Iran

Policy Analysis on Iran

Iran's Disinformation against Religious Minorities

What are the consequences of the Iranian government's massive, systematic campaign to spread disinformation about religious minorities through social and traditional media? Watch an in-depth conversation with leading scholars.

Jul 10, 2019

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Simin Kargar
Azadeh Pourzand
Hamid Gharagozloo

Articles & Testimony

There’s a Deal to Be Had Between the U.S. and Iran

If Tehran agrees to extend the JCPOA’s sunset provisions and curtail its activity in Syria and Lebanon, Washington may be willing to lift the nuclear sanctions and create a special-purpose vehicle.

Jul 10, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Iran Crisis Moves Into Cyberspace

Iranian cyber actors are showing signs of battlespace preparation, so the United States should heed the lessons of past attacks and bolster its defensive posture.

Jul 9, 2019

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Micah Loudermilk

Articles & Testimony

Recent decisions by the Iraqi PM to curtail militia influence may just swap one threat for another.

Jul 8, 2019

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Michael Knights

Brief Analysis

Thirteen Years Since the Hezbollah-Israel War

On the anniversary of the 2006 conflict, a former IDF chief of staff assesses current power dynamics, risks, and opportunities along Israel’s northern borders.

Jul 8, 2019

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Gadi Eisenkot

Articles & Testimony

Iran Steps Over the Line on Nukes. What’s the Next Step for Trump?

At the very least, the International Atomic Energy Agency should be pressured to conduct closer inspections of Iranian enrichment sites and other nuclear facilities.

Jul 2, 2019

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

UAE Drawdown May Isolate Saudi Arabia in Yemen

The war-fatigued Emiratis appear to be leaving Riyadh to fend for itself in the fight against Iranian-backed rebels, underlining the necessity of Saudi-Houthi talks.

Jul 2, 2019

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Elana DeLozier

Brief Analysis

Khamenei Will See Sanctions on Him as a Direct Challenge to the Revolution

The Supreme Leader regards his rule as the central feature of the Islamic Revolution, so the latest White House order will seem like a shot at the entire system.

Jun 27, 2019

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Patrick Clawson
Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Past U.S.-Iran Confrontations Hold Lessons for Current Crisis

Despite its measured approach thus far, Tehran may come to view the latest showdown as an existential conflict with an irresolute adversary, warranting greater risk-taking on its part.

Jun 27, 2019

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Michael Eisenstadt

Articles & Testimony

Democrats Can Show Trump the Way to Avoid War with Iran

The regime’s economic pain is real, so it may eventually be willing to talk about extending the nuclear deal’s sunset provisions and limiting its military infrastructure in Syria.

Jun 26, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Video

Brief Analysis

Assad's Thinking: How Did Syria Get Here, and Where Does the Regime Want to Go Now?

Former American and French ambassadors discuss the regime's calculus and preview the upcoming U.S.-Russia summit in Jerusalem. Watch video or read a summary.

Jun 21, 2019

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Michel Duclos
Robert Ford

Brief Analysis

Iran-Backed Militias Test the Credibility of Iraq’s Prime Minister

Rockets continue to fall on American facilities, part of a deliberate effort to keep Baghdad from making Iraq a neutral crossroads in the region.

Jun 19, 2019

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Michael Knights

Articles & Testimony

Trump Is a Belligerent Isolationist. But on Iran, He Needs Allies.

If the president wants to blunt Tehran’s sabotage campaign without a war, he needs to work closely with countries that share a stake in the free flow of oil.

Jun 19, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

Iran Is Winning, but U.S. Has Options, in Gulf Crisis

Among other steps, Washington should release more intelligence on Tehran’s efforts to target energy assets while urging Gulf and European allies to visibly step up their military posture.

Jun 17, 2019

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

China’s Middle East Policy: Speak Softly and Wave a Large Purse

An Israeli analyst shares observations from an intensive round of discussions with senior Chinese military, diplomatic, and academic officials.

Jun 17, 2019

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Ehud Yaari

Brief Analysis

Iran Seems Prepared for Major—But Measured—Escalation in the Gulf

The latest round of shipping attacks could be another notch in Tehran’s controlled military response to U.S. pressure, and bolder escalatory actions should be expected given the bleak outlook for negotiations.

Jun 14, 2019

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Farzin Nadimi

Brief Analysis

What to Expect from the U.S.-Russia Meeting in Jerusalem

Ultimately, no deal is better than a bad deal, and Moscow’s track record in Syria suggests it is both unable and unwilling to keep Iran out.

Jun 12, 2019

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Anna Borshchevskaya

Brief Analysis

The Face-Off Over Gulf Arms Sales: ‘Emergency’ or False Alarm?

As Congress questions whether certain arms sales merit emergency treatment, the White House may have opened a Pandora’s box of long-term consequences for legislative oversight, Gulf relations, and defense profits.

Jun 10, 2019

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Dana Stroul

Brief Analysis

Reshuffling Iraqi Generals: Who Benefits?

Three top commanders have been replaced in northern areas where Iran-backed militias are trying to outmuscle the regular security forces. Washington should find out why.

Jun 6, 2019

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Michael Knights
Alex Almeida

Multimedia

Brief Analysis

The Ends of Iran: Next Steps for Tehran and Its Neighbors

The former head of U.S. naval operations in the Gulf joins two military and diplomatic experts for a discussion on Iran's strategic calculus, allied perspectives, and Washington's policy options.

May 30, 2019

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Michael Eisenstadt
John Miller
Barbara A. Leaf

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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