Hossein Askari
WASHINGTON—Absent a miraculous turnaround on the part of the regime in Tehran, President Obama is poised to tighten the screws on Iran. Not only has Tehran reneged on a deal it tentatively accepted in Geneva, it has said that it intends to construct ten more secret enrichment sites and that it would abandon its nuclear drive only when the United States and its allies do the same. more»
Keyhan Kasravi
BERLIN—Widespread protests against the disputed June 12 presidential election are not limited to large cities in Iran. Many dissidents around the world use every tool available to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Iran’s government. more»
Jasim Husain Ali
TEHRAN/BAGHDAD—Iran wields a great deal of influence in Iraq, extending beyond their long common border, for two primary reasons: both countries have few friends in the region, and they reap great benefits from their close relationship. more»
ROME — In 2008, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs held four meetings in Europe that included some Iranian officials as well as some Iranian experts from the West and a few countries from other regions. The scope of the meetings was to address ways to develop discussions with Iran that could bring about a more constructive climate and possibly yield some positive results. more»
Shayan Ghajar
Events the past few weeks in Turkey indicate that a sea change is occurring in the nation’s domestic politics. Prime Minister Erdogan’s maneuvering against the traditionally untouchable military marks a new phase in Turkey’s history. This shift in Turkey’s domestic politics follows a more gradual but no less relevant shift in its foreign policy, and likely indicates even greater changes to come. Mutual trade, investment, and tourism are growing between Turkey and Iran, and the two nations are increasingly in accord on three of the regions biggest security issues, namely the Middle East peace process, Iran’s nuclear program, and Kurdish separatism. more»
Shayan Ghajar
The low turnout and disorganization of Green Movement protestors on February 11, Iran’s 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, highlighted the weaknesses of the opposition’s approach in the face of intensifying pressures from the government. However, while the Green Movement may have suffered its first significant blow from the government last Thursday, both the leadership and grassroots supporters appear to be returning to their original strategy of decentralizing their protests. more»
Shayan Ghajar
The Iranian government intensified its internet filters and communications blackouts on February 11, 2010. The day marks the 31-year anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and is witnessing massive demonstrations both for and against the government. Getting news out of the country is increasingly difficult for Iranians as the government clamped down on communications systems ranging from text messaging to email services. In previous protests, opposition supporters organized demonstrations on various social networking sites, and published videos and accounts of protests online in defiance of strict regulations on domestic and foreign press in Iran. more»