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Iran's Economy

Policy Analysis on Iran's Economy

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Cover for Iran Transition Note, with images of a pen with U.S. flag, a B-52 bomber, nuclear symbols, and Iranian flag + map.
Maps & Graphics
In-Depth Reports
Policy Steps to Prevent a Nuclear Iran
Rather than choosing between diplomacy and military action, the Trump administration should think of these options as mutually supportive, sequencing its actions in hopes of achieving the best and least costly outcome.
Jan 28, 2025
◆
  • Michael Singh
◆ Transition Notes 2025
Iran's president-elect Pezeshkian speaks in Tehran - source: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
A Fateful Debate in Tehran
After blows to Iranian proxies across the region, reformists led by President Pezeshkian are prioritizing diplomacy and economic recovery, whereas hardliners are lamenting lost battlefield opportunities and seeking to preserve the regime.
Dec 30, 2024
◆
  • Ehud Yaari
Army Day military parade, Tehran 2023
Maps & Graphics
In-Depth Reports
Arming the Revolution:
Trends in Iranian Defense Spending, 2013–23
A close analysis suggests the United States must adopt a broader strategy to counter Iran’s military ambitions alongside its nuclear ones.
Jun 14, 2023
◆
  • Henry Rome
Iran and Azerbaijan Flags
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iran’s Pressure on Azerbaijan: Two Birds with One Stone
Aware of Azerbaijan's growing economic influence and strength, Iran is taking measures to ensure the tensions remain in its favor.
Apr 21, 2023
◆
  • Arash Aalaei
Iran Missile
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iran’s Mounting Missile Threats to Neighboring Countries
Iran's ballistic missile program poses regional threats that require international solutions.
Feb 16, 2023
◆
  • Mohammad Abu Ghazleh
Tehran protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Fractured Opposition to the Islamic Regime
The Iranian opposition has aligned itself well with the recent protest movement, but evidence of its ability to play an organizational or leadership role in future protests remains limited.
Feb 7, 2023
◆
  • Ata Hoodashtian
Ghaani
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
What Do Iran’s Protests Mean for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region?
Internal instability in Iran may cause significant religious, economic, and political repercussions across the border in Iraq.
Jan 17, 2023
◆
  • Zubir R. Ahmed
  • Nawzad Shukri
Iran Womens Protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iranian Daughters: Struggling for the Rights Their Mothers Lost in the Revolution
Activists fighting for women's rights in Iran today have learned from their predecessors' mistakes and are more determined than ever to achieve gender equality.
Jan 13, 2023
◆
  • Sepideh Zamani
Iran Gen Z
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iranian Counterculture and Gen Z
Decades of underground counterculture have led to an informed and interconnected youth in Iran, now eager for freedom and change.
Jan 4, 2023
◆
  • Arash Aalaei
Iran Drones
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Regional Impact of Iran’s Drones in Ukraine
Russia's use of Iranian drones in Ukraine foreshadows potentially dangerous developments for U.S. forces and their allies in the Middle East.
Dec 7, 2022
◆
  • Omar Alradad
Iranian Protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Tenacity of Young Iranians in the Protest Movement
Despite the regime's crackdown, Iranian protestors are showing unprecedented resilience and unity in their demands, making the international community's next steps even more crucial.
Nov 29, 2022
◆
  • Haleh Esfandiari
Abdolhamid
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Sunnis in Iran: Protesting Against Decades of Discrimination and Repression
After years of underrepresentation and repression at the hands of the regime, Iran's Sunni population is playing an important role in the current protests.
Nov 21, 2022
◆
  • Mehrzad Boroujerdi
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, gestures while speaking
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Demonstrations for Mahsa Amini: A Turning Point in Iran
Despite the Iranian regime’s efforts to suppress recent protests, they have quickly spread to every corner of the country, making this one of the most important events in Iran in more than four decades and suggesting this could be a turning point for the country's future.
Oct 7, 2022
◆
  • Ziryan Rojhelati
chabahar port
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Failed Promises in Iran’s Free Trade Zones
Iran’s free trade zone project was intended to create jobs, boost investment, and integrate Iran’s economy. Instead, poor infrastructure and corrupt officials turned the zones into monopolized markets that do more harm than good.
Aug 17, 2022
◆
  • Bahman Azar
Biden Trump Obama Iran
In-Depth Reports
Three Presidents, Three Flawed Iran Policies, and the Path Ahead
News reports of a nearing breakthrough in the Iran nuclear talks will trigger sighs of relief, but the deal will likely prove disappointing on many fronts.
Feb 25, 2022
◆
  • Robert Satloff
Iran's Majlis head Qalibaf, former defense minister Dehghan
In-Depth Reports
The 2021 Iranian Presidential Election
A Preliminary Assessment
Whoever wins, the result will intimate deeper trends in Iranian society, such as public support for the regime and the Supreme Leader’s intentions for the country’s future.
Feb 23, 2021
◆
  • Albert B. Wolf
◆ Sudden Succession Essay Series
Iran warhead on Iran map
In-Depth Reports
The Coming Iran Nuclear Talks:
Openings and Obstacles
A reimagined approach to Iran nuclear talks could extend the country’s breakout time, preserve U.S. negotiating leverage, and strengthen American alliances in Europe and across the Middle East.
Jan 5, 2021
◆
  • Dennis Ross
◆ Transition 2021
In-Depth Reports
Iran's 2021 Presidential Vote and the Tightening of Regime Control
Joe Biden's victory in America may herald a measure of de-escalation with Iran, but the Supreme Leader is unlikely to be moved. Ayatollah Khamenei does not really distinguish between Democratic and Republican intentions—after all, he agreed to a nuclear deal with the Obama administration only to see President Trump tear
Nov 23, 2020
◆
  • Mehdi Khalaji
Maps & Graphics
In-Depth Reports
Protests and Regime Suppression in Post-Revolutionary Iran
Since its formation in 1979, the Islamic Republic has seen multiple cycles of unrest, from ethnic movements in the early 1980s to urban riots in the early 1990s, student protests spanning 1999-2003, the Green Movement response to the 2009 election, and the December 2017-January 2018 upheaval in smaller cities and
Oct 8, 2020
◆
  • Saeid Golkar
Brief Analysis
Sunset of the Iran Arms Embargo:
The Narrow Path to a Policy Compromise
Delinking the embargo from the nuclear deal could offer the best hope of reducing tensions within the P5+1 while also limiting Iran’s access to sophisticated weaponry.
Jun 29, 2020
◆
  • Michael Singh

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