Iran’s Economic Populism: Antidote to U.S. Pressure

by Kaveh L. Afrasiabi Exactly 30 years ago, I wrote a dissertation of over 500 pages on state and populism in Iran that ended with a chapter on “permanent populism.” This concept draws together various strands: the pattern of post-revolutionary… Continue Reading

A Flawed American Sanctions Policy on Iran

by Daniel Brumberg The Trump Administration’s decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran is animated by a deeply flawed grasp of Iranian politics and an incoherent strategy, one that will not be realized by dreams of regime change in the country.… Continue Reading

Iran Sanctions: How Deep Will They Bite?

by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani For anyone watching the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League final, hosted in Tehran’s Azadi stadium on Saturday, the only disappointment was the nil-nil score that denied Iran’s team first place in Asia. The stadium scene was… Continue Reading

Putin to Trump: Thanks for Helping Make Russia Great Again!

by Najmedin Meshkati Greetings from Moscow, dear Donald! It was nice seeing you in Helsinki. I loved our tag-team in the news conference: it was fun! Also, thanks for backing me up, we should do it more! I hope that your son… Continue Reading

What Do the Midterms Mean for U.S. Mideast Policy?

by Mitchell Plitnick There are still a few races to be decided, but the overall results of the 2018 midterms are clear. The hoped-for “blue wave” turned out to be a blue trickle, but Donald Trump’s era of completely unfettered… Continue Reading