Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

With Islamic ideology losing its seductive influence, the only way to prolong the regime's life is to reform the economy -- a difficult prospect given the president's weakness and the continued interference of powerful, unaccountable entities.

May 16, 2017

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Mehdi Khalaji

Articles & Testimony

Mini-Hizballahs, Revolutionary Guard Knock-Offs, and the Future of Iran's Militant Proxies in Iraq

There is still time to offset the gains that Iran’s proxies have made in the past three years, but only if Baghdad continues resisting the creation of a permanent, well-funded security institution that operates outside the Iraqi chain of command.

May 9, 2017

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Michael Knights
Michael Eisenstadt

Articles & Testimony

Trump's Plan to Arm Kurds Lays Bare the Strategic Vacuum in Syria

The administration's plan to retake Raqqa from the Islamic State could further inflame tensions with Turkey and Iran.

May 9, 2017

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James Jeffrey

Brief Analysis

Iran's Presidential Election: The Clergy's Political Irrelevance

As clerics are pushed ever further to the political margins, the regime will need to double down on its current strategy: relying more on security measures than spiritual authorities to ensure its survival.

May 5, 2017

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Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Iran's Presidential Election: The Economic Situation

Despite some positive growth indicators, Rouhani faces an uphill struggle to convince voters that his economic plan is truly best for them.

May 3, 2017

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Patrick Clawson

Video

Inside Iran's 2017 Election: Economics, Politics, and National Security

In this short video, Institute scholars explain the economic, security, and political dynamics shaping Iran's 2017 presidential election and the future of Iranian policy.

May 3, 2017

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Patrick Clawson
Nader Uskowi
Mehdi Khalaji

Articles & Testimony

Iran's Ambitions in the Levant

A closer look at how Tehran plans to build (and hold onto) dual land corridors stretching across Iraq and Syria toward the Mediterranean.

May 1, 2017

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Ehud Yaari

Brief Analysis

Iran's Presidential Election: Balancing Diplomacy and Confrontation

Washington's working relations with the next president should not preclude it from leading the fight against the IRGC's missile proliferation and regional militancy.

May 1, 2017

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Nader Uskowi

Articles & Testimony

The Other Green Movement: Renewable Energy's Prospects in Iran

Greater reliance on green technology for domestic energy needs would allow Tehran to sell more oil and gas abroad, address the population's growing concerns about pollution, and fulfill its international climate commitments.

Apr 27, 2017

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Emily Burlinghaus

Articles & Testimony

Common Threats Offer New Opportunities for Israel-GCC Cooperation

The Trump administration should treat the Gulf's quiet security coordination with Israel as a chance to counter Iranian and jihadist threats in the region, perhaps even parlaying it into progress on the Palestinian issue.

Apr 26, 2017

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Dennis Ross

Fikra Forum

Regional Consequences of Trump's Travel Ban

On January 27, 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, indefinitely prohibiting all Syrian refugees from entering the United States and banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen. The executive order unleashed a storm of criticism

Apr 20, 2017

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Mohamed Abdelaziz

Brief Analysis

Rouhani Likely to Survive Election Shake-Up

Although the entry of two high-profile hardliners could make the race more interesting, the current president remains the favorite in Iran's May 19 election, which could also help determine the next Supreme Leader.

Apr 17, 2017

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Mehdi Khalaji

Articles & Testimony

After ISIS, the U.S. Military Could Help Keep Iraq Stable

A limited troop presence would support a strategy aimed at containing Iranian aggression.

Apr 16, 2017

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James Jeffrey

Brief Analysis

Iran Is Still Using Pseudo-Civilian Airlines to Resupply Assad

While some international sanctions against Iranian civil aviation have been lifted, Tehran's insistence on using Mahan Air and other companies to send personnel and weapons to Syria may jeopardize the industry's future.

Apr 13, 2017

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Farzin Nadimi

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Rojava Seeks to Break Out in Syria

Despite their desire for greater independence, Syria's Kurds have shown a willingness to broker agreements with the Assad regime in order to secure their near-term economic interests, and they may soon do the same with Iran.

Apr 12, 2017

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Fabrice Balanche

Articles & Testimony

Trump Raises the Stakes for Russia and Iran

Even if the U.S. strike in Syria has not fundamentally changed the dynamic in the war, opening a new window of possibility, Washington has sent the powerful message that using chemical weapons carries a price.

Apr 7, 2017

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

Middle Kingdom Meets Middle East

China's enhanced Middle East profile sends an important message to the Trump administration about America's role in the region.

Apr 3, 2017

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Richard Fontaine
Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

Testing the Limits: Iran's Ballistic Missile Program, Sanctions, and the IRGC

A military expert lays out the short- and long-term strategic challenges posed by allowing Tehran to continue building up its missile arsenal.

Mar 29, 2017

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Michael Eisenstadt

Articles & Testimony

The View from Congress: U.S. Policy on Iran

A former National Security Council director outlines the three pillars on which Washington can build a policy of curbing Iran's more destabilizing regional ambitions.

Mar 28, 2017

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Iran May Be Renewing Its Interest in Armored Warfare

The Syria war will likely spur Tehran to increase the role of armor in its future military planning, but it is still years away from developing an advanced tank force of its own.

Mar 27, 2017

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Farzin Nadimi

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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Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy

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