Obama Prepares for Showdown with Congress Over Iran Deal

by Jasmin Ramsey Two days after the deadline for reaching a deal over Iran’s nuclear programme had passed, negotiators looked like they would be going home empty handed. But a surprisingly detailed framework was announced Apr. 2 in Lausanne, Switzerland,… Continue Reading

Netanyahu’s U.S. Popularity Has Declined Sharply: Poll

by Jim Lobe While U.S. public sentiment toward Israel has remained relatively stable, favorability ratings for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have declined sharply over the past six weeks, and particularly since his controversial speech before Congress March 3, according to… Continue Reading

GOP Mega-Donor Sheldon Adelson Funds Mysterious Anti-Iran Pressure Group

by Eli Clifton Nearly one-third of anti-Iran pressure group United Against Nuclear Iran’s 2013 budget came from the country’s foremost Republican mega-donor, a man who invested a reported $98 million to defeat Barack Obama in the 2012 election, casino magnate… Continue Reading

AIPAC’s Problems

by Jim Lobe The latest issue of the New Yorker features a lengthy article by Connie Bruck on the recent travails of AIPAC, especially its unsuccessful efforts since last November to increase sanctions on Iran, and its steady Likudnik drift, which has increasingly alienated its… Continue Reading

Congressional Backlash on Iran is a Problem for Europe, Too

by Ellie Geranmayeh  In recent weeks, hard-line members of the US Congress have stepped up their game of obstructing diplomacy with Iran. Resolving the Iranian nuclear conflict has been used as a chip in domestic politics rather than a foreign policy issue… Continue Reading