by Shireen T. Hunter Not long after the outbreak of the crisis over Ukraine and Crimea, many observers began asking the following question: what impact could renewed Russo-Western tensions have on the fate of the ongoing negotiations with Iran over… Continue Reading
by Mark N. Katz Israel, Saudi Arabia, and some of the other ArabGulf states are deeply skeptical of the Obama Administration’s efforts to reach a deal with Iran limiting its nuclear program and to improve U.S.-Iranian relations generally. America’s traditional… Continue Reading
All four of the ambassadors who received recess appointments from President Obama were considered fully qualified by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who approved their nominations and sent them to the full Senate for confirmation. All have been kept from taking up their diplomatic posts on by unilateral actions on the part of one or two senators, who prevented their appointments from reaching the Senate floor for the votes that almost certainly would have confirmed them. Continue Reading
Because U.S.-led sanctions freeze Iran out of many markets, the Islamic Republic is always trying to find new places to dip its fingers. At Foreign Policy, Haley Sweetland Edwards gives an interesting breakdown of Iran’s attempts to woo the countries… Continue Reading