Keeping Iran Safe and Prosperous Is Ultimately Its Leaders’ Responsibility

by Shireen T. Hunter     The United States and Iran just avoided a military confrontation that could have degenerated into an open conflict. If allowed to escalate, this conflict would have led to an all-out war with devastating consequence for… 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

Iran’s JCPOA Exit: Strategic Mistake or Stepping Stone?

by Jalil Bayat Iran’s recent decision to leave the 2015 nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA) stage by stage can only mean one of two things. It is either a strategic mistake or a stepping stone… Continue Reading

Tehran’s Policies Risk Iran’s Territorial Integrity

by Shireen T. Hunter In his conversations with American journalists during his recent visit to New York, as reported in The New Yorker, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that some of Iran’s regional rivals, especially Israel, Saudi Arabia, and… Continue Reading

Zarif’s Resignation: Foreign Betrayal, Domestic Infighting

by Farhang Jahanpour After Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced his resignation via Instagram shortly before midnight local time on February 25, many foreign pundits and officials celebrated his departure. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response was “Zarif is… Continue Reading