Riccardo Redaelli
COMO, Italy—If proper “timing and tuning” are essential during negotiations, over the past decade, neither Washington nor Tehran has managed to tune their political mood into the same wavelength. When the Islamic Republic was ready to enter into negotiations, the White House was not, and vice-versa. more»
Hossein Askari
WASHINGTON—In Washington, politicians and Iran experts have been pounding the table for what they claim to be the mother of all sanctions on Iran—a gasoline embargo. While in Tehran, Ahmadinejad and his supporters dare President Obama to go ahead and impose a gasoline embargo on Iran. They claim Iran has adequate gasoline storage and enhanced gasoline production capacity to withstand an embargo. Is there substance to Iranian claims? Would a gasoline embargo bring the Tehran regime to its knees? more»
Edith Novy
After the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) adopted a resolution on November 27, which urges Iran “to comply fully and without delay with its obligations” (http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/
Board/ 2009/gov2009-82.pdf), Iran blatantly disregarded international opinion. Iran’s leaders not only failed to answer questions, it threatened to expand its nuclear program and to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). more»
Mahmood Monshipouri
SAN FRANCISCO – The latest technical proposals to emerge from meetings at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna to defuse the standoff over Iran’s nuclear project represent a clear and convincing victory for diplomacy over the cold war rhetoric that had seen Tehran denounced repeatedly by the Bush administration as part of an “axis of evil.” Under the emerging agreement—still to be ratified by Washington and Tehran and far from a done deal—Iran would ship low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Russia for further enrichment that would then be returned to Iran for use in medical research and treatment. This development occurred despite that fact that Iran is capable of producing the appropriate fuel on its own, and it speaks volumes about the reach and effectiveness of diplomacy. more»
Tara Mahtafar
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN—Iran’s internal crisis has done more than thrust the legitimacy of the Islamic political system under the leadership of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei into the public spotlight. It also has begun to chip away at one of the ruling hardline elite’s few successful policies in recent years—its high-stakes gambit with the West over nuclear power and its implied threat of developing a nuclear bomb. 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»