New Optimism Over Iran Talks Tempered by Threat of Incoming Congress

by Derek Davison The new year may have brought with it some signs of progress toward a comprehensive deal between world powers and Iran, lending credence to one of Graham Fuller’s 2015 predictions for the Middle East. However, any movement toward a… Continue Reading

Under-reported: Iran’s stockpile of 20 percent-enriched uranium has decreased

The Arms Control Association’s Greg Thielmann notes that there was a decrease in Iran’s stockpile of 20 percent-enriched uranium, as indicated by the latest International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) report about Iran’s nuclear program, but did you know that? The P5+1… Continue Reading

Geneive Abdo: It’s not Iran in 1979 and The Muslim Brotherhood Isn’t in the Driver’s Seat

While diverse voices from neoconservative pundits in Washington to Iranian state-run media have been having a field day comparing the pro-democracy protests in Egypt to the ousting of the Shah of Iran in 1979, Geneive Abdo, director of the Iran… Continue Reading

Self-fulfilling prophecy: Dennis Ross Doesn’t Think Anything Can Get Accomplished

I was struck by an article by Nathan Guttman in the legendary Jewish Daily Forward about Dennis Ross and George Mitchell jockeying for the position of Obama Administration’s point-person in the Middle East peace process. The whole thing is a… Continue Reading

Ahmadinejad Cans FM, Replaces with Nuke Chief

Does the selection of Iran’s nuclear czar as its new (interim) foreign minister say anything about nuclear negotiations between Iran and the West? We don’t really know, and given that the next round of talks is only a month away, we might… Continue Reading