Poll Highlights Rouhani’s Reelection Challenge

by Derek Davison With all 1600-plus candidates now registered for next month’s Iranian presidential election, the results of a new public opinion survey by IranPoll suggest that incumbent President Hassan Rouhani may have a challenge on his hands if he… Continue Reading

Will Disgraced Pres. Ahmadinejad Impede Diplomatic Window of Opportunity with Iran?

US-Iran relations expert Trita Parsi explains why diplomatic headway can be made with Iran in the time period after the US presidential election and before the Iranian election in the Daily Beast’s “Open Zion“: Between November 8, 2012, and mid-March… Continue Reading

No changes in Iran-US relations expected until after Iranian election

This week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton indicated they wanted talks with Iran to resume even as the US’s dual-track policy of pressure and diplomacy (translation: more sanctions) continues: HIGH REPRESENTATIVE ASHTON: As you know, in New… Continue Reading

Khamenei Likely to Hold Onto Weakened Ahmadinejad

By Yasaman Baji via IPS News Amid growing and increasingly harsh criticism of his handling of the economy, talk of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s removal has regained momentum in Iran in recent weeks. But, according to most observers, Iran’s supreme leader,… Continue Reading

On the Politics of how well Sanctions are Working

The escalating sanctions regime that has been imposed on Iran by the United States and European Union has placed all parties involved in a rather strange position. On the US side, the palpable glee over the dropping value of the… Continue Reading