Archive
On March 26, Saudi Arabia began conducting airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, which drew strong condemnation from Iranian officials. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif demanded an “immediate halt” to Saudi military actions. Iran is widely seen as the main backer of the Houthis, a… Read More
On March 26, a new round of nuclear negotiations began in Lausanne, Switzerland between Iran and the world's six major powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States. Officials noted that the negotiations were intensifying, with only a few days remaining before the deadline… Read More
In March, U.S. officials acknowledged that Iran’s involvement in Iraq could help defeat ISIS, but cautioned that it could also fuel sectarian conflict. Iraqi security forces and Iranian-backed Shiite militias launched an offensive to drive ISIS out of Tikrit in February. Both the United States and… Read More
On March 20, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei released a statement on the occasion of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, encouraging “close cooperation between the people and the administration.” The next day he delivered a speech in Mashhad, criticizing President Obama’s Nowruz message for… Read More
On March 20, Secretary of State John Kerry issued the following statement on the passing of President Hassan Rouhani’s mother. We extend our deepest condolences to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Hassan Rouhani and his family on the passing of his mother, Mrs. Sakineh… Read More
President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have issued the following greetings to the Iranian people for Nowruz, Persian Year. Hello! To everyone celebrating Nowruz—across the United States and in countries around the world—Nowruz Mubarak. For thousands of years, this has… Read More
On March 20, President Barack Obama issued the following statement on U.S. citizens detained or missing in Iran for the occasion of Nowruz, Persian New Year. The spirit of family is deeply woven into all of the rich cultural traditions of the Nowruz holiday. It is a time for reuniting and… Read More
A new letter to President Obama on a potential Iran nuclear deal signed by some 367 members of Congress was released on March 23. The letter emphasizes, “Should an agreement with Iran be reached, permanent sanctions relief from congressionally-mandated sanctions would require new legislation.” It… Read More
On March 19, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. Chairmen Ed Royce defended Congress’ role in curtailing Iran’s nuclear program. “Congress built the sanctions structure that brought Iran to the table,” he said. “And if the President… Read More
On March 18, the House Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere held a joint hearing about Iran and Hezbollah’s involvement in Central and South America. The committees discussed Iran's attempts to expand its influence in Latin America during… Read More
Ironically, the most widely celebrated holiday in the Islamic Republic of Iran long predates the official religion. Nowruz, literally “New Day” in Farsi, marks the first day of spring and the Persian New Year. The holiday, which usually falls on or around March 21, is widely celebrated across the… Read More
The following series details key aspects of Iran's nuclear program and the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the world's six major powers.Part 1: ABCs of IssuesPart 2: ABCs of SitesPart 3: ABCs from KhameneiPart 4: ABCs of Talks So FarIran Nuke Program 1: ABCs of Issues There’s no one single… Read More
There’s no one single formula for a nuclear deal with Iran. The United States compares negotiations to solving a Rubik’s Cube™, because so many pieces are involved—and moving one moves all the others. (The world’s most popular puzzle has 43 quintillion permutations to solve it so all the colors… Read More
The following is a rundown of Iran’s key nuclear sites. Each was a subject at diplomatic talks between the Islamic Republic and the world's six major powers. Bushehr Nuclear Facility The Bushehr facility contains Iran’s first nuclear power plant. Its light-water reactor was loaded with… Read More
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has voiced his opposition to nuclear weapons on several occasions during the last decade. The following are excerpted remarks in reverse chronological order. A bitter irony of our era http://t.co/gN1ersK5d5 #IranTalksOman #Iran pic.twitter.com/UCzKhknhmG—… Read More
The following is a rundown of key events in diplomacy on Iran’s nuclear program since President Hassan Rouhani took office in August 2013. 2013 Sept. 26 – Foreign ministers from P5+1 countries (Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States) and Iran met on the sidelines of the… Read More
On March 14, Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged that the United States was aware of Iran’s involvement in Iraq. “We know that Iran has been engaged,” Kerry said during his remarks to the press in Sharm al Sheikh, Egypt. He also emphasized that the United States has not been directly… Read More
On March 16, some 260 members of Iran’s parliament released a statement outlining their conditions for a nuclear deal with the world’s six major powers —Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. The top demand was the “removal of all sanctions at once.” During a press… Read More
Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif in Lausanne, Switzerland to discuss Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. On March 16, the first day of talks, Zarif said solutions are “within reach” on certain issues while gaps remain on others. U.S. Secretary… Read More
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told Khorosan daily that there is "still one good opportunity to reach a deal” on the nuclear issue with the world’s six major powers." But if talks fail, the "U.S. miscalculation would be to blame," he warned in an interview. The following are… Read More
Two proposed laws could restrict women’s reproductive rights in Iran, according to a new report by Amnesty International. One law would outlaw sterilization and restrict access to information about contraception. The other would disadvantage women without children in the labor market and make it… Read More
On March 14, the White House warned senators against passing the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN). The legislation “would potentially prevent any deal from succeeding by suggesting that Congress must vote to ‘… Read More
One of the major questions emerging about a nuclear deal with Iran is what role the United Nations might play in endorsing or codifying it in a Security Council Resolution. U.S. officials have suggested that the deal would not exactly be legally binding, referencing the 2013 U.S.-Russian framework… Read More
The following is the full text of the White House press release and President Obama’s letter to Congress on the renewal of the national emergency with respect to Iran. CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO IRAN On March 15, 1995, by Executive Order 12957, the President… Read More
Iran has made no effort to hide its role in the battle against the Islamic State in Iraq, most recently in Tikrit. General Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s elite Qods Force, has been directing and advising a combination of the Iraqi military and Shiite militias.… Read More
Robin Wright (for The New Yorker) “Victory [in Tikrit] will not be decided on the battlefield. More important to the ultimate success of the campaign will be how Baghdad proceeds politically in Saddam’s home town—both in creating a climate where the Sunnis will not feel defeated and in using… Read More
The following series details the GOP letter to Iran’s leadership on a nuclear deal and responses from Iran, the White House and Democrats. Part I - GOP Letter on IranPart II - Iran Responds to GOP Letter Part III - White House & Democrats Respond to GOP Letter Part IV - Media Roundup on … Read More
On March 10, hardliner Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi (left) was elected chairman of the Assembly of Experts, Iran’s only constitutional body with the authority to appoint and dismiss the supreme leader. Yazdi won 47 out of 73 votes, defeating the more centrist Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Former President… Read More
On March 9, a group of 47 Republican senators warned Iran's leaders that a nuclear deal signed during President Barack Obama’s tenure could be revoked by the next president or modified by a future Congress. “We will consider any agreement regarding your nuclear-weapons program that is not approved… Read More
The following are responses by Iranian officials on the GOP letter to Iran’s leadership. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali KhameneiThe letter is "the collapse of political ethics and the U.S. system's internal disintegration." "American senators officially announced the commitment will be null and void… Read More