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Explainer: Iran’s Frozen Assets
Esfandyar Batmanghelidj is the founder and chief executive of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation, a think tank focused on economic diplomacy and development in the Middle East and Central Asia.
Iran reportedly has more than $100 billion in frozen assets held in banks abroad. Why are the assets…
U.S. Sanctions IRGC Drone Program
On October 29, the United States sanctioned four men and two companies for supporting Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its external operations arms, the Qods Force. “Iran’s proliferation of UAVs across the region threatens international…
Iran Hosts Regional Meeting on Afghanistan
On October 27, Iran hosted a regional conference to develop a “road map” for improving the security and economic situation in Afghanistan, with which it shares a 572-mile border. “If no solution is found as soon as possible to control and manage the economic crisis in Afghanistan, the crisis will…
Iran Vows to Return to Talks in November
On October 27, Iran’s lead negotiator announced a return to nuclear talks with the world’s six major powers by the end of November. Ali Bagheri, the new deputy foreign minister, tweeted the announcement after meeting in Brussels with Enrique Mora, the E.U. coordinator for the talks.
In response,…
Once Banned, Warhol Displayed in Tehran
Warhol's portraits of Mao ZedongBetween June and October 2021, Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Art held an exhibit of the work of Andy Warhol, an American known as the “king of Pop art” in the mid-20th century. The “Persona” show featured 18 pieces, including colorful depictions of Marilyn Monroe,…
News Digest: Week of October 25
October 25
Human Rights: Iran executed more than 250 people in 2020 and at least 230 in 2021 so far, the U.S. special rapporteur for Iran, Javaid Rehman, told the U.N. General Assembly. He noted that the regime had executed minors in both years.
United States: Iran appeared to be responsible for…
U.S. Envoy on Iran Nuclear Talks
On October 25, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, warned that Tehran’s reasons for delaying nuclear talks were “wearing very thin.” He also said that the United States and its partners were increasingly concerned “over the “pace and direction of Iran’s nuclear progress.” He added that…
U.S. Blames Iran for Strike on Base in Syria
Updated: October 31, 2021
On October 20, the U.S. base at al Tanf in southern Syria was hit by drones and rockets in a “deliberate and coordinated attack,” Central Command said. Iran appeared to be responsible for the attack, which included up to five drones carrying explosives, U.S. officials told the Associated Press. The…
Khamenei Condemns Arab Ties with Israel
Supreme Leader KhameneiOn October 24, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced countries that had established diplomatic ties with Israel. “They sinned by normalizing relations with the usurping, despotic Zionist regime,” he said in a speech marking the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.…
News Digest: Week of October 18
October 18
The Venezuelan and Iranian foreign ministers
Diplomacy: Venezuelan Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia met with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, as well as President Ebrahim Raisi, in Tehran. During a joint press conference, Amir-Abdollahian announced that the two…
Poll: Iranians on Foreign and Defense Policy
As of September 2021, almost 60 percent of Iranians had positive views—in equal degrees—of China and Russia. In contrast, 85 percent reported negative views of the United States and 67 percent viewed the Biden administration’s views on Iran as “hostile.” Some 60 percent reported viewing France…
Poll: Iranians on Nuclear Program, Talks
Six years after it was negotiated, Iranian public opinion was split on the 2015 nuclear deal. Some 47 percent disapproved of the agreement while 48 percent approve of it, according to a new poll by the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) and IranPoll.com. The deal had…
Poll: Iranians on Raisi, Domestic Politics
A large majority of Iranians, 78 percent, had favorable views of President Ebrahim Raisi, according to a new poll by the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) and IranPoll.com. Many Iranians, however, were critical of how the June 2021 election was conducted. Some 44…
Poll: Iranians on COVID-19
Eighteen months after the COVID-19 outbreak, Iranians were significantly more concerned about the government’s response to the pandemic. Some 42 percent of Iranians, up from 25 percent a year earlier, said that Iran’s response has been less effective than the actions by similar countries, according…
Poll: Iranians on the Economy
In September 2021, 74 percent of Iranians said that the overall economic situation was "somewhat bad" or "very bad," according to a new poll by the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) and IranPoll.com. More than 60 percent of Iranians were most concerned about…
New "Protection" Bill on Internet Freedom
Updated: February 23, 2022
Mahsa Alimardani is a researcher at ARTICLE19, an international human rights organization focused on freedom of expression and information. She is also a doctoral student at the University of Oxford’s Oxford Internet Institute.
Since the beginning of the Internet in the mid-1990s, how has Iran…
Robert Malley on State of Nuclear Diplomacy
On October 13, Robert Malley, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, said that the United States and its allies were considering alternative ways to constrain Tehran’s nuclear should diplomacy fail. “Every day they [Iranians] are not coming back to the table … is telling us that this is a team that may…
News Digest: Week of October 11
October 11
Trade: Adani Ports, the largest port operator in India, announced that it would cease - as of November 15 - to handle cargo from Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It did not provide a reason, but the announcement followed a seizure of heroin from Afghanistan worth some $2.65 billion at a…
How the World Aids Iran on COVID-19
Between early February and mid-October 2021, the international community provided Iran with 92.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. China, Iran’s top trading partner, provided the largest amount, about 90 percent of the doses imported by Iran. Iran gained access to foreign vaccines mostly through…
Facebook Removes IRGC-linked Network
Iran's 31 provincesOn October 11, Facebook announced that it had removed a network linked to the Revolutionary Guards that praised the military and criticized opposition groups. Facebook took down 93 accounts, 14 pages, 15 groups and 194 Instagram accounts that targeted primarily domestic audiences…
Iran-linked Hackers Targeted American, Israeli Defense Companies
On October 11, Microsoft announced that a hacking group linked to Iran attempted to gain access to more than 250 accounts “with a focus on U.S. and Israeli defense technology companies, Persian Gulf ports of entry, or global maritime transportation companies with business presence in the Middle…
News Digest: Week of October 4
Politics: In his first public speech after 10 years under house arrest, opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi urged major reforms to eliminate the “flaws and shortcomings” in the Islamic Republic. Karroubi, a former speaker of parliament who ran for the presidency in 2009, was allowed to give a brief…
Khamenei on U.S. and Foreign Intervention
In a wide-ranging speech, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the United States for interfering in its neighboring regions, notably Afghanistan. The Americans “stayed in that country for 20 years killing people, committing crimes, occupying, promoting addictive drugs, and destroying the…
Reformist Speaks After 10 Years of House Arrest
Mehdi KarroubiIn his first public speech after 10 years under house arrest, opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi urged major reforms to eliminate the “flaws and shortcomings” in the Islamic Republic. Karroubi, a former speaker of parliament who ran for the presidency in 2009, was allowed to give a…
Explainer: Iran’s Nuclear Progress
Updated: November 22, 2021
Kelsey Davenport is the Director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association.
After the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the father of Iran's nuclear program, Parliament passed a new law in December 2020 requiring the government to accelerate its nuclear program. What are…
Raisi, the Presidency and Iran's Foreign Policy
Reza H. Akbari is a MENA Program Manager at the Institute for War and Peace Reporting and a doctoral student at American University, where he focuses on the history of the modern Middle East. Follow him on Twitter @rezahakbari.
Iran’s new president, Ebrahim Raisi, has had little experience in…
News Digest: Week of September 27
September 27
Diplomacy: Iraqi officials said that Baghdad had hosted Iranian and Saudi officials for a fourth round of bilateral talks – the first round since President Ebrahim Raisi took office in August. The regional rivals severed diplomatic relations in 2016 after Saudi Arabia executed Nimr al…
Iran and Israel Spar at U.N.
On September 27, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused Iran of destabilizing the Middle East and working towards a nuclear weapon. “Iran's nuclear program has hit a watershed moment, and so has our tolerance. Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning,” he warned in his debut address to…
Raisi Fights Fifth Wave of COVID-19
Updated: February 22, 2022
In the early days of his presidency, Ebrahim Raisi’s top priority was fighting Iran’s fifth and deadliest wave of COVID-19. More than 38,000 new cases and 400 deaths were reported on August 5, the day that he took office. Three days later, Raisi set an example by publicly receiving his first dose…
Iran Ships Fuel to Hezbollah, Defies U.S. Sanctions
In August, Iran began shipping badly needed fuel to Lebanon through Hezbollah, the Lebanese political movement and militia. The move demonstrated Tehran’s unwavering support for the group and defiance of U.S. sanctions. Hezbollah used the shipments to bolster its image amid Lebanon’s economic…