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Analysis of Iran Nuke Talks

Michael Adler in Istanbul What happened during the talks? The most concrete result of the meeting in Istanbul on April 14 was a new round of talks scheduled for May 23 in Baghdad.    The original goal was to re-start diplomacy between Iran and the world’s six major powers— Britain, China, France…

Statements after First Diplomatic Meeting with Iran

European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton issued the following statement on behalf of the world's six major powers about the talks with Iran, which were held in Istanbul on April 14, 2012: The EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, together with the Political…

Leaders in Iran, U.S., Israel on Nuke Talks

The following is a collection of recent quotes from senior officials in Iran, the United States, and Israel about the new diplomatic initiative to resolve disputes over Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. The world’s six major powers—the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia…

U.S.-Iran Trade Still Thrives

Annika Folkeson Trade is still thriving between the United States and Iran, despite harsh international sanctions. In 2011, Iran imported $229 million worth of American goods, everything from beauty products to bull semen, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics.   And sales have continued…

9 Polls on U.S. and Israeli Opinions on Iran

U.S. and Israeli pollsters have recently surveyed public opinion about either an Israeli or U.S. attack on Iran’s suspected nuclear facilities. The questions in the following nine Israeli and American polls feature different timeframes and options.    Five U.S. public opinion polls   Reuters…

Obama Moves Toward Sanctioning Iran Oil

      On March 30, President Obama issued the following memorandum for the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Energy.   By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, after carefully considering the report…

Iran Could Replace Bombed Centrifuge Sites in Six Months

The Congressional Research Service issued a report on March 28 entitled “Israel: Possible Military Strike Against Iran’s Nuclear Facilities.” It concludes that Iran could replace key centrifuge facilities within six months of a possible military strike. It also quotes sources who suggest that…

U.S. Targets Iran Arms Shipments

On March 27, the Treasury Department designated an Iranian airline and officials for exporting lethal aid to the Levant and Africa. The following is the Treasury Department's statement. WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced the designation of…

Obama on Iran during Korea Trip

President Obama at Hankuk University, Seoul, South Korea, March 26 Under the NPT, Iran has the right to peaceful nuclear energy.  In fact, time and again the international community—including the United States—has offered to help Iran develop nuclear energy peacefully.  But…

Israeli Launches Quirky Anti-war Campaign on Facebook

Annika Folkeson      Israel and Iran may be nearing confrontation over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program, but Israeli graphic designer Ronnie Edry has launched a quirky campaign to build peace with the Iranian public. It’s logo is “We (heart) you.” It’s message, posted on Facebook and Youtube,…

U.S.: 11 Nations Reduce Iran Oil Purchases

On March 20, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued the following statement on Significant Reductions of Iranian Crude Oil Purchases:  I am pleased to announce that an initial group of eleven countries has significantly reduced their volume of crude oil purchases from Iran -- Belgium, the…

On Nowruz, Obama Calls for End to “Electronic Curtain”

Remarks of President Obama Marking Nowruz      Today, Michelle and I extend our best wishes to all those who are celebrating Nowruz around the world.  In communities and homes from America to southwest Asia, families and friends are coming together to celebrate the hope that comes with renewal…

Supreme Leader Calls for “Economic Jihad” in New Year

The following is an excerpt from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s message on March 20 to mark Nowruz, the Iranian New Year.      I would like to congratulate all my dear countrymen across the nation, all Iranians who are living in different parts of the world and all other nations who celebrate Nowruz […

U.S. to Support Internet Freedom in Iran

Fact Sheet: Treasury interpretive guidance and statement of licensing policy on internet freedom in Iran  WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today issued guidance and licensing information to further support the free flow of…

Assessing Iran’s Parliamentary Election

Mehdi Khalaji  Who were the winners and losers in this election?   The most important result of this election was the rise of a new generation of hardliners. It did not have a serious presence in parliament before the election. The new hardline faction is led by Ayatollah…

Global Financial Service Cuts Off Iran

On March 15, the global financial service, SWIFT, decided to cut ties with Iranian banks. The following is SWIFT’s statement. See below for a statement by the Treasury Under Secretary David S. Cohen.   Brussels, 15 March 2012 – Following an EU Council decision, SWIFT is today…

Obama and Cameron on Diplomacy with Iran

     At a joint White House press conference on March 14, President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron commented on the new diplomatic effort with Iran by the world’s six major powers.      President Obama:     We also discussed the continuing threat posed by Iran’s failure to meet its…

U.S. Poll Opposes Israel Striking Iran

A new poll finds that only one in four Americans favors Israel conducting a military strike against Iran's nuclear program. Seven in ten (69%) favor the US and other major powers continuing to pursue negotiations with Iran, a position that is supported by majorities of Republicans (58%), Democrats…

Obama on Iran

President Obama commented extensively on Iran at a White House news conference on March 6, 2012. "Because sanctions are starting to have significant effect inside of Iran -- and that's not just my assessment, that's, I think, a uniform assessment -- because the sanctions are going to be even…

U.N. Reports “Striking Pattern” of Abuses

A new report by the U.N. Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran issued a new report on March 6, 2012. It concluded: The Special Rapporteur has catalogued allegations that produce a striking pattern of violations of fundamental human rights guaranteed under international law. He restates his…

U.S. Sanctions Iran for Heroin Trafficking

On March 7, the Treasury Department designated Iranian Qods Force General overseeing Afghan Heroin trafficking through Iran. The following is the Treasury Department’s statement. WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated Iranian Islamic Revolutionary…

Gallup: 8% of Iranians Approve of U.S. Leadership

According to a 2012 Gallup poll, only eight percent of Iranians approve of U.S. leadership. Quick Summary: Iranians' already low approval of U.S. leadership did not get worse after the U.S. toughened sanctions in late 2011. Eight percent of Iranians approved of U.S. leadership…

Election Watch #4: Facts on Iran’s Election

On Jan. 21, Iran announced the final list of candidates for the upcoming parliamentary election. The following are key facts on the list of candidates. 5,395 candidates originally registered to run for parliament.3,444 were approved by the guardian council, which…

Part II: Khamenei: The Nuclear Decision-maker

Alireza Nader The fate of Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons program—which now threatens yet another Middle East conflagration—rests in the hands of a single man: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.   Iranians are now gripped by a sense that their nation stands at a…

Part I: Khamenei Denies Nuclear Weapon

At a meeting with Iranian nuclear scientists on Feb. 22, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the following remarks about Iran’s nuclear program, international pressure and sanctions.   “The Iranian nation has never been after nuclear weapons and it will never go after…

CSIS: Iran’s Growing Missile Capabilities

Anthony Cordesman The Center for Strategic and International Studies on Feb. 22 published “Iran and the Gulf Military Balance - II” by Anthony Cordesman and Alexander Wilner. The following is an excerpt from the report.   Iran continues to deny it is seeking nuclear weapons but it is much more…

How much oil does Europe buy from Iran?

Iran announced on Feb. 19 that it would halt all oil sales to France and Britain, a response to new EU sanctions on Iranian oil imports due to go into effect this summer. But the top 10 European economies actually acquire only a modest share of their oil from Iran. The following are EU statistics…

U.S. Military Chief: Strike Not “Prudent”

On Feb. 19, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey made the following comments on Iran in an interview on CNN’s GPS with Fareed Zakaria.   On Iran’s nuclear intentions We also know, or believe we know, that the Iranian regime has not decided that they will embark on the [...] effort…

U.S. Sanctions Iranian Intelligence Ministry

On Feb. 16, the State Department issued the following statement on Iran:Today the United States Government took three separate sanctions actions against Iran’s primary intelligence agency, the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). MOIS was designated for its involvement in the…

Pew: American Views on Iran Nuke Program

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Feb. 8-12, 2012, among 1,501 adults, finds substantial partisan differences over how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program.  The public supports tough measures – including the possible use of military…