Europe’s Failure to Meet Iran Halfway

by Kaveh L. Afrasiabi With Iran’s July 7 deadline rapidly approaching for Europe to live up to its obligations under the nuclear agreement or face consequences, there is little evidence that European governments are willing to meet Iran even halfway.… Continue Reading

Iran’s Strategy of Reversible Escalation

by Eldar Mamedov In case anyone thought Iran was bluffing with its threats to respond robustly to U.S. “maximum pressure,” recent developments should have disabused them of that notion. Not only did Iran down a highly sophisticated American drone near… Continue Reading

Libya: Flashpoint in French-Italian Ties

by Giorgio Cafiero One of the important dynamics shaping Libya’s five-year-old civil war is France’s support for General Khalifa Haftar and his forces in the Libyan National Army (LNA). Although officials in Paris generally deny backing Haftar, or remain silent… Continue Reading

Can Mediation Efforts Between US and Iran Succeed?

by Shireen T. Hunter     Tehran these days has been witnessing a lot of diplomatic visitors. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas just ended a visit to Iran and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo  Abe will be in Tehran in mid-June. The… Continue Reading