The “Maximum Pressure” Policy is the Illegitimate Child of Diplomacy

by Bahman Fozouni The September 14 strikes against Saudi Arabia’s Khurais oilfield and Abqaiq processing facility, which the U.S. government quickly pinned on Iran, as well as President Trump’s decision to substantially increase sanctions against Iran in response, are sobering… Continue Reading

New Trump Iran Designation Threatens Humanitarian Goods

by Tyler Cullis In July 2019, Brian Hook—the U.S. Special Representative on Iran—released a video addressing the purported “myth” that the U.S. sanctions humanitarian trade with Iran. That wasn’t a “myth” at the time, as the U.S. had historically circumscribed… Continue Reading

The Indispensable Mediator: Europe’s Role in the U.S.-Iran Dispute

by Ellie Geranmayeh Tensions between Iran and the United States have risen to a dangerous new level. Recent attacks on Saudi Arabia – which the US blames on Tehran – severely disrupted global oil supplies, prompting President Donald Trump to consider… Continue Reading

Sharpies in the Post-Truth Era

by Paul R. Pillar President Trump’s amateurish use of a felt-tip pen to alter an already outdated map from the National Hurricane Center, in an effort to sustain an earlier assertion about Hurricane Dorian threatening Alabama, bordered on self-parody. It… Continue Reading