Iran Primer's Blog
West Claims Sanctions Now Biting
After six years of international sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program, Western powers claim that their punitive measures are having a significant impact on Iran’s economy. According to U.S., European and Israeli officials, sanctions have compounded…
IMF Forecasts Limited Sanctions Impact
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts economic growth and lower inflation for Iran in 2013, suggesting that sanctions have taken a limited toll on the economy. The IMF’s semi-annual World Economic Outlook estimates that…
Iran's Enrichment Pace
On Oct. 8, the Institute for Science and International Security warned that Iran’s uranium enrichment pace is increasing and that its breakout times are shortening. The report also notes that the United States would likely detect an…
Analysis on Iran Currency Crisis
Iran's currency has dropped by a stunning 40 percent in a mere week, generating protests in Tehran. But the currency crisis dates back more than a year. The following is a news analysis providing context on Iran's fluctuating rial…
Foreign Minister on Nukes, Diplomacy, Syria
On Oct. 1, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told the Council on Foreign Relations that Iran was not seeking a nuclear weapon because it would only increase regional tensions and threats to Iran. He also warned against…
US takes MEK off terrorism list
On Sept. 28, the U.S. State Department revoked the Mujahedin-e Khalq’s (MEK) designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The leftist group killed six Americans in Iran in the 1970s and attempted an attack against the Iranian…
Iran and the Arab Spring: Ascendancy Frustrated
Shahram Chubin On Sept. 27, the Gulf Research Center published “Iran and the Arab Spring: Ascendancy Frustrated” by Shahram Chubin. A PDF of the full report can be found at the bottom of the page. The following excerpts are a summary of the report: Introduction: The…
World Leaders React to Ahmadinejad
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in New York on Sept. 22 and addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 26. President Barack Obama and other U.S. and world leaders condemned Iran’s positions on Syria, Israel and its…
Ahmadinejad’s Speech at the United Nations
On Sept. 26, President Ahmadinejad addressed the 76th annual U.N. General Assembly. He spoke about the need "to remove the structural barriers" between people and criticized the current state of global decision-making…
U.S. Senate Rejects Containment Policy on Iran
On Sept. 22, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution ruling out the policy of containing a nuclear-armed Iran. But it stipulates that it shall not be “construed as an authorization for the use of force.” Resolution 41 also urges…