Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

This Deal or War? Misadventures in Deterring Iran

Without a credible conventional deterrent that goes beyond mere rhetoric, the United States cannot stop Iran from running toward the bomb.

Sep 15, 2015

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

Iran and Iraq

Although Iran's influence in Iraq remains limited by various political, religious, and economic factors, the rise of ISIS has created new opportunities for Tehran to present itself as the country’s savior.

Sep 13, 2015

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Michael Eisenstadt

Articles & Testimony

Letter to Obama on His Next Iran Legislative Challenge

Now that the president has won the big fight, Americans across the political divide hope he will stop quashing attempts to repair the nuclear deal's flaws.

Sep 12, 2015

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Robert Satloff

Articles & Testimony

It's Time for Congress to Come Together on Iran

The nuclear deal can't be defeated, but it can be toughened with smart bipartisan action.

Sep 10, 2015

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Dennis Ross
David Makovsky

Articles & Testimony

The Middle East After the Iran Nuclear Deal: Hezbollah

The following is Dr. Levitt's contribution to a Council on Foreign Relations roundtable discussing the implications of the nuclear agreement . Iran is Hezbollah's primary benefactor, giving the Lebanese political party and militant group some $200 million a year in addition to weapons, training, intelligence, and logistical assistance. Over the

Sep 7, 2015

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Russian S-300 Missiles to Iran: Groundhog Day or Game-Changer?

Potential military action against Iran would be much more risky if the regime does in fact acquire the advanced S-300 antiaircraft missiles, but Moscow and Tehran have significant obstacles to overcome before that occurs.

Sep 4, 2015

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Michael Eisenstadt
Brenda Shaffer

Brief Analysis

Iran's 'Frozen' Assets: Exaggeration on Both Sides of the Debate

Before the nuclear deal was signed, the freezing of Iranian assets was incomplete, so the loosening of restrictions on these assets will have less impact than implied by past and current arguments.

Sep 1, 2015

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Patrick Clawson

Articles & Testimony

Letter to Undecided Senators on the Iran Deal

Only firm demands for a better deal will force the president to confront an unpalatable choice: does he prefer to improve the agreement or watch it fail?

Sep 1, 2015

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Robert Satloff

Articles & Testimony

How the Iran Deal Could Complicate U.S. Efforts to Prevent a Nuclear Breakout

Contrary to what the White House has said, the nuclear deal with Iran could make preventive military action an even more problematic proposition than it was before.

Aug 31, 2015

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Michael Eisenstadt

Articles & Testimony

The Iran Nuclear Deal Is President Obama's Iraq Troop Surge

If the president's bet on Iran's transformation does not prove to be immediately and demonstrably right, his larger project could suffer the same fate as Bush's in the hands of his successor.

Aug 28, 2015

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James Jeffrey

Articles & Testimony

10 Questions for President Obama About Iran

The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg -- who frequently interviews President Obama on Middle East issues -- poses Robert Satloff's ten provocative questions on the Iran deal and promises to get answers.

Aug 27, 2015

Brief Analysis

Maximal Exposure, Minimal Presence: Iran's Military Engagement in Iraq

Funeral notices and other information on Iran's combat fatalities in Iraq provide a useful window into Tehran's military strategy there, especially compared to its differing approach in Syria.

Aug 25, 2015

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Ali Alfoneh

Articles & Testimony

How to Put Some Teeth into the Nuclear Deal with Iran

Now is the time for the president to state clearly that if Iran dashes toward a weapon, especially after year 15 of the deal, it will trigger the use of force.

Aug 25, 2015

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Dennis Ross
David Petraeus

Articles & Testimony

Becoming Anti-American

Supreme Leader Khamenei once warned that animosity toward the United States could harm Iran, but this and other hardline positions eventually became core means to sustain his power.

Aug 24, 2015

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Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Will the Obama Administration Implement the Stringent Sanctions Authorized Under the Iran Agreement?

Even after the deal is in effect, the United States can sustain or increase tough barriers on Iran's trade with other countries, but this fact has not been highlighted by the president or his team.

Aug 21, 2015

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Patrick Clawson

Brief Analysis

Rethinking U.S. Strategy for Intercepting Iranian Arms Transfers

Existing mechanisms for interdicting Iran's arms shipments to its proxies have already been proven insufficient, so any concerted effort to push back against the flow of weapons will require additional measures.

Aug 20, 2015

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Nadav Pollak

Articles & Testimony

No Room for Improvement

There are several potential reasons why the Obama administration is still insisting that the nuclear deal is perfect as is, and most of them are deeply problematic.

Aug 19, 2015

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Robert Satloff

Brief Analysis

Iranian Moderates Face Tall Obstacles in 2016 Elections

Uncertainty over the nuclear deal's economic effects will make it difficult for moderates to win more votes, as will the hardliners' greater capacity to shape public opinion and the electoral process.

Aug 19, 2015

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Mehdi Khalaji

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivers public remarks.

Brief Analysis

Why Khamenei's Official Approval of the Nuclear Deal Matters

If the Supreme Leader is able to continue his strategy of purposeful ambiguity by manipulating the media and parliament, the current deal could fall apart just as easily as past nuclear agreements.

Aug 17, 2015

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Mehdi Khalaji

Articles & Testimony

Answering Rob Eshman's Questions on the Iran Deal

The bottom line is that if lawmakers are concerned about the nuclear agreement's flaws and are hungry for the administration to take sensible measures to fix them, the limited downside of voting no is greatly exceeded by the benefits of 'a better deal.'

Aug 17, 2015

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Robert Satloff

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

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