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U.S. Calls on Raisi to Resume Nuclear Talks
On August 5, the United States called on Iran’s new president, Ebrahim Raisi, to resume talks on restoring full U.S. and Iranian compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. “We urge Iran to return to the negotiations soon so that we can seek to conclude our work,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price…
Controversy on Raisi Visa for U.N. Summit
After President Ebrahim Raisi’s inauguration on August 5, the Biden administration faced the awkward issue of whether to grant a visa to a man sanctioned by the U.S. government and who played a role in the massacre of some 5,000 political prisoners. Raisi, like previous Iranian presidents, may seek…
Raisi Inaugurated, Pledges to Revive Economy
On August 5, former judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi took the oath of office as Iran’s eighth president in a ceremony before parliament, senior officials and foreign dignitaries. Raisi’s election, in June, reflects the growing hold by hardliners over all branches of government.
On foreign policy,…
News Digest: Week of August 2
August 2
Diplomacy: The Iranian embassy in Kabul recommended all Iranians residing outside of the capital city "immediately leave" Afghanistan. Iran hosted intra-Afghan talks in early July amid a renewed military offensive by the Taliban and the withdrawal of nearly all U.S. forces.
Health: Iran…
Raisi’s Challenges: Protests, Sanctions & COVID-19
Henry Rome is the deputy head of research at Eurasia Group. Follow him on Twitter @hrome2.
What are the most pressing political issues that Ebrahim Raisi faces at home?
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (left) endorsed Ebrahim Raisi (right) as president on Aug. 3, 2021Raisi is inheriting an…
Khamenei Blesses Raisi as President
On August 3, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei formally endorsed Ebrahim Raisi as president, the first step in the transition of power. He called on Raisi to “empower the middle and lower classes of society that are shouldering the burden of economic problems.” Khamenei gave Raisi a mandate to…
Iran Behind Oil Tanker Attack
Updated: August 25, 2021
On July 29, an oil tanker with ties to Israel was hit in a drone strike off the coast of Oman, killing two crew members. The Mercer Street was owned by a Japanese company and flew the Liberian flag, but was managed by Zodiac Maritime, a company headed by an Israeli shipping magnate. On August 1, U.…
In Farewell, Rouhani Admits Mistakes
Outgoing President Hassan Rouhani apologized to Iranians for their suffering during his eight years in office. “If we had any shortcoming and flaws, we ask people’s forgiveness and mercy,” he said during his last cabinet meeting on August 1. Rouhani said that his administration would have been more…
Rouhani’s Forlorn Presidency
Hassan Rouhani at a 2013 press conferenceAfter the eight years of Ahmadinejad’s controversial presidency, Hassan Rouhani’s election marked a return to government of men (and some women) with experience and common sense. Rouhani was an insider, having served for 16 years as the head of Iran’s…
News Digest: Week of July 26
July 26:
Internet: Iran's Parliament tabled a controversial bill that would have limited access to the internet. Major digital business, including online retailers and video streaming services, had opposed the bill, Al Jazeera reported.
Nuclear: The French foreign ministry warned that Iran's…
Supreme Leader on U.S. & Nuclear Talks
On July 28, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States of being “obstinate” and “cowardly” in talks on restoring full compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. “On paper and in words, they promise to remove the sanctions, but they have not and will not remove them,” he told…
Iran, Afghanistan and the Taliban
Updated: August 18, 2021
For decades, Iran has faced an ever-growing array of challenges from neighboring Afghanistan, with which it shares a 572-mile border. Iran had long sought the withdrawal of U.S. forces, which President Joe Biden announced on April 14. But the absence of the U.S.-led NATO forces has also created new…
Iran at the Olympics
Updated: August 7, 2021
On July 23, Iran’s delegation joined 204 nations to inaugurate the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The Iranian flagbearers, male basketball player Samad Nikkhah Bahrami and female shooter Hanieh Rostamian, led the team in the opening ceremony; the women wore long, light-blue garments and headscarves, while…
U.S. on Iran Protests
On July 28, the State Department condemned Iran’s crackdown on peaceful protests sparked by a water shortage. “We support the rights of Iranians to peacefully assemble and express themselves, without fear of violence and detention by security forces,” Spokesperson Ned Price said. As of July, more…
Iraqi Prime Minister on U.S.-Iran Tensions
Biden and Kadhimi Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al Kadhimi met with President Joe Biden on July 26 for the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Dialogue. The United States committed to removing all combat troops by the end of 2021. The two leaders also spoke about attacks by Iran-backed militias on U.S. troops and…
Raisi: Role in 1988 Massacre
Ebrahim Raisi, winner of Iran’s 2021 presidential election, was a pivotal player in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988. At 27, Raisi was the youngest of four members named to the so-called Death Committee for Tehran after the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini,…
Khamenei Calls on Muslims to Resist West
On July 19, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims across the Middle East to “stand up and resist the aggression, interference and evil of Western powers.” He lambasted the Islamic Republic’s enemies—namely the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel— in a nationally televised…
Raisi: Ties with the Supreme Leader
Hadi Semati is a former professor in the faculty of Law and Political Science at Tehran University and a former scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is now an independent analyst.
What is the relationship between Supreme Leader Ayatollah…
News Digest: Week of July 19
July 19
Health: Iran imposed a week-long lockdown of Tehran, its capital, to deal with the surge in the COVID-19 Delta variant. Most non-essential businesses were already on lockdown, but the new order expanded the lockdown to include all bazaars, markets and government buildings, the Associated…
Raisi: Record on Crackdown & Human Rights
Hadi Ghaemi is the founder and executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran.
What role did Ebrahim Raisi play in the 1988 executions of thousands of Iranian political prisoners? How important or pivotal was he in the decision by the four-member commission to execute these prisoners…
Iran Delays Return to Vienna Talks
The international diplomacy to revive U.S. and Iranian compliance with the historic 2015 nuclear deal faced delays after Tehran announced on July 17 that it would not return to the negotiating table until after the inauguration of President-elect Raisi in early August. The talks in Vienna between…
Iranian Hackers Targeted Western Militaries
On July 15, Facebook took down nearly 200 fake accounts used by Iranian hackers to target U.S., British and European military and defense personnel. The group, named Tortoiseshell by the cybersecurity company Symantec, sought to infect the computers of victims with malware and steal their login…
News Digest: Week of July 12
July 12
Diplomacy: The State Department said that the U.S. delegation was "prepared to return" to Vienna for a seventh round of talks "as soon as they are scheduled."
Health: The European Union donated $17.7 million (15 million euros) to Iran to help with COVID-19 relief efforts and hosting of…
U.S. Indicts Iranians Plotting to Kidnap Journalist
Updated: April 7, 2023
On July 13, the Department of Justice charged four Iranians – one intelligence official and three “intelligence assets” – with conspiring to kidnap an Iranian American journalist living in Brooklyn. The four men were charged with conspiracy to kidnap, violating U.S. sanctions on Iran, money…
COVID-19 Delta Variant Hits Iran
Updated: August 26, 2021
In June 2021, new COVID-19 cases in Iran rose as the more infectious Delta variant spread throughout the country. The Delta variant entered Iran via its south and southeastern provinces of Fars, Hormozgan, Kerman and Sistan and Baluchistan. It spread to other provinces during presidential elections…
Iran Suffers Twin Power & Water Crises
Updated: August 3, 2021
Iran suffered both power outages and water shortages during the scorching summer heat wave in 2021. Starting on May 23, several major cities, including Tehran, were hit by rolling power blackouts that were the worst since 2010. The outages were caused by soaring temperatures – as high as 122…
Controversy over IAEA Nuclear Inspections
Iran repeatedly threatened to limit inspections of its nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after its hardline parliament passed a new law in December 2020. The issue of allowing international monitoring then became intertwined with the renewed diplomacy between the…
U.S. Seizes Websites Tied to Iran
On June 22, the United States seized three dozen web addresses affiliated with Iran and its proxies, including Tehran’s flagship international broadcaster Press TV. The Justice Department was able to take down the sites because the domain names were administered and sold by U.S. companies. Thirty-…
Iran's Drone Fleet
When did Iran start building a drone fleet?
Iran’s interest in drones and uninhabited vehicles really goes back to the Iran-Iraq war in the mid-1980s. The Iranians have been in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) business for several decades. The first generation of the Ababil that was used during…
News Digest: Week of June 28
June 28
Health: Iran's health minister pledged that there would not be a shortage of coronavirus vaccines in the coming months.
Nuclear: Iran has not made a decision "negative or positive" on whether to extend a monitoring agreement with the United Nation's (U.N.) nuclear watchdog, a foreign…