IranSource

Iran’s Uncertain Political Future

By Alireza Nader

The December 2017 uprising in Iran was the most significant nationwide unrest seen in that country since 2009. But in many ways it was different from the so-called Green Movement.

The Revolution That Didn’t Happen in Iran and the Reforms That Should

By Sirous Amerian

The protests that spread across Iran in late December and early January turned a lot of people into Iran “experts.” Iranian expatriates ranging from physiotherapists to rocket scientists offered analyses on Twitter, alongside non-Iranians with an interest in the political dynamics of the country. A majority asserted that the protests were the precursors to the […]

Europe’s Strategy to Save the Iran Deal

The fate of the Iran nuclear agreement may rest on whether European governments are able to reach a side agreement with the Trump administration on issues that go beyond the provisions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran’s increasingly sophisticated ballistic arsenal has become a major concern for its neighbors and the United […]

The Lion and the Dragon: Iran Looks to China for Trade and Development

By Sina Azodi

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) last week entered its third year of implementation under a cloud of uncertainty from Washington. As President Trump threatens to withdraw from the deal absent major changes, Tehran increasingly views China as a reliable partner and model for economic development.

The Iran Deal Survives but Perhaps Not for Much Longer

By Barbara Slavin

President Trump has agreed to waive nuclear-related sanctions against Iran again but has threatened to pull the plug in a few months if European countries don’t agree to renegotiate the landmark agreement. The decision to continue to waive sanctions, announced today, preserves the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) until the next deadline a few […]

How #IranProtests Compare with the 2009 Green Movement

By Holly Dagres

The latest protests that shook Iran seemingly came out of nowhere. What surprised many is that the some 40,000 protesters didn’t come from the perennially disgruntled middle class but were Iranians who hadn’t taken to the streets en masse since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. They had—and have—very real grievances about the economy, rampant corruption and […]

A Virtuous Rivalry Between Iran and Saudi Arabia?

By Barbara Slavin

Much of the Middle East’s current dysfunction and bloodshed can be attributed to rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is bombing Yemen into smithereens to defeat Iran-backed Houthis, for example. But another more peaceful kind of competition could benefit both societies and have wider implications for the Muslim world at large.