Escalating Iran Sanctions Could Damage Hopes for New Beginning
On Monday, July 1 new Executive and Congressional sanctions on Iran, put in place before Iran’s recent elections, came into force. These new sanctions target the shipping and automobile sectors, financial transactions involving gold, and holdings of Iran’s currency, the rial. These latest sanctions come amid a growing debate over whether sanctions could undermine diplomatic opportunities […]
What Obama’s new team may mean for diplomatic progress with Iran
The commencement of President Obama’s second term in office brings a whole host of updates to his administration. With old advisors and secretaries departing and a new national security team being formed, several of these changes may have direct implications on future talks with Iran. Foremost among these is the recent Senate confirmation of John […]
Thank Obama for Suspending Sanctions on Humanitarian Aid
Dear President Obama, Thank you for taking action to enable the American people to help the Iranian people in their time of need following the earthquakes that struck northern Iran. We greatly appreciate your issuance of a general license to help ensure sanctions don’t obstruct humanitarian relief in the aftermath of this tragedy. Your efforts demonstrate […]
Iran News Roundup: July 31, 2012
Obama Authorizes New Iran Sanctions President Obama authorized new sanctions against banks that facilitate the sale of petrochemical products by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Naftiran Intertrade Company (NIC). Additionally, the President imposed sanctions on the Bank of Kunlun in China and Elaf Islamic Bank in Iraq for processing transactions for sanctioned Iranian […]
Dysfunctional Congress Threatens Iran Talks
As the United States and Iran look for an exit ramp off the road to war, they may find a surprising new obstacle: the very sanctions legislation that many credit for bringing Iran back to the negotiating table. As a result of that sanctions bill, Congress now has the de-facto power to block any diplomatic […]
Question’s for tonight’s GOP debate
The GOP candidates will take to the stage tonight at 8pm EST to debate national security issues, and we expect Iran policy will once again be a major point of discussion. Given that many of the candidates have had a chance to offer their talking points on Iran, here are some questions the moderators can […]
“All Options” on Iran Must Include Diplomacy
For the first time since the May 2010 “Tehran Declaration,” Iran has offered a proposal that could break the deadlock over its nuclear program. While there are many unanswered questions about the contours of the proposal and about Iran’s motivations for offering it, there is only one way to answer those questions: renewed diplomacy. According […]
Will the Obama Administration Listen to Gates or Neo-Cons?
As a Bush Administration holdover, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has largely avoided Republican attacks. A Republican working in a Democratic administration, Secretary Gates seems to enjoy broad support on both sides of the aisle, and his policy recommendations are generally approved of enthusiastically by both political parties. His recent comments on Iran, however, have the […]
Deja Vu All Over Again
On the heels of last week’s testimony by Tony Blair before Britain’s Chilcot panel regarding the Iraq war, Seumas Milne discusses in the Guardian yesterday the parallels between the 2002 run up to war with Iraq and the current escalation in rhetoric and military forces aimed at Iran . In his column, “The lessons of […]
Why Roxana?
cross posted from HuffingtonPost: Tehran’s sentencing of Roxana Saberi to eight years of prison for spying has shocked people inside and outside the country. At a time when President Barack Obama is seeking a dialogue with Tehran, what kind of a signal does Roxana’s sentencing send, particularly since Iran didn’t live up to the standards […]