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The Nuclear Deal’s Adversaries Back Home

Robin Wright (for The New Yorker) Campaigns against a deal are already in full swing in both Washington and Tehran. If an agreement eventually emerges, both parties will have to sell it to constituencies that remain skeptical because of the even more tortured history between the two countries—…

Iranian Background Briefing on Nuclear Talks

On July 6, an Iranian official told the press in Vienna that Iran and the world’s six major powers have made “good progress on almost all the issues,” but that gaps remained. The negotiator said that Iran would prefer to finalize a deal as soon as possible, but also noted that the deadlines are…

Zarif Video Message from Vienna

In a YouTube video message, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed optimism that Iran and the world’s six major powers could reach a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program. “At this eleventh hour, despite some differences that remain, we have never been closer to a lasting outcome,” he said in…

UN Report: Iran Complying with Interim Deal

Iran has continued to meet its obligations under the interim nuclear deal, according to a new report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog. Tehran has placed more than four tons of its low enriched uranium (LEU) into a pipeline that converts it into dioxide, which would require significantly more processing…

Rouhani and Obama on Deadline Day

On the day originally designated as the deadline for a nuclear deal, President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani both issued warnings about their red lines. Obama said he was willing to walk away from talks, after nearly two years of negotiations, if he was not satisfied with terms…

Diplomacy in Tweets & Pictures

Updated as of July 10Foreign ministers from Iran and the world's six major powers — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States — resumed talks in Vienna on June 28 with only days remaining before the deadline for a final nuclear deal. The following are pictures and tweets…

Diary of Iran Talks

Updated as of July 20On June 28, Secretary of State John Kerry began a final round of nuclear talks in Vienna with foreign ministers from Iran and the world's six major powers. The following is a rundown of the negotiations as officials pushed towards a final deal. June 28  Secretary of State…

The War that Haunts Iran’s Negotiators

Robin Wright (for The New Yorker) The historic nuclear diplomacy taking place in Vienna’s elegant Coburg Palace has roots in a gritty war between Iran and Iraq that ended more than a quarter of a century ago. Iran suffered more than a hundred and fifty thousand dead between 1980 and 1988. In…

All You Need to Know on Iran Nuke Talks

Iran and the world's six major powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States - continued to struggle to reconcile disagreements with only days remaining before the June 30 deadline for a comprehensive nuclear deal. Negotiators had reached an agreement on a blueprint for a…

Guide to Congressional Action on Iran Deal

The Congressional Research Service has released a report detailing the procedures related to a nuclear agreement with Iran. It covers the review period created by the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, passed by Congress and signed by President Obama in May. The following are key excerpts…

Comments on Final Days of Nuclear Talks

Updated as of July 13In late June, negotiators from Iran and the world's six major powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States - resumed nuclear talks with only days remaining before the June 30 deadline for a deal. Talks were extended to July 7, and then again to July…

Iran Parliament Passes Bill on Nuclear Deal

On June 23, Iran’s parliament overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill stipulating several conditions for a nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers. The legislation, intended to safeguard Iran’s nuclear achievements, received some 213 votes in favor, 10 against and six abstentions…

Senate Hearing: Key Elements of Nuke Deal

On June 25, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing to evaluate the major components of a potential comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran. Three security experts provided testimony on criteria for evaluating a final deal, minimum requirements for an agreement, and future challenges…

Report: Iran's Human Rights Abuses

Iran's most significant human rights issue is the restriction of civil liberties, according to the State Department's 2014 Country Report on Human Rights Practices. The report also criticized Iran's government for a wide range of human rights abuses, including cruel punishments, poor prison…

Khamenei: Red Lines on Nuclear Deal

On June 23, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seemed to harden his stance on nuclear talks with the world’s six major powers. “All economic, financial and banking sanctions, either by the U.N. Security Council, U.S. Congress or [Obama] administration must be lifted on the same day a deal is…

Poll 1: Majority of Iranians Support Deal

Some 57 percent of Iranians support a deal that would curtail Iran’s nuclear program for a number of years in exchange for sanctions relief, according to a new poll by the University of Tehran’s Center for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR) and IranPoll.com, working in conjunction with the Center for…

Poll 2: Mixed Views of Rouhani in Iran

President Hassan Rouhani does not have sufficient support to guarantee that his allies would win a clear majority in the February 2016 parliamentary elections, according to a new poll. It was conducted by the University of Tehran’s Center for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR) and IranPoll.com,…

Iran Beats U.S. in Volleyball

In the middle of nuclear diplomacy, U.S. and Iranian volleyball teams faced off in Tehran in the Volleyball World League competition. In both matches, on June 19 and June 21, Iran’s national team defeated Team USA in three straight sets. USA VS Iran Round 2 in Tehran - @usavolleyball & @…

Civil Society For a Deal but Doubtful Impact

On June 22, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported that civil society broadly backs nuclear diplomacy, but is skeptical about how a deal might change either the political or economic environment at home. The following are highlights of the study, with a link to the report “…

IRGC Targets Internet Activists

On June 22, Reporters Without Borders issued a report entitled “Revolutionary Guards Target Internet Activists.” It addresses the recent spate of arrests as well as the pattern of prosecutions since President Rouhani was elected two years ago. Iran is ranked 173rd out of 180 countries in the 2015…

US Report on Iran’s Support of Extremism

Iran increased its assistance to Shiite militias in Iraq, one of which is designated as a foreign terrorist organization, according to a new State Department report. In 2014, Tehran also continued supporting Palestinian militants in Gaza and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, which has played a key…

Pew: Iran Unpopular around the World

Iran’s global image remains mostly negative in the run up to the June 30 deadline for a nuclear deal, according to a new Pew Research Center poll. The survey, conducted from March 25 to May 27, found that majorities or pluralities in 31 of 40 countries hold an unfavorable view of the Islamic…

Iran Nuke Program: ABCs of Issues

In the final weeks before the June 30 deadline for a nuclear deal, negotiators from Iran and the world's six major powers continued to work through complex issues. The United States compares negotiations to solving a Rubik’s Cube™, because so many pieces are involved—and moving one moves all the…

Nuke Talks: Latest from Iran, P5+1

Deputy foreign ministers from Iran and the world’s six major powers – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States – held a new round of talks over Iran’s nuclear program from June 10 to 14 in Vienna. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was recovering from a broken leg at his home…

Political Cartoons Target Kerry & Zarif

Conservative press outlets in Iran have gone to town with publishing political cartoons on the maladies of Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the two lead negotiators in the nuclear talks. Kerry, who broke his leg in a bicycle crash on May 31 in Switzerland, is…

Latest US Polls on Iran Deal

The following are key findings from recent polls asking Americans about negotiations with Iran over its controversial nuclear program. In most cases, the polls found that the majority of Americans support talks with Iran or, specifically, the blueprint for a deal announced on April 2.Zogby Research…

UN Report on Iran Sanctions & Interim Deal

Iran has implemented its commitments under the interim nuclear deal and worked with the U.N. nuclear watchdog to address outstanding questions about its controversial program, according to a new U.N. Security Council report released on June 9. The panel of experts tasked with monitoring sanctions…

US Hard Sell on Iran Deal to Jewish Groups

In a series of speeches and interviews, President Barack Obama and other top U.S. officials are actively courting Israel and American Jews to win support for a nuclear deal with Iran. In a speech marking Jewish American Heritage Month, Obama reiterated that a deal that “blocks every single one of…

Timeline: Khamenei on U.S.-Iran Talks

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's attitude towards negotiating with the United States has gradually evolved during the last several years. In 2010, he rejected the possibility of holding talks with the United States, saying “Yes, we are ready for negotiations. But not with America.” By 2013,…

UN Watchdog Prepared for Final Nuclear Deal

On June 8, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief, Yukiya Amano, said his agency is “ready to undertake monitoring and verification” measures currently being negotiated between Iran and the world’s six major powers. He said the implementation of a comprehensive nuclear deal “will strengthen safeguards…