best option is to let the Assad regime expend its energy pushing out toward the Euphrates while preparing for the advance to stall, as it appears likely to do.

Jun 3, 2017

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Andrew J. Tabler

Brief Analysis

Contain Iran? Fine, But Answer These Questions First

Whatever understandings the Trump administration reaches after the Islamic State is defeated, it needs to be clear about the stakes: if America does not stop the Iranians in Syria and Iraq, they will soon emerge as the region's dominant force.

Jun 1, 2017

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James Jeffrey

Brief Analysis

Iran Tweaks Gulf-Qatar Rift

A row has erupted among GCC heavyweights only days after President Trump left Riyadh, potentially undermining the agreed policy of containing Iran.

May 30, 2017

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

The Trump Effect in Bahrain

The latest crackdown by Bahraini security forces, which came two days after President Trump's friendly conversation with King Hamad, could raise tensions on the island and with Iran.

May 23, 2017

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

What To Expect After Iran's Election

The outcome is unlikely to bring much change to Tehran's foreign and security policy, but it will reveal how stable the Iranian system is when the powerful hardliners are decisively rejected by voters.

May 19, 2017

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Patrick Clawson
Nader Uskowi
Farzin Nadimi
Katherine Bauer

Brief Analysis

How Much Has the Trump Presidency Influenced Iran's Election?

As Iranians prepare to go to the polls, three experts discuss how the current campaign compares to past ones and what the outcome might mean for U.S. interests.

May 18, 2017

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Patrick Clawson
Nader Uskowi
Elham Gheytanchi

Brief Analysis

Arabian Rendezvous: What the President Can Achieve in Riyadh

Three Saudi summits in two days could provide powerful images of Washington's new relationship with the region, but key differences on terrorism, Iran, and Arab-Israeli peace will still need to be overcome.

May 17, 2017

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Simon Henderson

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, casts his vote for president

Articles & Testimony

Iran's Election Will Change Nothing

World leaders need to be clear-eyed about the false facade of Iranian democracy, focusing instead on the regime's chronic regional meddling, terror sponsorship, and human rights abuses.

May 16, 2017

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Dennis Ross
Jason Brodsky

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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