Proliferation

Policy Analysis on Proliferation

How to Present Evidence of Iranian Involvement in the Saudi Attack

By working effectively with the UN, Washington and Riyadh can help foster global consensus on Iran’s culpability, creating a firm basis for multilateral censure that could induce caution in Tehran.

Sep 26, 2019

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Michael Knights
Tim Michetti

Brief Analysis

Bringing Diplomacy Back to the Pressure Campaign Against Iran

U.S. leadership must be buttressed not by unrealistic threats, but by deterrent actions and collective diplomacy that constrain Tehran’s room for attacks while defining the path to negotiations.

Sep 23, 2019

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Barbara A. Leaf

Articles & Testimony

The U.S. Needs International Partners to Control Iran’s Aggression

President Trump should use his UN speech and side meetings to seek cooperation with European partners and lay the foundation for a ‘better deal’ with Iran down the road.

Sep 23, 2019

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Ben Fishman

Brief Analysis

Moving the Goal Posts: Iran’s Uranium Enrichment Program

Although technical obstacles may prevent Tehran from fully deploying its advanced centrifuges, it could still augment its enrichment program in ways that should concern the international community.

Sep 19, 2019

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Elana DeLozier

Brief Analysis

Iraq’s Air Defense Conundrum: Options for U.S. Policy

Baghdad is under pressure to show it can protect its airspace, but procuring Russian or Iranian equipment might complicate U.S.-Iraq relations without addressing the triggers for Israeli strikes.

Sep 12, 2019

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Michael Knights
Farzin Nadimi

Articles & Testimony

The North Korean-Israeli Shadow War

Whenever nuclear weapons technology appears in the hands of Israel’s enemies, Pyongyang is usually involved.

Sep 9, 2019

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Jay Solomon

Articles & Testimony

Another Conference on Libya? Enforce the Arms Embargo Instead

Without a concerted international effort to ground UAVs and halt the flow of weapons, the UN will have minimal leverage to restart the country's long-stalled political transition.

Sep 9, 2019

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Ben Fishman

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivers public remarks.

Brief Analysis

Is Iran Negotiating Its Way to Negotiations?

While Tehran’s internal debate about engagement with Washington intensifies, its words and actions already seem to be shaping—even unintentionally—the terms of any future talks.

Aug 30, 2019

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Omer Carmi

Brief Analysis

How Will Hezbollah Respond to Israel’s Drone Attack?

With the IDF seemingly expanding its missile hunt to Lebanon and Iraq, the actions of Iran’s proxies, their host governments, and U.S. officials will do much to determine if wider escalation is in the cards.

Aug 28, 2019

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Hanin Ghaddar

Brief Analysis

Iran Develops Air Defense Capability for Possible Regional Role

A newly announced system could further the regime’s longstanding desire to create an A2AD umbrella in the Gulf and forward-deploy antiaircraft missiles in other countries.

Aug 27, 2019

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Farzin Nadimi

Brief Analysis

Militias Are Threatening Public Safety in Iraq

Exploding ammo dumps are only one of many problems posed by out-of-control militias, making it more urgent than ever to warehouse heavy weapons, halt mass detentions, and protect Iraqis and Iraq’s investors alike.

Aug 14, 2019

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Michael Knights
Alex Almeida

Brief Analysis

Time to Change Course on the UN’s Lebanon Policy

Serious change is required to avoid decisions that accommodate Hezbollah’s ends, ways, and means, and a vital first step is to look at current policy mechanics with a clear eye.

Aug 13, 2019

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Assaf Orion

Brief Analysis

The Road Ahead on Iran Policy: Toward a Multilateral Strategy

Iran’s recent actions in the region challenge the core interests of many American allies, and rallying those partners around shared objectives would give U.S. policy a better chance of success.

Jul 26, 2019

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

High Stakes for Trump and Pakistan's Khan: Afghanistan, India, Nukes and Money

The military elite who decide much of Pakistan's foreign policy view Afghan stabilization efforts as a strategic opportunity for arch rival India to encircle them.

Jul 22, 2019

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Will Iran 'Break Out' for a Nuclear Weapon, and What Can Trump Do?

Seeing that the president wants out of “endless Middle East wars,” Tehran seems to think that raising the pressure might get him to back off.

Jul 16, 2019

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Dennis Ross

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

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

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

Articles & Testimony

Turkey and Russia Are Not Friends, Despite Appearances

The truth is that Ankara feels threatened by Moscow, but security concerns, mistrust of the West, and an inability to secure American missiles left Erdogan searching for an alternative.

Jun 16, 2019

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Soner Cagaptay
Andy Taylor

Articles & Testimony

A Deal Trump and Khamenei Could Make

Iran says it won’t negotiate with Washington under pressure, but it has done so in the past and might again.

May 29, 2019

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Dennis Ross

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Featured experts

Patrick Clawson

Patrick Clawson is Morningstar senior fellow and director of research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Michael Singh

Michael Singh is the Managing Director and Lane-Swig Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Simon Henderson

Simon Henderson is the Baker fellow and director of the Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy at The Washington Institute, specializing in energy matters and the conservative Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

Henry Rome

Henry Rome is a Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, specializing in Iran sanctions, economic, and nuclear issues.

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Policy Analysis on Proliferation

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