Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

Iran Adapts to Sanctions in the Absence of New Measures

When it comes to sanctions, continuously adopting new measures is the best way to convince Iran's leaders that they must resolve the nuclear impasse.

Jan 27, 2015

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Patrick Clawson

Articles & Testimony

Time to Take It to Iran

The nuclear deadlock cannot be broken unless Washington reengages in the myriad conflicts plaguing the region, particularly now that Yemen is vulnerable and the Saudi royal family is in a state of turmoil.

Jan 23, 2015

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Dennis Ross
Eric Edelman
Ray Takeyh

In-Depth Reports

The Long Haul:

Rebooting U.S. Security Cooperation in Iraq

The challenge posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has created some strange dynamics, among them the shared interest of the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran in "degrading and defeating" the Sunni jihadist group. But this shared interest should not be viewed as an

Jan 22, 2015

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Michael Knights

Articles & Testimony

Can Argentina Find Justice Without Alberto Nisman?

The prosecutor investigating a suspected government cover-up of the 1994 AMIA bombing has died suspiciously, sparking mass protests and raising questions about whether anyone else will pursue the case with similar determination.

Jan 22, 2015

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Matthew Levitt

Articles & Testimony

Cuba, Iran -- and Where Engagement Falls Short

When it comes to Tehran, Havana, and similar regimes, the Obama administration must be more careful to treat engagement as a means, not an end.

Jan 12, 2015

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Kataib al-Imam Ali: Portrait of an Iraqi Shiite Militant Group Fighting ISIS

Although Iran's proxies are fighting ISIS in parallel with the U.S.-led effort, their actions and radical Shiite agendas are diametrically opposed to the goal of building inclusive governments and societies in Iraq and Syria.

Jan 5, 2015

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Matthew Levitt
Phillip Smyth

In-Depth Reports

Iran's Missile Arsenal and the Nuclear Negotiations

The recently announced seven-month extension in nuclear talks grants the P5+1 time to strengthen its negotiating position on a number of fronts, including time to ensure checks on Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities. Here, creating a viable monitoring regime for Iranian missile efforts is essential -- simply limiting Iranian access to

Dec 8, 2014

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Farzin Nadimi

Articles & Testimony

Oil Prices, Midterms Hand U.S. Negotiators New Opportunity in Iran Talks

The decline in oil prices will depress the regime's revenues, and the threat of increased sanctions is newly credible given the composition of the next Congress.

Dec 8, 2014

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Michael Singh

Video

Brief Analysis

Israel's Geostrategic Position at a Time of Regional Instability

2014 Scholar-Statesman Award Dinner

On December 2, 2014, Ambassadors Itamar Rabinovich and Michael Oren were presented with the 2014 Washington Institute Scholar-Statesman Award for their contributions to the academic study of the Middle East and the practice of diplomacy. Oren is the author of two acclaimed books -- Power, Faith and Fantasy: America in

Dec 5, 2014

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Itamar Rabinovich
Michael Oren

Articles & Testimony

A Nuclear Deal With Iran Will Require the West to Reevaluate Its Presumptions

It is time to press the Iranians to make the tough choices they have been unwilling to make, including through greater involvement in regional crises such as the Syria war.

Dec 4, 2014

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Eric Edelman
Dennis Ross
Ray Takeyh

Articles & Testimony

Hezbollah: The Party of Iran, Not Lebanon

A tactical shift by Hezbollah should not be seen as a genuine change in its ideology: it was and remains the party of Iran, not Lebanon.

Dec 3, 2014

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David Daoud

Articles & Testimony

Potential Economic Impact of an Iran Deal

Although a nuclear agreement might encourage banks and investors to reengage with Iran, low oil prices and longstanding economic problems could affect how the deal is perceived.

Nov 26, 2014

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Patrick Clawson

Articles & Testimony

What Next for Iran and the P5+1?

Washington needs to change the negotiating dynamics so that the next round of talks is more successful than the past year's efforts.

Nov 26, 2014

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

What Difference Would an Iran Deal Make?

Implementing a nuclear agreement will be no easier than reaching one, and Washington will have little influence over what Iran decides to do over time about the deal.

Nov 25, 2014

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Patrick Clawson
Mehdi Khalaji

Articles & Testimony

Israel Views Extension of Iran Talks as Lesser of Two Evils

Officials believe a bad deal would leave Iran with the ability to develop more advanced centrifuges, continue with previously undisclosed missile work, avoid intrusive inspections at certain facilities, and 'sneak out' with insufficient warning.

Nov 25, 2014

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Michael Herzog

Brief Analysis

Regional Nuclear Plans in the Aftermath of an Iran Deal

While the purpose of multilateral negotiations with Iran is to reduce proliferation concerns, successful talks may in fact accelerate nuclear plans in the Gulf states and Jordan.

Nov 21, 2014

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Simon Henderson
Olli Heinonen

Articles & Testimony

The Catch in Lifting Sanctions Against Iran

In waiving sanctions related to the nuclear program, the president would also blunt his most effective tools for countering Tehran's other illicit activities, effectively rewarding the regime for steps it has not taken.

Nov 18, 2014

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Policies and Politics Will Test U.S.-Israel Ties

As the Iran deadline approaches, violence flares up in Jerusalem, and respective election cycles ebb and flow, U.S. and Israeli officials will need to work harder than ever to manage bilateral tensions.

Nov 10, 2014

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David Makovsky

Articles & Testimony

What Obama's Letter to Khamenei Says About U.S. Policy Toward Iran

Any agreement to cooperate against ISIS without addressing Tehran's own contributions to regional instability would be a Faustian bargain.

Nov 10, 2014

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Michael Singh

The Iranian Nuclear Negotiations: A Washington Institute Backgrounder

Will Iran be able to build nuclear weapons? The answer could be determined by the November 24 deadline for talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany (P5+1). The outcome has profound consequences for America and the Middle East. Over the years, Washington

Nov 10, 2014

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Dennis Ross
Michael Singh
Michael Herzog
Michael Eisenstadt
Nima Gerami
Simon Henderson
Olli Heinonen

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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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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