Archive
The following is an excerpt from a new assessment by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) about Russian scientist Vycheslav Danilenko, who worked in Iran from 1996 until 2002 and reportedly may have provided assistance to Iran on explosive technology that could be used in… Read More
The following is an excerpt from a CBS News poll on what Americans favor on U.S. policy preferences on Iran. "Most Americans support a diplomatic approach when it comes to dealing with Iran; 55% think Iran is a threat to the U.S. that can be contained with diplomacy. Only 15% say Iran is… Read More
The Atlantic Council has issued a new report entitled “Iran Turns to China, Barter to Survive Sanctions.” The following is an excerpt, with a link to the entire survey at the bottom. The big story of the last decade for Iranian trade has been that of increasing reliance on China. Since 2001… Read More
Annika Folkeson Iranian leaders reacted angrily and swiftly to the new U.N. report on its controversial nuclear program. They denied all suggestions that it had secret activities. And they warned that any military action against the Islamic Republic would be countered with full force. The… Read More
Annika Folkeson The major powers involved in diplomacy with Iran had diverse reactions to the new U.N. report on Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. Russia and China indicated strong opposition to tough new sanctions or other actions that might lead to regime change. Britain, France… Read More
Michael Adler What is new in the latest report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency about Iran’s controversial nuclear program? The report takes the U.N. nuclear watchdog's accounting of Iran's nuclear program to a whole new level. It is the first time the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)… Read More
The following is an excerpt of the conclusions from a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency – the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency – in November 2011. While the Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material at the nuclear facilities and LOFs declared by… Read More
The following are some key statistics on development in Iran from the 2011 Human Development Report that was published on Nov. 2. Overall, Iran ranked number 88 out of 187 countries. Economics: · Population: 74.8 millions· GDP per capita (PPP*): $11,558· GNI per capita (… Read More
Iran’s controversial nuclear program has once again sparked talk of a possible Israeli military strike, with the Israeli press reporting that the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been seriously debating the options. In turn, the Iranians have struck a defiant tone… Read More
The following statement was released on Nov. 2 by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The committee adopted two bipartisan bills aimed at strengthening and expanding U.S. sanctions on Iran and other rogue regimes. To view Chairman Ros-Lehtinen’s full remarks during the markup, please click here.… Read More
Anthony Cordesman and Alexander Wilner of the Center for Strategic and International Studies released a new report on Nov. 2. The following is an excerpt with a link to the full report at the bottom: U.S. competition with Iran has become the equivalent of a game of three-dimensional chess, but… Read More
Shaul Bakhash
In mid-October, Supreme leader Ali Khamenei said in a speech that Iran’s executive presidency could be replaced by a parliamentary government if the interests of the state required it. The president, he implied, could be replaced by a prime minister. The remark, out of the blue… Read More
Matthew Levitt In its latest action against Iran, the Treasury Department has sanctioned six new front companies connected to Iran’s official shipping line. The six companies, based in Panama, are part of an Iranian game of cat-and-mouse designed to hide Tehran’s ownership and mask its ongoing… Read More
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton interview with Kambiz Hosseini of the Voice of America’s Parazit show on Oct. 26, 2011: QUESTION: So, Madam Secretary, thank you for taking time to answer our audience’s questions. We were supposed to do this way earlier. We assume you were too busy taking down… Read More
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton interview with Bahman Kalbasi on Oct. 26, 2011: QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, thank you very much for sitting down with the BBC. And the response to our call for questions has been overwhelming. The thousands of viewers we have across the Persian speaking… Read More
Congressional testimonies on Oct. 26, 2011 before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence and Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Management. Dr. Lawrence J. Korb, Center for American Progress Action Fund It is imperative that the United… Read More
The following is an excerpt from testimony by Col. Timothy J. Geraghty, USMC (retired) on Oct. 26 before the Joint Subcommittee Hearing: Iranian Terror Operations on American Soil. Geraghty was commander of the Marine peacekeepers in Lebanon.
October 23, 2011 marked the twenty-eighth… Read More
This is a timeline of the key dates for Iran's Parliamentary Election: December 24-31, 2011 Candidate Registration period January 1-25, 2012 Candidate Vetting period Last week of January Official announcement of vetted candidates February 22-March 1, 2012… Read More
The following is an excerpt from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s interview with NBC’s Today Show on Oct. 12 about Iran’s alleged terrorism plot. QUESTION: Let’s talk about the news of the day, this plot by some members of the Quds Force to take out the Saudi ambassador at a… Read More
The following is a Press Statement from the State Department on the U.N. Human Rights Report:We welcome the first interim report by the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, and take note of his assessment regarding the Iranian government’s “pattern of systemic… Read More
Kevan Harris What’s the origin of the Islamic Republic’s biggest banking scandal? The financial conglomerate Amir Mansour Arya Investment Development Company allegedly procured several letters of credit from domestic banks totaling $2.8 billion--far above the company’s available collateral. … Read More
The U.N. Special Rapporteur for Iran released a report on Oct. 15, 2011 detailing human rights abuses in the Islamic Republic. The following is a key excerpt, with a link to the full report at the end. A number of individuals and organizations provided the Special Rapporteur with first-… Read More
The following is testimony by Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on Oct. 13, 2011:Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Shelby, and distinguished members of the Committee: Thank you… Read More
The following is testimony by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman before the Senate Banking on October 13, 2011: Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Senator Shelby, Distinguished Members of the Committee: thank you for inviting me to appear before you today to discuss the… Read More
The Iranian regime has lashed out at the United States over the Obama administration’s claims that Tehran was behind a plot to attack U.S., Saudi and Israeli targets in Washington and Argentina. The following are key quotes from top leaders in Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "If U.S.… Read More
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today the designation of Iranian commercial airline Mahan Air pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for providing financial, material and technological support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Based in Tehran, Mahan Air… Read More
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced the designation of five individuals, including four senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) officers connected to a plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States Adel Al-Jubeir, while he… Read More
Geneive Abdo Green Movement leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi were put under house arrest in early February. What is their status eight months later? Mousavi was taken to a very small apartment and is under guard 24 hours a day, according to statements by his wife about one month… Read More
Interview with Hosein Ghazian Hosein Ghazian is an Iranian sociologist and former pollster who is currently a visiting scholar at Syracuse University. This is the eleventh in a series on parliamentary elections due in March 2012: How has parliament’s political role—and authority--been… Read More
Interview with Hosein Ghazian Hosein Ghazian is an Iranian sociologist and former pollster who is currently a visiting scholar at Syracuse University. This is the eleventh in a series on parliamentary elections due in March 2012: How has parliament’s political role—and authority--… Read More