Congress and White House Clash on Sanctions
A battle is currently underway between the White House and hawks in Congress over whether to pursue a diplomatic agreement with Iran or go forward with new sanctions.
In Geneva, U.S. and Iran Near the Finish Line
As three days of intensive negotiations came to a close here in Geneva, I was reminded of an old Winston Churchill quote that aptly describes the challenge facing America and Iran: “Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions.”
6 Reasons Iran Deal Was Good for America
Diplomacy is never easy. Top diplomats of Iran, the United States and other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany, spent three days debating a first, interim deal on Iran’s nuclear program. And an agreement was found: After 34 years of estrangement, Iran and the U.S. were finally on the same page.
Major Progress in Iran Nuclear Talks
Secretary of State John Kerry, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, High Representative Catherine Ashton, and many other negotiators deserve tremendous credit for bringing the P5+1 and Iran to the brink of a deal.
Jacking up Iran Sanctions Would Kill Peace Talks
With nuclear negotiations set to resume on Thursday in Geneva between Iran, the United States and their negotiating partners, recent signs of progress have raised expectations for a breakthrough to long-stalled negotiations.
NIAC Applauds US-Iran Diplomatic Progress, Warns Congress Against Sabotaging a Deal
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) applauds the U.S. and Iran for engaging in substantive, productive negotiations in Geneva over the past two days.
State Department Advises Senate to Hold Off Iran Sanctions Until After Negotiations
The top U.S. nuclear negotiator in UN Security Council negotiations with Iran urged the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday to hold off on further sanctions until new negotiations commence.
A Historic Week for Iran Diplomacy
Last week’s historic events surrounding the United Nations General Assembly could foreshadow a fundamental shift in U.S.-Iran relations away from mutual antagonism toward peaceful coexistence.
Rouhani’s Electoral Honeymoon Won’t Last Long
This week’s events at and surrounding the UN General Assembly will help determine whether the U.S. and Iran can resolve their differences, or if hardliners on either side will once again succeed in sabotaging reconciliation.
State Department Criticizes Iran on Lack of Religious Freedom
The International Religious Freedom Report describes a deterioration of respect for religious freedom by Iran’s government, including through harassment, imprisonment, and discrimination of religious practices and minorities.
Congress Debates War, Sanctions, Diplomacy and MEK with Top Obama Officials
The House and Senate each held hearings on Iran policy, including sanctions, diplomacy, and war with top administration officials from the State and Treasury departments.
Iranian-American Coalition Reiterates Call for Obama to Allow Earthquake Relief
In the aftermath of the second deadly earthquake to strike Iran within a week, a coalition of organizations have reiterated their call for President Obama to ensure sanctions do not impede humanitarian assistance.