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Iran’s Subsidy Reform: RIP
In November 2012, Iran’s parliament suspended subsidy reform and is now unlikely to allow “drastic increases” in the price of consumer staples over the next year, according to a new report by Jahangir Amuzegar. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a phased reform plan in 2010 that…
U.S. Sanctions Iranian Nuclear Proliferation Networks
On December 13, the U.S. Treasury and State Department imposed sanctions on seven Iranian companies and five individuals for “proliferating weapons of mass destruction” pursuant to Executive Order 13382. The entities “provide the Iranian government unique goods, technology and services…
U.S. Intelligence: Iran Key to Future Mideast Stability
Iran’s nuclear intentions will be a key variable in future Middle East stability, according to a new report by the U.S. National Intelligence Council. “Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds” explores what the world may look like in the coming decades. The report predicts that an…
U.S.-Iranian Competition in the Middle East
The Arab uprisings shattered the conventional military balance between Iran and the United States in the Middle East, according to an updated report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The two countries have since strengthened relationships with both state and non-…
U.S. Intelligence: Iran Key to Future Mideast Stability
Iran’s potential decision to build a nuclear weapon may be the key variable in the future stability of the Middle East, according to a new report by the U.S. National Intelligence Council. “Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds” predicts that Tehran’s decision to build a nuclear weapon…
U.S. Ready for Negotiations but Time is Short
On December 8, Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns said that the United States is ready for negotiations if Iran is “serious about meeting its international obligations” on its nuclear program. He spoke at the Manama Dialogue, a regional security summit convened by the…
U.S. Renews Iran Sanctions Waivers
On December 7, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the renewal of Iran sanctions exceptions for China, India, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Taiwan. The nine countries will be able to continue buying reduced quantities of Iranian…
U.S. Issues Iran Travel Warning
On December 7, the State Department warned that U.S. citizens may be subject to “harassment or arrest while traveling or residing in Iran.” Dual national Iranian-Americans could face additional obstacles because Tehran does not recognize their American citizenship. The following is an…
U.S. “Virtual Embassy” Gets 2 Million Hits
The State Department announced that the “Virtual Embassy Tehran” website has been visited nearly two million times by Iranians since its December 2011 launch. The site provides Farsi-language information on U.S. policy, American culture and how Iranians can visit the United States. The…
Weighing Benefits and Costs of International Sanctions Against Iran
The United States could better leverage sanctions against Iran while mitigating negative consequences, according to a new report by former U.S. ambassadors, generals, officials and national security experts. International sanctions imposed on Iran over the last three decades have…
Khamenei Comments: Iran on the Rise
In November, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised Iran’s influence and growing power in the region. He challenged Arab governments to follow Tehran’s example by assisting the Palestinians in Gaza. On Iran’s Navy Day, Khamenei encouraged navy commanders to expand operations in…
Iran on Direct U.S. Talks
Senior Iranian officials sent mixed signals in response to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s statement about bilateral talks between Washington and Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has indicated an openness to direct U.S. talks. But the Supreme Leader’s…
Israeli Support Wanes for Iran Strike
Support for an Israeli strike on Iran has waned over the last year, according to a new study. Only one in five Israelis polled support a unilateral strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Half of the respondents said they believed that Iran will eventually acquire nuclear weapons, while…
U.S. Sanctions Iran's Shipping and Energy Sectors
On November 30, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved new sanctions on Iran’s energy and shipping sectors. Foreign financial institutions will face stiff penalties for facilitating the sale, supply or transfer of goods or services from Iranian energy and shipping companies. The sanctions…
Clinton: U.S. Must Test Diplomatic Option
On November 29, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that “it’s imperative that we do everything we can – unilaterally, bilaterally, multilaterally–” to reach an agreement with Iran on its nuclear program. The key word may have been "bilateral," indicating that Washington is open to…
U.S. Sets March Deadline for Iran’s Cooperation
On November 29, Ambassador Robert Wood set a March 2013 deadline for Iran to begin cooperating with the U.N. nuclear watchdog. He warned that the United States may otherwise refer the nuclear issue to the U.N. Security Council. “Iran cannot be allowed to indefinitely ignore its…
Iran’s Nuclear Program: A Shift in the Winds?
Shaul Bakhash In the wake of President Obama’s re-election, Iran has been signaling its readiness for direct talks with the United States over Iran’s nuclear program. A spate of statements in early November by officials close to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, speak of…
Iran Denies Role in Gaza Crisis
Senior Iranian officials have vehemently denied any role in the Gaza crisis over the past week. Tehran claimed it only provides “spiritual” support to Hamas, and condemned Israeli strikes. But officials also criticized Arab countries and the international community for not taking…
U.N. Watchdog: Iran Expands Nuclear Activities
On November 16, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran is continuing to enrich uranium, upgrade its facilities and build a heavy water reactor. Since August, Tehran has added 43 kilograms of 20 percent-enriched uranium to its stockpile. At the current pace, it…
Economic Impact of a U.S.-Iran Conflict
On November 16, a new report by the Federation of American Scientists estimated that a full-scale U.S. invasion of Iran could cost $1.7 trillion. The report on the potential impact of a conflict featured six different scenarios for the global economy. In one scenario, additional U.S.…
Iran’s Post-U.S. Influence in Iraq
Interview with Ambassador Jim Jeffrey By Garrett Nada Jim Jeffrey was U.S. Ambassador to Iraq from 2010-2012. He was also ambassador to Turkey, and deputy national security advisor under the George W. Bush administration. He is now a visiting fellow at The Washington Institute…
Obama to Push for Dialogue with Iran
On November 14, President Barack Obama announced that he will push to start a dialogue between Iran and the international community in the coming months. “There should be a way in which they [the Iranians] can enjoy peaceful nuclear power while still meeting their international…
U.S. "Appalled" After Blogger Dies in Iran Prison
On November 9, the United States condemned Iran's persecution of blogger Sattar Beheshti, who died in prison reportedly after being tortured. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland issued the following statement. We are appalled by reports that Iranian authorities…
Obama to Continue Iran’s National Emergency Status
On November 9, President Barack Obama officially notified Congress that the White House will continue the national emergency status of Iran. The following is an excerpt from his letter with links to the two formal notifications. Our relations with Iran have not yet…
The List: Iran Bans Luxury Imports
On November 8, the Islamic Republic announced a ban on over 70 types of foreign luxury goods. Iran Daily reported that the ban on imports could save the country $4 billion annually. Tehran’s foreign currency reserves are low due to international sanctions on its oil sales. Oil exports…
Will Obama Win Jumpstart Diplomacy?
Patrick Clawson Diplomacy has been on hold since the last round of talks in June between Iran and the world’s six major powers in Moscow. What are the diplomatic options after the U.S. presidential election? The talks have stalled since June. The Iranians may have been waiting to…
Iran Reacts to Obama Win
After President Obama’s reelection, Iranian officials indicated that they are open to renewed negotiations. “If it benefits us, we can hold talks with America even at the bottom of hell,” said Human Rights Council Secretary Mohammad Javad Larijani. His conservative brother, Judiciary…
U.S. Sanctions 17 Individuals and Entities
On November 8, the U.S. Treasury announced “a set of targeted sanctions against 17 individuals and entities related to the Iranian government’s human rights abuses, its support of terrorism, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).” The actions were taken according to the…
Iran Letter to U.N. on Israeli Threat
On November 7, Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee sent a letter to the United Nations claiming that "Iran has never had any intention to attack any other nation." Khazaee condemned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent comments suggesting Israel would strike Iranian nuclear…
U.N. Nuclear Watchdog: No progress over past year
On November 5, United Nations nuclear chief Yukiya Amano announced that his agency “cannot conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities.” Talks between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency since November 2011 have not delivered “concrete results,” he…