Back to Basics

A recent incident reminded me of the strong emotions that underlie thinking about Iran by some officials and ex-officials in the United States and parts of Europe. In this instance, an academic who had questioned whether Iran’s safeguards agreement gives… Continue Reading →

Is sanctions relief really on the table?

The Guardian is reporting that a “reformulated” proposal including “limited sanctions relief” will be launched by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (p5+1) after the US presidential election. Earlier this week Al-Monitor reported along the same lines and Secretary… Continue Reading →

Applying Lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis to Iran

In his debunking of the myths surrounding the Cuban missile crisis, Slate journalist Fred Kaplan derives lessons that can be applied to the ongoing dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. His second and third points, in particular, stand out (emphasis mine): Second,… Continue Reading →

Anti-Iran Hawks Maintain P.R. Offensive

via IPS News When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the U.N. General Assembly last month that Iran’s nuclear programme was unlikely to breach his “red line” for presumed military action until next spring or summer, many observers here looked… Continue Reading →