Archive
The United States and major European powers reacted differently to the new U.N. report on Iran’s missile program and implementation of the nuclear deal. In a speech at the United Nations on Dec. 12, 2018, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo called on the world body to impose tougher sanctions on… Read More
On December 6, the U.N. Secretary General reported that Iran has continued to implement its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In the sixth report on compliance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, António Guterres touted the JCPOA as a “major… Read More
By Gerald Feierstein
What are the prospects for peace in war-torn Yemen? How important is Iran to the peace process?
Restoring security and stability in Yemen is going to be a long-term process. Successful peace negotiations — including a ceasefire and confidence-building measures — can only be… Read More
On December 1, the United States condemned Iran’s test of a medium range ballistic missile reportedly capable of striking parts of Europe and anywhere in the Middle East. “This test violates U.N. Security Council resolution 2231 that bans Iran from undertaking ‘any activity related to ballistic… Read More
On December 3, six families of dual and foreign nationals imprisoned in Iran published an open letter calling on the international community to take action on behalf of their loved ones. “We believe that the Iranian authorities have little incentive to end the cruel and horrific practice of hostage… Read More
On November 29, Brian Hook, the State Department’s special representative for Iran, unveiled what he called new evidence of Iranian weapons proliferation. He delivered a briefing in front of a display of missiles, rockets, drones and other equipment. Some of the items were transferred to the… Read More
On November 22, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) alleged that Iran failed to declare all its chemical weapons to the group. “The United States is also concerned that Iran is pursuing Central Nervous System-Acting Chemicals for offensive purposes… Read More
On November 20, the U.S Treasury sanctioned six individuals and three entities for providing millions of barrels of oil to the Syrian regime. The Office of Foreign Assets Control said that Russia facilitated the delivery of Iranian oil to Syria. The Assad government then transferred money to the… Read More
On November 24, President Hassan Rouhani called Israel a “cancerous tumor” and a “fake regime” established by Western powers. At the annual Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, Rouhani also called on the world’s Muslims to unite against the Jewish state and the United States. Other Iranian leaders… Read More
In August 2018, Ambassador James Jeffrey was appointed as the U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement. He became the lead State Department contact on all aspects of the Syrian conflict apart from the campaign to defeat ISIS. On September 27, Jeffrey said U.S. goals included defeating ISIS… Read More
On November 13, the U.S. State Department offered rewards of up to five million dollars each for information on one Hamas leader and two Lebanese Hezbollah leaders. Both groups have received weapons, training and funding from Tehran for years. Hamas leader Salih al Aruri “is currently living freely… Read More
On November 13, Ambassador-at-Large Nathan Sales, the State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism, highlighted U.S. concerns about Iran’s support for terrorism and armed groups around the world. Sales said that Tehran provides nearly one billion dollars a year to groups including Lebanese… Read More
Iran’s car industry has been under growing pressure since the Trump Administration re-imposed sanctions in August 2018. The challenges are economic, demographic, environmental, and medical—a microcosm of changes in the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution. Iran has gone through waves of… Read More
Iran’s often colorful press — both conservative and reformist — invoked vivid images and headlines in covering the Trump administration's decision to reimpose economic sanctions. The following is a sampling from November 4-6 of major newspaper front pages after the U.S. announcement.
Reformist… Read More
Since the revolution's early years, Iran has been linked — directly or indirectly — to acts of terror on five continents. The Islamic Republic has “conducted terrorist plots, assassinations, and attacks in more than 20 countries worldwide,” according to a State Department report released in… Read More
Terrorism has been a recurrent challenge for Iran since the 1979 revolution. The perpetrators, targets and frequency have fluctuated. The early attacks killed hundreds of government officials, including a president, prime minister, cabinet ministers, and dozens of members of parliament. Attacks… Read More
Top representatives from the European Union, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom said they regretted the U.S. decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran. In a joint statement, foreign ministers and finance ministers pledged to protect European companies doing legitimate business with the Islamic… Read More
On November 5, President Hassan Rouhani condemned the reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran. “We have to make Americans understand that they cannot talk to the great Iranian nation with the language of pressure and sanctions. They have to be punished,” he told officials from the Ministry of… Read More
On November 5, the U.S. Treasury reimposed sanctions on Iran that had been lifted or waived in January 2016 under the nuclear deal. The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned more than 700 individuals, entities, aircraft, and vessels — its largest ever single-day action targeting the Iranian… Read More
In the runup to the reimposition of U.S. sanctions, President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States of disregarding its international obligations. “The US is, in effect, threatening states who seek to abide by [U.N.] resolution 2231 with punitive measures,” he wrote in an op-ed in the Financial… Read More
On October 30, Secretary of Defense James Mattis criticized Iran’s role in fueling the conflict in Yemen. He also called for a ceasefire in Yemen within 30 days. “Yemen has had more problems than any people deserve to carry, and we're calling on all the parties, specifically the Houthis and the… Read More
By Elizabeth Rosenberg
Elizabeth Rosenberg held senior roles at the U.S. Department of the Treasury from 2009 to 2013, where she helped oversee the tightening of international sanctions on Iran. She is now a Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center… Read More
On October 30, Denmark’s intelligence agency alleged that Iran plotted to assassinate an Iranian Arab opposition figure on its territory. Denmark’s Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen and Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen both called the plot “totally unacceptable.” Denmark called for European… Read More
In two interviews, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasized that U.S. sanctions are aimed at changing the Iranian government’s behavior. “Our aim is not to harm the Iranian people, but to change the behavior, the malign activity of this regime,” he told Laura Ingraham on October 31. On November 5… Read More
On October 25, President Trump commemorated the 35th anniversary of the bombing on the Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. The country had been embroiled in a civil war since 1975. In 1982, President Reagan dispatched U.S. troops to Lebanon on a peace-keeping mission. On October 23, 1983, a truck… Read More
On October 23, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned nine individuals associated with the Taliban, including Iranian supporters. The United States acted in partnership with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, the other member states of the Terrorist Financing Targeting… Read More
On October 16, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned a network of 20 businesses for providing financial support to the Basij Resistance Force, a paramilitary under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). “The Bonyad Taavon Basij network is an example of how the IRGC and Iranian military forces have… Read More
On October 14, President Hassan Rouhani said the Trump administration is the most hostile U.S. administration it has faced in four decades. “Of course, enmities existed, but now, the worst have gathered in the White House,” he said in a speech marking the beginning of the academic year at Tehran… Read More
On October 11, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Treasury issued a detailed advisory on Iran’s attempts to exploit the U.S. financial system. It was intended to help financial institutions to detect illicit transactions tied to the Islamic Republic and avoid exposure to U.S.… Read More
On October 4, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asserted that Iran’s economy is strong enough to “defeat” U.S. sanctions. He delivered a defiant address to a stadium filled with thousands of members of the Basij paramilitary. Khamenei criticized President Donald Trump for “wishful thinking”… Read More