Garrett Nada's Blog

Iran Unveils New Ballistic Missile

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards unveiled a new ballistic missile on February 9. State media said that the missile, the Khaibar Shekan, had a range of 1,450 kilometers (900 miles), which could put its enemy Israel – as well as many U.S. bases in the region – well within its range. Iran’s western border…

News Digest: Week of February 14

February 14 U.S.-Israel: In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) to discuss the Iranian threat. Graham said that an agreement on restoring the 2015 nuclear deal would “fall short of the votes necessary to ratify” it in the Senate. “Consequently,…

Two Years of COVID: Economic Cost

After its first cases of COVID-19 were reported in February 2020, Iran’s economy faced new challenges exacerbated by longstanding problems, including years of punitive U.S. sanctions. More than one million people – in a labor force of 27 million – lost their jobs in 2020. Inflation soared,…

Two Years of COVID: Sweeping Impact

As of February 2022, two years after the outbreak of COVID-19, Iran had fully vaccinated 64 percent of its population. Iran paid a heavy toll before reaching that point. In early 2020, the virus spread across all 31 provinces within a month. Iran became one of the world’s early epicenters and the…

Iran’s Revolution at 43: In Photos

On February 11, Iran marked the 43rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution with rallies in some 4,500 cities and towns, although most were outdoor parades of cars, motorcycles and bicycles, with few people participating on the streets. The annual commemoration normally draws tens of thousands to…

Iran’s War on Its Own Athletes

Since the 1979 revolution, the Iranian government has allegedly harassed, jailed, tortured and executed dozens of athletes – including world champions and Olympians. Some have been jailed or executed for criticizing or acting against the regime. During the first decade of the Islamic Republic,…

Soleimani Anniversary in the Middle East

The U.S. assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s Qods Force, was commemorated across the Middle East on the second anniversary of his death. Soleimani was widely considered the mastermind behind Iranian interventions in the region and support for militant proxies. Under his…

Soleimani Anniversary in Iran

On January 3, Iran marked the second anniversary of the U.S. assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s elite Qods Force, with official speeches, commemorative rallies, major media coverage, and inflammatory threats. Soleimani, who was considered a military hero for…

IRGC Tests Ballistic Missiles, Drones in War Game

Iran tested a wide variety of weapons, including ballistic missiles, drones and tanks, during a war game between December 20 and 24. The Great Prophet 17 exercise was held along the Persian Gulf coast in the southern provinces of Bushehr, Hormozgan and Khuzestan. Ballistic missiles on mobile…

Iran in 2021: Politics and Foreign Policy

For Iran, 2021 was a year of major transitions in both politics and foreign policy. President Hassan Rouhani, a centrist, finished his second term with much of his agenda unfulfilled and the future of his signature policy project, the 2015 nuclear deal, in doubt. Ebrahim Raisi’s victory in the June…