Issues include the use of ballistic missiles, the Islamic Republic’s destabilization of the Middle East and potentially extending nuclear limitations beyond 2030. Some major events have happened in the last week of the nuclear talks’ standoff between Iran, the US and other world powers, which give some additional insights into …
Read More »Pompeo to ‘Post’: Iran unwound nuclear deal in a matter of months
The Mossad-CIA story in the Mike Pompeo, Yossi Cohen era It would be foolish for the Biden administration to return to the Iran nuclear deal when it can see the Islamic Republic was able to unwind from the nuclear limitations in a mere matter of months, former US secretary of …
Read More »Iran’s Next President
The regime’s efforts to ensure the election of a president closely allied with Iran’s Supreme Leader succeeded with the victory of Ibrahim Raisi in Friday’s vote. The low voter turnout indicates widespread resentment at the regime’s narrowing of the candidate field to favor Raisi, foreshadowing potential future unrest. As president, …
Read More »Iran Ignores Demands by IAEA for Monitoring Extension
Iran has refused to engage with the United Nations’ watchdog tasked with monitoring its nuclear facilities, after an interim pact between the two that temporarily extended oversight over Iran’s activities following the Iranian parliament’s ending of a previous agreement, expired over the weekend. The International Atomic Energy Agency on Friday …
Read More »Iran president-elect takes hard line, refuses to meet Biden
Iran’s president-elect staked out a hard-line position Monday in his first remarks since his landslide election victory, rejecting the possibility of meeting with President Joe Biden or negotiating Tehran’s ballistic missile program and support of regional militias. The comments by Ebrahim Raisi offered a blunt preview of how Iran might …
Read More »Bennett appears to hint at Israeli involvement in attack on Iran nuclear site
In one of his first speeches as PM, leader says that while Israel will defend itself, it will also work with allies to block an Iranian bomb, breaking from Netanyahu’s policy Prime Minister Naftali Bennett appeared to hint at Israel’s role in a recent attack on an Iranian nuclear site …
Read More »The Hard-Liners Won in Iran. That’s Not All Bad News.
The conventional wisdom in Washington is that Iran’s elections are insignificant. Regardless of who wins, the argument goes, in the end, it’s the supreme leader who calls the shots. That is shortsighted. Yes, the coronation of Chief Justice Ebrahim Raisi as president in one of the least competitive elections in …
Read More »Engaging Iran Remains Vital after Presidential Election
What distinguished these elections in Iran? o Iranian election since 1979, when the Islamic Republic was founded, has been free and fair by international standards. There were nonetheless two key differences between the 2021 presidential election and the others held since 1997, when Iran started orchestrating more competitive races and …
Read More »Iran’s Rouhani blames hard-liners for deadlock with US
The statement was yet another sign of frustration from the outgoing president, who has found hard-liners closing windows on a deal between his government and the United States. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani blamed “parliamentary bureaucracy” for the delay in the lifting of US sanctions that have almost brought the Iranian …
Read More »Raisi’s Election Is Galvanizing Both Sides of the Iran Nuclear Deal Debate
As the regime-anointed candidate in Iran’s presidential election charade last Friday, Ebrahim Raisi’s victory was thoroughly expected. Even so, it managed to be jarring. It’s not every day a country chooses a man accused of crimes against humanity for such a powerful post, with all signs pointing to Raisi acquiring …
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