Covering topics ranging from security and politics to business and society, IranSource draws on written analysis and multimedia content to inform a broader public conversation about Iran from an array of angles and perspectives.

It aims to identify the challenges, opportunities, and policy conundrums facing the US-Iran relationship and present a range of options to address them.

Editor: Holly Dagres

The views expressed in IranSource are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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Beware of Following Another Chalabi Figure Into an Iranian Quagmire

IranSource
Nov 20, 2024

2025 will be a decisive year for Iran’s nuclear program

Diplomatic deadlines and regional factors will force Iran to decide soon whether to strike a deal or seek a nuclear weapon. Either choice will have major ripple effects.

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Beware of Following Another Chalabi Figure Into an Iranian Quagmire

IranSource
Nov 20, 2024

How to wrestle with an ayatollah 

By
Khosro Sayeh Isfahani

If one looks closely, the ancient Persian sport of wrestling might have answers to understanding how to contain Iran

Civil Society
Freedom and Prosperity

Beware of Following Another Chalabi Figure Into an Iranian Quagmire

IranSource
Nov 1, 2024

How the death of Abdul Malik al-Houthi could impact the Houthis and Iran

By
Emily Milliken and Caitlin Miller Hollingsworth

While Abdul Malik al-Houthi is still alive today, his death in the near term would impact the Houthi’s ability to operate and widen a leadership vacuum within Iran’s Resistance Axis.

Conflict
Iran

Content

IranSource

Sep 27, 2018

Beware of Following Another Chalabi Figure Into an Iranian Quagmire

By Borzou Daragahi

A tale from more than a decade ago serves as a warning for both the US and Iran in the wake of the devastating September 22 terror attack on a military parade that killed at least twenty-five people in the provincial capital of Ahvaz. It was around 2006 when reports started emerging of a man […]

Iran

IranSource

Sep 26, 2018

Not My Fault: Trump and Rouhani Exchange Blame Over Failure to Meet

By Holly Dagres

“Now I’m Trump’s lovely man!” one Persian language tweet read with a picture of a smiling President Hassan Rouhani. The tweet was from hashtag #LovelyMan, an Iranian social media response to US President Donald Trump’s tweet. On September 26, shortly before he addressed the United Nations General Assembly, Trump wrote on Twitter: “Despite requests, I […]

Iran

IranSource

Sep 25, 2018

Iran Plays ‘Who’s the Rogue Now’ at the United Nations

By Barbara Slavin

For a country that has so often been isolated in multinational forums, Iran is wrapping itself in international legitimacy and approbation not only from much of the United Nations General Assembly but four of the five permanent members of the Security Council plus the European Union. The night before US President Donald Trump excoriated the […]

Iran

IranSource

Sep 25, 2018

Making Sense of Iran’s Economy Once All US Sanctions Resume

By Hoorozan

Though August 6 marked the first set of re-imposed US sanctions against Iran, the economy had already started feeling the pain months earlier. Uncertainty about the future stirred up turbulence in the Iranian foreign exchange, and caused scarcity as well as a sharp price increase of essential goods, in addition to the gradual withdrawal of […]

Iran

IranSource

Sep 24, 2018

Iran More Assertive Regionally After Trump Withdrawal From JCPOA

By Maysam Behravesh

Iran’s regional strategy is rapidly evolving as the Islamic Republic is trying to adapt itself to a new, and increasingly challenging, international environment. A key determinant has been President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the multilateral nuclear deal, clinched between Iran and world powers in July 2015, known as the […]

Iran

IranSource

Sep 21, 2018

The Books the Trump Administration Should Read to Understand Iran

By Holly Dagres

When US President Donald Trump delivered his Iran strategy speech in October 2017, rather than focus on the important points that were being made, most Iranians zeroed in on him referring to the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf.” It was seen as a major insult by many Iranians who proudly view the body of […]

Iran

IranSource

Sep 20, 2018

Iranian Attacks in Iraq Are More About Messaging Than Reality

By Borzou Daragahi

US and Iranian officials traded accusations earlier this month over an attack on Iran’s consulate in the southern city of Basra, followed by mortar or rocket attacks that appeared to target US missions in the capital, Baghdad. Tehran blames Washington for being behind the trashing of its consulate. The allegation was simply untrue. The protesters […]

Iran Iraq

IranSource

Sep 19, 2018

Khamenei Reversal on FATF Suggests US-Iran Talks Possible Under Trump

By Shahir Shahidsaless

President Donald Trump’s policy towards Iran is imposing “maximum pressure” purportedly aimed at bringing Iranians back to the negotiating table. Trump demands renegotiating the Iran nuclear deal which, according to him, has “terrible flaws.” He also wants restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile program and a change in the Iran’s aggressive policies in the region. Trump […]

Iran

IranSource

Sep 19, 2018

Iran’s Alliance With Russia in Syria: Marriage of Convenience or Strategic Partnership?

By Sina Azodi and Arman Mahmoudian

Russia’s alliance with Iran to buttress embattled Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is approaching a critical phase, as pro-government forces consider how to retake Idlib province, the last major stronghold of Syrian rebels. While this alliance has successfully shifted the balance of power in favor of the Syrian government, it will likely not lead to a […]

Iran Russia

IranSource

Sep 18, 2018

New Hardline Voices Rise in Iran’s Theocratic Center

By Rohollah Faghihi

On August 16, a number of young hardline clerics held an anti-government protest in Qom that highlighted differences among conservatives. The rally was supposed to be against “financial corruption” and “government mismanagement,” but the banners held by the attendees, which contained messages threatening moderate President Hassan Rouhani, turned the event into an even more controversial […]

Iran
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