On October 11, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Treasury issued a detailed advisory on Iran’s attempts to exploit the U.S. financial system. It was intended to help financial institutions to detect illicit transactions tied to the Islamic Republic and avoid exposure to U.S. sanctions. When President Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal, he indicated that U.S. sanctions were to be reimposed in two rounds, one on August 7 and one on November 5. The upcoming round of sanctions will target Iran’s oil exports, the most important part of the economy.

On October 4, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asserted that Iran’s economy is strong enough to “defeat” U.S. sanctions. He delivered a defiant address to a stadium filled with thousands of members of the Basij paramilitary. Khamenei criticized President Donald Trump for “wishful thinking” about the frailty of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei acknowledged that having an oil-dependent economy was a shortcoming, but he claimed that Iran's enemies were using the media to present a distorted picture of the situation in Iran.

On October 4, President Donald Trump vowed to “roll back Iran’s global terrorist network” in his announcement of a new counterterrorism strategy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also cited Iran as a key threat. “Terrorist groups and networks such as al-Qa`ida, ISIS, and Iranian-supported terrorists continue to target us, our allies, and partners. We must combat these threats through a comprehensive and coordinated approach,” he said. Iran was the only country that Trump and Pompeo mentioned by name in their statements on the new strategy. 

Robin Wright had two interviews with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during his week-long trip to the United Nations in New York. One was one-on-one, and the second was with a group of journalists. The following are excerpts arranged by issues. 

Belgian security authorities thwarted a bombing attack targeting an Iranian opposition group’s rally just outside of Paris on June 30. Some 25,000 attended the “Free Iran 2018-The Alternative” event in Vellepinte. High profile speakers included former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich and Rudy Giuliani, a former mayor of New York City who is currently President Donald Trump’s attorney.

On October 3, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered the United States to ease sanctions on Iran for humanitarian reasons. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018 and imposed a first round of sanctions on Iran in August. A second round of sanctions, which will target oil exports, will go into effect on November 4. 

On September 25, the State Department's Iran Action Group released a report detailing Iran’s support of terrorism, missile program, illicit financial activities, threat to maritime security, threat to cybersecurity, human rights a

On September 25, the State Department's Iran Action Group released a report detailing Iran’s support of terrorism, missile program, illicit financial activities, threat to maritime security, threat to cybersecurity, human rights a

On September 25, the State Department's Iran Action Group released a report detailing Iran’s support of terrorism, missile program, illicit financial activities, threat to maritime security, threat to cybersecurity, human rights a

On September 25, the State Department's Iran Action Group released a report detailing Iran’s support of terrorism, missile program, illicit financial activities, threat to maritime security, threat to cybersecurity, human rights a