Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

Oman Ruler's Failing Health Could Affect U.S. Iran Policy

The death of Sultan Qaboos with no clear successor would jeopardize U.S.-Iran diplomatic contacts, the latest of which will be the meeting tomorrow in Muscat between Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Nov 7, 2014

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

How the U.S., Not Iran, Is Making Concessions

By overlooking Iran's longstanding policies, making unrequited nuclear concessions, remaining ambiguous on Syria, and allowing tensions to persist with regional allies, Washington is sending the wrong message to Tehran.

Nov 3, 2014

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

How to Muddle Through with Iran

By revealing all the offers that Iran has rejected, Washington could block Tehran's potential Plan B, which will likely involve constructing a reasonable public image in order to erode the international sanctions regime.

Oct 19, 2014

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Dennis Ross

Assessing Iran-P5+1 Talks as Deadline Nears

The former chief of staff to Israel's defense minister discusses the pros and cons of the interim nuclear agreement with Iran and the prospects for continued negotiations past the upcoming deadline.

Oct 15, 2014

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Michael Herzog

Video

Brief Analysis

Keynote Address: Samuel W. Lewis Memorial Symposium

The deputy secretary of state speaks about Sam Lewis's diplomatic legacy and the lessons it holds for today's most pressing regional issues.

Sep 29, 2014

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William J. Burns

Articles & Testimony

China's Military Presence in the Gulf

Little noticed amid the tumult in Syria, two Chinese naval ships -- a guided missile destroyer, the Changchun, and a frigate, the Changzhou -- visited the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Monday and began a four-day joint exercise with Iranian naval forces. According to China's navy, this was the

Sep 26, 2014

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

Iran Remains Our Biggest Challenge

The coincidence of mutual opposition to a radical Sunni terrorist group should not blind Washington to the enduring threat that the Iranian regime represents.

Sep 19, 2014

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Eric Edelman
Dennis Ross
Ray Takeyh

In-Depth Reports

How Iranians Might React to a Nuclear Deal

As the P5+1 and Iran negotiate about the nuclear impasse, Iranian factional politics has heated up. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has made disparaging comments about the nuclear negotiations, yet supported continuing the talks. The Rouhani government is facing a variety of criticisms: it is vigorously defending its record at

Sep 11, 2014

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Patrick Clawson
Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Iran's Expanding Military Role in Iraq

Despite the loss of a close ally in outgoing prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) appears ready to move on by offering substantial military support to his successor in Baghdad.

Sep 8, 2014

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Farzin Nadimi

Brief Analysis

No Iran Deal Is Better Than Any (Feasible) Deal

At present, Iran is unlikely to accept more limitations on its nuclear activities, but that doesn't mean Washington has to settle for a watered-down deal that further damages U.S. strategic interests.

Aug 13, 2014

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James Jeffrey

Articles & Testimony

Iran: Status of the P5+1

A good deal with Iran is one that clearly advances U.S. interests -- not only the interest in nuclear nonproliferation globally, but in the stability of the Middle East and U.S. prestige and influence in the region.

Jul 29, 2014

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Iran Deal Extension: Analyzing the State Department's Media Note

The department's latest public statement seems to cast a positive light on the recent nuclear extension, but its omissions paint a cloudier picture.

Jul 25, 2014

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

A North Korean in Iran

Ongoing close ties between Tehran and senior North Korean officials are raising concerns about potential transfer of nuclear and missile technology.

Jul 23, 2014

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Olli Heinonen
Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

U.S. Must Play Hardball in Nuclear Talks with Iran

As it prepares for four more months of nuclear talks with Iran, the U.S. faces a disadvantage: Even if there is ultimately no agreement, Tehran will pocket the considerable concessions Washington has already made. Iran will then argue to the world that it has proven its reasonableness and that sanctions

Jul 21, 2014

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Iran Can Afford to Say No to a Nuclear Deal

The Islamic Republic has taken tough measures to adjust to the new sanctions, and its economy is now positioned to grow modestly even if the sanctions remain in place.

Jul 17, 2014

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Patrick Clawson

Brief Analysis

Assessing the Three Scenarios for the Iran Nuclear Negotiations

The current talks could end with an extension, a breakdown, or a surprise deal -- all of which pose difficult challenges for U.S. policy.

Jul 16, 2014

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Michael Singh
Robert Satloff

Brief Analysis

Speaking about the Unthinkable: The Nuclear Debate Iran Needs to Have

A public airing of the potential consequences of Iran's nuclear program could alter the terms of debate and possibly encourage greater restraint within the Islamic Republic.

Jul 1, 2014

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Michael Eisenstadt

As Various Actors Circle Iraq, ISIS Faces Foreign Foes

A discussion of whether and how the United States or other outside actors might intervene to check the jihadist group's advance.

Jul 1, 2014

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Matthew Levitt

Articles & Testimony

Nuclear Negotiations with Iran and Their Implications for U.S. Defense

Iran is more likely to accept a stringent nuclear accord if it perceives that Washington is willing to hold out at the negotiating table and is not looking for a quick exit from the region.

Jun 19, 2014

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Michael Singh

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivers public remarks.

Articles & Testimony

Iran Is Not an Ally in Iraq

ISIS would likely welcome deeper involvement from the IRGC.

Jun 17, 2014

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Michael Singh

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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