New Articles
Part 1: Iran v Other Mideast Elections
Katayoun KishiElections in the Islamic Republic are colorful, complicated affairs that can produce unexpected results, occasionally even turning the political tide. Ultimate authority in the theocracy still rests with the supreme leader, and candidates are heavily vetted by the Guardian Council of…
Iran Versus OPEC and Russia
On February 16, Russia and three OPEC members – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Venezuela – agreed to freeze oil production if other oil producers did so as well. Iran's OPEC envoy Mahdi Asali rejected the proposal, claiming that it would be “illogical” for Iran to freeze output. Other OPEC members,…
Khamenei: US Trying to Influence Elections
On February 17, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that the United States is trying to influence the results of Iran’s upcoming elections for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts. In East Azerbaijan province, he said that U.S. criticism of the Guardian Council, the powerful body that…
Revolution I: Khamenei, Rouhani Speeches
Iran celebrated the 37th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution for 11 days from February 1 to February 11. On February 8, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran’s enemies were trying to undermine the revolution through cultural and economic invasion. Tens of thousands turned out in…
Revolution II: Street Celebrations
On February 11, Iranians celebrated the 37th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The popular uprising, led by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, led to the ouster of Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi and ended centuries of monarchical rule. Large street rallies across the country are held each year…
House Hearing: Nuclear Deal Implementation
On February 11, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing to evaluate the status of the nuclear deal and its consequences. Stephen Mull, the State Department’s lead coordinator on the nuclear deal, and John Smith, acting director of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, provided…
Khomeini Grandson Disqualified in Elections
Seyyed Hassan Khomeini lost his appeal of the Guardian Council’s decision to bar him from running for a seat in the Assembly of Experts. A grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, he is widely considered the heir apparent of the late revolutionary leader’s legacy. The young Khomeini’s long-…
Rouhani on Women’s Rights
On February 7, President Hassan Rouhani said that women should play a significant role in politics and other fields. “We should believe in women’s presence and capabilities and know that our country’s women can have roles in science, knowledge, economy, politics, and arts just like men,” he said at…
U.S. Intelligence Assessment of Iran
On February 9, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, James R. Clapper, warned lawmakers that Iran has the “means and motivation to develop longer-range missiles,” including intercontinental ballistic missiles. He briefed members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select…
UN Report: Child Rights Abuses
On January 29, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child issued a report urging Iran to reform its laws on executions of minors and several other issues. Iran executes youth who committed a crime while under age 18, in violation of international standards. The age of criminal responsibility is…
Poll 1: Views of Rouhani, Elections
The majority of Iranians say President Hassan Rouhani has improved Iran’s security, relationship with European countries, and economy, according to a new poll by the University of Tehran’s Center for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR) and IranPoll.com, working in conjunction with the Center for…
Poll 2: Views on Nuclear Program, Deal
Iranians still broadly support the final nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers, according to a new poll by the University of Tehran’s Center for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR) and IranPoll.com, working in conjunction with the Center for International and Security Studies at…
Poll 3: Views of the United States
The majority of Iranians have a favorable view of the American people, but not of the United States in general or the government, according to a new poll by the University of Tehran’s Center for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR) and IranPoll.com, working in conjunction with the Center for…
Poll 4: Views on Regional Conflicts, Syria
A majority of Iranians favor sending military personnel to Syria, according to a new poll by the University of Tehran’s Center for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR) and IranPoll.com, working in conjunction with the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM). A majority also…
Energy Secretary on Iran Nuclear Deal
On February 2, Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz discussed the steps Iran has taken to curb its nuclear program and what lies ahead for the nuclear deal at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Moniz played a key role in the negotiations that led to the July 2015 brokering of the…
Rouhani on Economy, Elections, Syria
On February 2, President Hassan Rouhani discussed the economy, the upcoming elections, and the Syria conflict in an interview on state TV. The following are excerpted remarks from the interview.Economy"If U.S. companies are willing to come and invest in Iran, to bring manufacturing to Iran, we have…
Economic Trends: January 2016
Cameron GlennThe most significant development in January was the implementation of the nuclear deal, which awarded Iran partial relief from U.S., U.N., and E.U. sanctions. European and Asian companies quickly took steps to establish a foothold in the Middle East’s second largest economy. Days…
US Issues New Travel Warning for Iran
On January 29, the U.S. State Department issued new guidance warning Americans to “carefully consider the risks of travel to Iran.” The updated travel warning comes less than two weeks after Iran released four Iranian-Americans in exchange for six Iranian-Americans and one Iranian held in the…
Iran Reaches Out to East and West
Cameron GlennIn the two weeks following implementation of the nuclear deal, Iran reached out to Europe and Asia in a series of high-profile visits. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Iran on January 22 and 23, marking the first Chinese presidential visit to Iran in 14 years. On January 25,…
Report: No Improvement in Human Rights
Iran’s human rights situation did not significantly improve in 2015, according to a new report by Freedom House. The brokering of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world’s six major powers in July 2015 raised hopes that President Hassan Rouhani would gain enough leverage to enact domestic…
Report: Corruption Perceptions in Iran
Iran ranked 130 out of 168 countries and territories in terms of corruption perceptions, according to Transparency International’s 2015 report. On a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), Iran received a score of 27, the same score it received in last year’s report. Five other countries…
Report: Human Rights Abuses in Iran
In 2015, Iran executed significantly more people than in previous years, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. Authorities executed at least 830 prisoners from January to November 2015 compared with some 600 from January to October 2014. “Repressive elements within the security and…
Rouhani Challenges Candidate Vetting
In the buildup to the parliamentary election, Iran’s top leaders appear to have differing views as to who should be allowed to run. In a January 21 speech to election officials, Rouhani challenged the Guardian Council’s disqualification of the majority of candidates who registered for the February…
US Implements Changes to Visa Waiver Law
On January 21, the U.S. State Department began implementing changes to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Citizens of 38 countries, including many E.U. states, do not need visas to travel to the United States. But the new measure bars citizens of those countries who are also dual nationals of Iran, Iraq…
Implementation Day: Diplomacy in Pictures
On January 16, Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Vienna for a final series of meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif before implementation of the historic nuclear deal between Iran and the world's six major powers. Implementation Day occurred after the U.N. nuclear…
Poll: Banks Most Corrupt Institutions in Iran
Iranians see banks as the most corrupt type of institution among 14 different types, according to a new survey by U.S.-based Information and Public Opinion Solutions (IPOS). Some 77 percent of those surveyed said banks were corrupt. And some 63 percent of participants thought the judiciary and…
Robert Levinson Not Included in Swap
Robert Levinson, who went missing in Iran more than eight years ago, was not among the four Americans released by Tehran as part of the prisoner swap. President Obama announced on January 17 that Iran had agreed to deepen its coordination with the United States to find him. “Each and every day, but…
Obama Lifts Ban on Civilian Aircraft Exports
On January 15, President Barack Obama issued a presidential memorandum allowing civilian aircraft exports to Iran. Sanctions had prohibited U.S. manufacturers from selling planes, though the 2013 interim nuclear deal lifted bans on selling spare parts. Under the final deal, U.S. businesses will…
Implementation Day: Congress Reacts
The implementation of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world's six major powers prompted mixed reactions from U.S. lawmakers. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that the United States is "on track for full implementation of this historic agreement and greater security and stability in the…
Khamenei Responds to Rouhani Letter
On January 19, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei thanked President Hassan Rouhani and his negotiating team for protecting Iran’s interests while progressing on the nuclear issue. In a written response to a letter sent by Rouhani, Khamenei cited resistance and struggle against the West as key to…