Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

Iran Still Looms Large in Israel's Threat Perception

Israel and Washington should jointly address the perceived lack of U.S. deterrence against persistent Iranian and proxy threats, conclude the ten-year military assistance package as soon as possible, and launch a strategic high-level dialogue under the next administration.

Jul 15, 2016

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Michael Herzog

A Proxy for Iran

The Cipher Brief sat down with Matt Levitt, former deputy assistant secretary for intelligence and analysis at the Treasury Department, to discuss Hezbollah's roles in Lebanon and Syria and as a proxy for Iran. According to Levitt, despite losses in Syria, Hezbollah remains a threat to Israeli security and U.S

Jul 14, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Video

TWI Video Briefing: The JCPOA at One Year

One year after the signing of the nuclear deal with Iran, how has the agreement changed the Iranian economy, Tehran's foreign policy, and Russia's role in the Middle East? Watch video briefings by Washington Institute experts.

Jul 14, 2016

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Matthew Levitt
Patrick Clawson
Anna Borshchevskaya
Dennis Ross
Katherine Bauer

Brief Analysis

One Year Post-JCPOA, Not Post-Sanctions

The United States should not let Iran define effective sanctions relief at the expense of continued implementation of nonnuclear sanctions.

Jul 13, 2016

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Katherine Bauer

Brief Analysis

Europe and the JCPOA

In keeping with their limited view of the agreement's scope, and in light of their other pressing policy concerns, European officials are focused on enforcing the JCPOA's nuclear restrictions and ensuring that the West holds up its end of the deal.

Jul 13, 2016

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Olivier Decottignies

Brief Analysis

The JCPOA and Iran's Internal Factional Battles

The nuclear deal and the negotiations leading up to it have been a significant source of factional confrontation inside Iran over the past few years, and this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.

Jul 12, 2016

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Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

The Half-Life of the JCPOA

Tehran's claims about its nuclear ambitions still lack credibility and could mean that the JCPOA does not survive beyond the Obama administration.

Jul 12, 2016

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Under Cover of Nuclear Deal, Iran Foments Regional Instability

Thus far, the Obama administration has not fulfilled its pledge to deter and confront external threats to Gulf partners following the nuclear deal.

Jul 12, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Iran's Support for Terrorism Under the JCPOA

The Islamic Republic's terror sponsorship has hardly abated since the nuclear deal was reached, giving the Obama administration another opportunity to reassess these menacing behaviors and hold Tehran accountable.

Jul 8, 2016

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Russia's Cooperation on the Iran Deal Is No Favor to Washington

Moscow only agreed to the nuclear deal out of self-interest, and the JCPOA has allowed Russia to expand ties with Iran while positioning itself as a regional counterweight to the West.

Jul 7, 2016

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Anna Borshchevskaya

Brief Analysis

Iran's Modest Economic Changes Since JCPOA Implementation

Deeply entrenched interests are impeding reform in Iran, limiting the economy to only modest progress even with sanctions relief.

Jul 6, 2016

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Patrick Clawson

Brief Analysis

Preserving the JCPOA Means Sending Iran the Right Deterrent Signals

Not enough is being done to convince Tehran that seeking nuclear weapons down the road will lead to forceful consequences, so the next administration will need to put forth a tougher declaratory policy on the issue while bolstering the deal's near-term benefits.

Jul 6, 2016

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Dennis Ross

TWI Series on the JCPOA at One Year

Assess how the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear agreement with Iran, has affected various U.S. interests one year after its announcement on July 14, 2015.

Jul 6, 2016

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James Jeffrey
Dennis Ross
Patrick Clawson
Anna Borshchevskaya
Matthew Levitt
Simon Henderson
Mehdi Khalaji
Olivier Decottignies
Katherine Bauer
Michael Herzog

Brief Analysis

The JCPOA'S Regional Impact: Sinking Confidence in the U.S. Balancing Role

Left to their own devices and faced with an Iran on the march in multiple theaters, regional states have responded to the deal in an incoherent and dangerous fashion.

Jul 5, 2016

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James Jeffrey

Brief Analysis

Who Is Iran's New Armed Forces Chief of Staff?

The appointment of one of the IRGC's youngest generals can be seen as a sign of the Guards' growing primacy in future Iranian military thinking, and perhaps an urgent push toward improving interoperability between often-competing armed services.

Jul 5, 2016

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Farzin Nadimi

Brief Analysis

Turkey's Regional Charm Offensive: Motives and Prospects

After years of foreign policy setbacks, Ankara is trying to mend fences with Israel, Egypt, Iran, and Russia, and the potential implications for the United States are mostly beneficial -- assuming the Turks can actually pull it off.

Jun 27, 2016

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Soner Cagaptay
James Jeffrey

Brief Analysis

High Noon in Bahrain: Will Tehran Blink First?

Bahrain's action against a high-profile Shiite figure has brought long-simmering tensions with Iran to a boil, and extremists could feel empowered to further escalate the crisis even if officials turn down the dial.

Jun 27, 2016

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Takfiris in Tehran: The Sectarian Face of Iranian Counterterrorism

While the severity of the Sunni extremist threat inside Iran is debatable, the regime's recent operations against suspected terrorists highlight its pattern of exploiting sectarian sentiment to bolster its regional adventurism.

Jun 24, 2016

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Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Little Change Expected in Upcoming FATF Statement on Iran

The organization's forthcoming statement will likely underline the fact that Iran's recent efforts are only the first steps toward complying with international standards.

Jun 23, 2016

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Katherine Bauer

Brief Analysis

Iran's Parliamentary Speaker Election Is No Step Forward for Rouhani

Ali Larijani's projected victory likely won't help Rouhani, who needs ample support from parliament in order to bolster his chances of winning next year's presidential election.

May 27, 2016

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Mehdi Khalaji

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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