Archive
Matthew M. Reed What impact has the fall in global oil prices had on Iran? The oil price collapse since June has had only a modest impact on Iran— so far. But lower revenues have already forced President Hassan Rouhani to significantly reduce budget projections and even decrease Iran’s… Read More
On January 14, Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held intensive meetings in Geneva on the eve of nuclear talks between Iran and the world’s six major powers—Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. The session was intended to “show… Read More
Interview with Jim SlatteryJim Slattery, a former U.S. Congressman from Kansas, visited Iran in December 2014 to attend the “World Against Violence and Extremism” (WAVE) conference, an initiative led by President Hassan Rouhani. He was the first former congressman to visit Iran since the 1979… Read More
Several Iranian newspapers ran front page stories on the killing of 12 people at the Paris headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Some focused on the tragic nature of the attack and labeled it terrorism. For example, Etemad published the headline “Black Wednesday in Paris.” But both… Read More
On January 9, President Hassan Rouhani condemned violence perpetrated in Islam’s name. “Those who kill and carry out violent and extremist acts unjustly in the name of jihad, religion or Islam provoke Islamophobia whether they wish it or not,” he warned in a meeting with International Islamic Unity… Read More
Garrett NadaIran’s supreme leader and president take two different approaches to interfaith outreach. While extolling the qualities of shared prophets with Christianity and Judaism, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei often censures other countries or groups for supposedly not living up to the high standards… Read More
On December 29, 2014, Iran held a funeral for Brig. Gen. Hamid Taqavi, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander who was killed in the Iraqi town of Samarra, home to a Shiite shrine. The Revolutionary Guards did not detail the scope of Taqavi's role in Iraq. But he was reportedly the highest-ranking… Read More
On January 6, Iran’s parliament called a snap vote over Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s handling of nuclear talks with the world’s six major powers. Conservative lawmakers had accused the minister of making too many concessions in the most recent round of diplomacy in December.But Zarif hit… Read More
On January 4, President Hassan Rouhani began preparing the public for a compromise on Iran’s controversial nuclear program. The country's ideals “are not linked to centrifuges but to our heart and determination,” he said in remarks to a conference of 1,500 economists in Tehran. He emphasized the… Read More
On Dec. 18, 2014, President Barack Obama discussed U.S. engagement with Iran in an interview with NPR News. He said that Iran has “a chance to get right with the world” by reaching a nuclear deal. Iran and the world's six major powers - the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany… Read More
On December 30, the U.S. Department of the Treasury targeted nine individuals and entities for helping the Iranian government evade sanctions and for human rights abuses related to censorship. The Treasury also updated information related… Read More
It was a year of political paradoxes for President Hassan Rouhani. He faced challenges from the other two branches of government—the judiciary and parliament—as well as limits on his powers by the virtually omnipotent Supreme Leader… Read More
Cameron Glenn Tehran reached out to the world in 2014. But President Hassan Rouhani’s attempts to improve relations stalled, as hardliners in parliament pushed back. … Read More
Garrett Nada President Hassan Rouhani made significant headway in stabilizing Iran’s economy in 2014. During his first full calendar year in office, he began addressing mismanagement and corruption from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’… Read More
From December 9 to 10, Iran's Institute for Political and International Studies hosted a conference on countering violence and extremism in Tehran. The gathering was inspired by President Hassan Rouhani’s 2013 address to the United… Read More
Several U.S. lawmakers called for new sanctions on Iran following the decision to extend nuclear talks with the world's six major powers another seven months. But Obama administration officials have warned that new sanctions… Read More
On December 7, Secretary of State John Kerry called for the release of Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen who has been detained in Iran since late July. Earlier in the day, Rezaian was… Read More
In a recent address to Muslim scholars, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed that The Islamic State, commonly known as ISIS or ISIL, is the product of the U.S., U.K. and Israeli intelligence services. ISIS is the… Read More
On December 4, Freedom House released its fifth annual "Freedom on the Net" report, a comprehensive study of internet freedom in 65 countries. The following are key developments surrounding Iran's internet freedom between May… Read More
On December 3, a car bomb exploded near the home of Iran’s ambassador to Yemen in the capital Sanaa. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for the attack, which reportedly killed a Yemeni civilian and two… Read More
In late November, Iran reportedly bombed Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, targets in Diyala, Iraq. Tehran used American-made F4 Phantom jets, likely sold to Iran before the 1979 revolution, according to analysis of video… Read More
Several U.S. lawmakers have called for imposing new sanctions on Iran following the news of the seven-month extension of nuclear talks. Iran and the so-called P5+1 countries —Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United… Read More
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has released a series of documents on the extension of nuclear talks between Iran and the world’s six major powers. On November 24, the two sides agreed to continue to… Read More
The Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars asked more than thirty experts from the Middle East, Europe, and the United States for their take on what comes next for nuclear talks between Iran and… Read More
Hardliners in Iran's parliament and media criticized ongoing nuclear talks with the world's six major powers, following the announcement that negotiations will be extended for seven months. Iran and the so-called P5+1 countries —… Read More
After a week of intensive discussions, the world’s six major powers and Iran agreed to extend talks for seven months. The new goal is to reach a political agreement within four months and a final deal by June 30 that would… Read More
On November 24, Iran and the world's six major powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States - agreed to extend discussions on Iran's nuclear program by seven months. Leaders on both sides commended each… Read More
U.S. lawmakers issued wide-ranging reactions to news of the seven-month extension of nuclear talks with Iran. Several Republicans called for imposing additional sanctions on Iran and requiring Congressional approval of a final deal… Read More
On November 24, President Hassan Rouhani assured Iranians that diplomacy “will lead to a deal, sooner or later” following the decision by Iran and the world's six major powers to extend talks by seven months. In a televised speech,… Read More
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and E.U. foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton issued a joint statement on November 24 explaining the decision to extend negotiations over Iran's nuclear program by seven months. The… Read More