Short Briefing Paper on Iran’s Upcoming Presidential Elections

by The Iran Project  Do Iran’s Presidential Elections Matter? Iranian presidents are sandwiched between the Supreme Leader (the ultimate decider),parliament, and the Guardian Council (the arbiter of law’s conformity with Islam). Together,these institutions have a direct say and exercise veto powers… Continue Reading

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard: How Revolutionary?

by Henry Johnson Ayatollah Khomeini once declared that if it weren’t for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), there would be no revolutionary Iran. In many ways, he was right. From its humble roots among disorganized militias fighting the Shah,… Continue Reading

New Iran Sanctions Bills Could Kill the Nuclear Deal, Pave the Way to War

by Tyler Cullis Congress is in an apparent race with the Trump administration to see who can pose the greater threat to the sustainability of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)–the nuclear accord between the United States, other major… Continue Reading

Don’t Call the Revolutionary Guard Corps Terrorists

by Reza Nasri According to news reports, the Trump administration is weighing the option of designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). In parallel, Congress also seems to be taking steps in that direction.… Continue Reading

Iran Should Take American Threats Seriously

by Shireen T. Hunter It was not surprising that Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, national security adviser to President Donald Trump, “officially put…Iran on notice,” following what he cited as “recent Iranian actions, including a provocative ballistic missile launch and an… Continue Reading