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

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

Rouhani’s Post-Election Openings and Challenges

by Ellie Geranmayeh Despite their limited choice, Iranian voters opted to back a strategy that diluted the power of radical hardliners within the Islamic Republic rather than conceding the political game to them. Last week’s election results strengthened the alignment… Continue Reading

Nation vs. Revolution in Iran

by Shireen Hunter The Implementation of Iran’s nuclear agreement with the P5+1, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has not yet been completed, but critical statements by its detractors in Iran about its ineffectiveness have already began.… Continue Reading

Restraint in the Persian Gulf

by Paul Pillar Hardliners who—for their separate reasons in each of the countries where such hardliners live—are still determined to sabotage the agreement to restrict Iran’s nuclear program must have been salivating when they first heard yesterday that Iran had… Continue Reading