Government of Iran Commentary

A Vote of No Confidence

Iran’s election reminds us of the country’s lack of transparency—which makes it harder to believe Tehran’s assertions about its nuclear program.

The Taming of the Hawks

Is war with Iran in America’s best interests? On Thursday, four panelists at an event sponsored by the Nixon Center and the American Conservative Defense Alliance argued for a different stance toward Tehran.

One Man's Terrorist is Another's Diplomat

Putting new sanctions on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Quds Force is intended to get Tehran to back down in Iraq and suspend its uranium enrichment. However, the measure could lead to some unintended consequences.

What's Happening Around Iran

The intensified military buildup in the Persian Gulf poses dangers for escalation, both inadvertent and deliberate, around the Iran crisis.

The Next Iranian Elections

With parliamentary and presidential elections slated for the next two years, political posturing in the Islamic Republic provides insight into potential power shifts in Tehran.

Finally, An Iranian Containment Strategy

Iran’s hegemonic impulse poses a threat to American interests in the Middle East. In a crucial policy shift, President Bush has formulated a bold new strategy for containing the Islamic Republic.

Iran's Tectonic Elections

Ahmadinejad and his defeat may have been the headliner in the elections, but there is a more preponderant, slower-moving back-story to the vote, reflecting a potential shift in a real center of power.

Iran, Tyranny and Democracy

Administration officials in Washington have been quick to venture fierce criticisms of the forthcoming presidential elections in Iran, which are being held this week to find a successor to the outgoing President Khatami.

The Growing Tehran-Beijing Axis

With the world's attention focused on Iran's continued development of nuclear weapons and support for the insurgency in Iraq, what has gone largely unnoticed is that the country is also in the midst of an extreme economic transformation.

Iran: Elections and Legitimacy

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage recently referred to Iran as a "sort of democracy.

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May 26, 2012