Archive
In July and August, members of the House of Representatives began indicating how they plan to vote on the final nuclear deal. Lawmakers have until September 17 to review the agreement, and if the majority disapprove, they can pass a resolution to block the deal from being implemented. President… Read More
On September 3, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that lawmakers must weigh in on the nuclear deal. Khamenei announced his decision one day after President Barack Obama gained enough votes in the Senate to prevent opponents of the agreement from scuttling it. “I have no advice to… Read More
Robin Wright (for The New Yorker) President Obama today won the riskiest gamble of his presidency. He now has enough support in the Senate to ensure that the Hill cannot kill the White House deal with Iran. Some will still try. Cheney has joined the noisy opposition and will give a big speech next… Read More
On September 2, Secretary of State John Kerry sent a letter to U.S. Senators and Members of Congress emphasizing the Obama administration's commitment to support its Gulf partners and Israel. "We will continue to provide Israel and our GCC partners the robust assistance and support they need to… Read More
On September 2, Secretary of State John Kerry made a final pitch to rally support for the nuclear deal, two weeks before the deadline for a Congressional vote on the agreement. The deal "reflects our determination to protect the interests of our citizens and to shield the world from greater harm,"… Read More
On September 1, Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani said that the nuclear agreement between Iran and the world’s six major powers is a “good deal,” even though it may have shortcomings. “And it is a beginning for a better understanding for other issues as well. I mean, the regional and… Read More
Some 54 percent of Iranians approved of President Hassan Rouhani’s performance in late August, according to a newly released poll by iPOS (Information and Public Opinion Solutions). His rating was up six percent compared to May, before the nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers… Read More
Interview with Nasser Hadian
How has the debate over the nuclear deal played out in Iran?
There are four major reactions to the deal among Iran’s political elites.
First, there are those who support the deal unconditionally, because they are tired of the economic and political situation in… Read More
Interview with Nasser Hadian How has the debate over the nuclear deal played out in Iran? There are four major reactions to the deal among Iran’s political elites. First, there are those who support the deal unconditionally, because they are tired of the economic and political situation in… Read More
The final nuclear deal will permanently improve the international community’s capability to verify Iran’s activities, according to U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — is built upon a foundation of deep nuclear science and technology in both… Read More
On August 28, Secretary of State John Kerry released a statement marking the four-year anniversary of U.S. citizen Amir Hekmati’s detention in Iran. Iranian authorities arrested Hekmati—a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen born in Arizona and a former Marine— in August 2011 for allegedly working for the CIA… Read More
The following are excerpted statements by U.S. officials on the final nuclear deal that was announced by the world’s six major powers and Iran on July 14.Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power"If the United States rejects this deal, we would instantly isolate ourselves from the countries… Read More
Garrett Nada The debate over the nuclear deal is heating up in Iran. President Hassan Rouhani’s administration has been trying to sell the agreement since it was announced on July 14. But hardliners' criticism of the deal is mounting. Part of the debate is over whether or not the agreement and… Read More
Sina Azodi Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s newest website is an attempt to sustain the revolution and its values among Iran’s youth. Nojavan, or “Youth,” was launched in April. More than 60 percent of Iran’s population is under 35. They were born after the 1979 revolution and did not… Read More
On August 19, Iran’s parliament selected 15 members for a panel that will review the nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers. Two dozen law makers volunteered to serve on the panel; 15 were then elected by the full parliament. The group includes 13 conservatives. In an… Read More
As the United States deliberated the nuclear deal, senior officials in the Islamic Republic insisted that the agreement would not increase Washington’s influence in Iran. On August 20, Revolutionary Guards commander Ali Jafari asserted that “we will not allow the hegemonic powers to exercise… Read More
On August 17, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran will continue to oppose U.S. policies in the region and resist U.S. influence. “They [Americans] thought this [nuclear] deal - and it is not clear if it will be passed in Iran or in America - will open up Iran to their influence,”… Read More
On August 16, a member of Iran’s parliamentary Presiding Board read a petition signed by 201 out of 290 lawmakers calling on the government to present a bill on the nuclear deal. The lawmakers argued that the agreement between Iran and the world’s six major powers needs the approval of parliament… Read More
Robin Wright (for The New Yorker)President Obama was in a reflective mood when he met with a group of journalists at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after he delivered a combative speech defending the Iran deal. He is, in private meetings, a congenial stoic, even as he chews… Read More
Groups of scientists, nonproliferation specialists, former generals and former ambassadors have authored open letters in support of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers. One group of former generals has also written an open letter. On August 8, 29 top U.S. scientists wrote… Read More
The Iranian economy will receive a boost from sanctions relief, both from increased trade and recovering billions of dollars in frozen assets. Additionally, Iran’s return to the oil market could cause oil prices to drop by 14 percent, according to the World Bank’s MENA Quarterly Economic Brief,… Read More
On August 7, the U.S. Treasury issued guidance clarifying that Iran will continue to receive the limited sanctions relief specified by the 2013 interim nuclear deal, known as the Joint Plan of Action (JPOA). Once the final nuclear deal is implemented – likely not until early 2016 – the Treasury… Read More
On August 8, 29 top U.S. scientists wrote to President Barack Obama in support of the Iran nuclear deal. The “innovative agreement” has “much more stringent constraints than any previously negotiated non-proliferation framework,” according to the co-signers, who include six Nobel laureates, nuclear… Read More
Cameron GlennEconomic trends in June and July were heavily shaped by the nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers, which was announced on July 14. Iran is poised to benefit economically from the deal, once a number of U.N., U.S., and E.U. sanctions are lifted. European and Asian… Read More
Several international organizations have expressed support for the final nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers. The United Nations Security Council endorsed the deal on July 20, and the Association of South East Asian Nations announced their approval on August 6. The Gulf… Read More
Sanctions relief was a “necessary part of any deal,” according to Adam Szubin, acting Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, in his testimony to the Senate Banking Committee on August 5. Szubin defended the deal, emphasizing that it would not have been “feasible to… Read More
On August 5, President Barack Obama gave a speech at American University defending the nuclear deal. The following is a transcript of his remarks.It is a great honor to be back at American University, which has prepared generations of young people for service and public life. I want to thank… Read More
The following are excerpts from a joint statement released by the U.S. – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers meeting in Doha, Qatar on August 3. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry joined Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the Secretary General of the… Read More
On August 2, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran’s achievements secured in the nuclear deal surpassed expectations. In a live interview on state television, he pushed back against hardliner critiques of the agreement. “This idea that we have two options before the world, either submit… Read More
Iran's government "does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so,” according to the State Department’s 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report. The report ranks Iran as a “Tier 3” country, its lowest ranking, meaning… Read More