Hardliners will take comfort in the government’s latest nuclear warnings to Washington, but the rhetoric could backfire if more Iranians come to believe that costly new projects hold little economic benefit for them. The twentieth day of Farvardin, which usually coincides with April 8 or 9, is known in Iran as “National Nuclear Technology Day.”… Keep reading →
Mike Pompeo and John Bolton will have ample opportunity to punish Iran through sanctions and other moves, but simply articulating clear, achievable U.S. goals could prove a formidable challenge. As the Trump administration welcomes a new secretary of state and national security advisor this spring, the fate of Iran’s currency, the rial, will loom large… Keep reading →
Civil society figures and experts discuss how reform efforts have fared in Morocco, Tunisia, and Iraq, focusing on socioeconomic metrics that are still lagging behind political progress. On March 14, The Washington Institute held a Policy Forum with three regional civil society figures visiting the country under the auspices of the Hollings Center for International… Keep reading →
The regime and its allies will probably try to peel away U.S. partners or take military action in vulnerable areas, so Washington should prepare to counter such efforts. President Trump’s announcement that CIA chief Mike Pompeo will replace Rex Tillerson as secretary of state has apparently caused a stir in Damascus. The Assad regime historically… Keep reading →
Riyadh’s continuing closeness to Pakistan could prevent Washington from allowing the export of nuclear technology to the kingdom. Sometime in March, Saudi Arabia is expected to announce favored bidders for multibillion-dollar contracts for two nuclear power projects. The need for nuclear power in the kingdom, which has the world’s largest easily recoverable oil reserves, is… Keep reading →
By focusing on Tehran’s struggle to reach an acceptable legal definition of terrorism, Washington can avoid further politicizing the traditionally technocratic effort to bring Iranian banks in line with international norms. Earlier this month, the Euromoney Iran Conference was held in Paris with the aim of bringing together “Iranian bankers and industrial leaders with their… Keep reading →
Two experts diagnose the Shia militia problem in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, offering concrete advice for reducing the power of Iran’s proxies. On February 2, Hanin Ghaddar and Phillip Smyth addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. Ghaddar, the Institute’s Friedman Visiting Fellow, is a veteran Lebanese journalist and researcher. Smyth is a Soref… Keep reading →
Last week the President begrudgingly extended waivers continuing to lift U.S. “secondary sanctions” on Iran.
Their wildly divergent responses to Iran’s protests may be the first salvos in an imminent standoff over the future of the nuclear agreement and international sanctions. If the international response thus far is any indicator, Iran’s protests risk driving a wedge between the United States and Europe, potentially imperiling the West’s ability to forge a… Keep reading →
New guidance on the Trump Administration’s approach to Russia sanctions, tightening of international sanctions against North Korea and continued uncertainty surrounding the future of the US’s Iran policy.
