Iran

Sleepwalking into a Nuclear Nightmare

By Julian Lindley-French

With the West deep in sombre remembrance of 911, a new and dangerous shift in the nuclear balance is taking place in the shadows. There is a New Nuclear Realpolitik afoot that is shaping today’s world… and tomorrow’s. Iran is moving patiently towards a nuclear weapons system. Taken together the empty commitment made towards a […]

Rules for Successful Engagement with Iran

By Hossein Mousavian

In his first year in office, President Barack Obama made unprecedented diplomatic gestures towards Iran, raising hopes that the animosities that have plagued US-Iran relations for the past three decades might be overcome and rapprochement achieved. In a special message on March 21, 2009, commemorating the Persian New Year, Obama promised a new approach that […]

New Iran Sanctions Could Bring Unintended Blowback

By Barbara Slavin

A new Congressional push to sanction Iran’s Central Bank is aimed at reducing Iranian oil revenues, but could backfire and hurt the global economy. On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal disclosed a letter to the White House signed by 92 senators urging the Barack Obama administration to place new restrictions on dealings with the bank […]

Iran’s Image Plummets in Arab World, Poll Finds

By Barbara Slavin

Iranian leaders have tried to portray democracy movements in the Arab world as inspired by their 1979 Islamic revolution and predicted that Iran’s regional support would grow as pro- Western dictators fell. However, a new poll by the Arab American Institute shows approval of Iran’s role in the region plummeting since 2006 and especially since […]

US-Iran: Tensions Mount Over Iraq, Nuke Sanctions

By Barbara Slavin

Reviving U.S.-Iran friction over Iraq may have more to do with deteriorating relations over Iran’s nuclear programme than with uncertainty over U.S. troop levels in Iraq beyond the end of this year. In recent weeks, a chorus of U.S. officials has accused Iran of providing lethal weapons to Iraqi Shiite militias that have targeted U.S. […]

Second Annual Members’ Conference – The U.S. – Iran Relationship: How to handle a nuclear Iran?

Summary of the breakout conversation “The U.S. – Iran Relationship: How to handle a nuclear Iran?” at the 2010 Annual Members’ Conference. Participants: Barbara Slavin, Author, Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S., and the Twisted Path to Confrontation Michael Singh, Former Senior Director for Middle East Affairs, National Security Council Moderated by Mark Brzezinski, […]

U.S.-Iran Relations Event Transcript

U.S.-Iran Relations Event Speakers: Damon Wilson, Vice President and Director, International Security Program, Atlantic Council C. Richard Nelson, Project Director, Reversing Relations with Adversaries Program, Atlantic Council Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle East Affairs, Congressional Research Service Flynt Leverett, Senior Research Fellow, New America Foundation George Perkovich, Vice President for Studies and Director, Nuclear Policy […]