Iran Archives - Page 57 of 130 - Foreign Policy In Focus

Iran-Saudi Relations: Rising Tensions and Growing Rivalry

by Richard Javad Heydarian | Aug 6, 2010

For decades, the Persian Gulf region – subsumed under a latent Sunni-Shia divide – was animated by a drama of Iraq-Iran rivalry; each power balanced the other. The elimination of Saddam Hussein, by the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, introduced a new chapter in the regional affairs – Saudi Arabia and Iran as the twin pillars of the regional power-configuration. Historically, despite numerous efforts by each party to improve bilateral relations and deepen cooperation, Iran-Saudi relations have been fraught with intermittent rhetorical wars and grim strategic competition.

Israel Playing With a Fire It Expects the U.S. to Put Out

by Gareth Porter | Jul 31, 2010

American neocons openly express the hope that any Iranian response to the Israeli attack would trigger full-scale U.S. war against Iran.

Holding Israel’s Hand While It Attacks Iran

by Russ Wellen | Jul 27, 2010

Signing a letter to House Republican leader John Boehner is a small step to help block an Israeli attack on Iran.

Proclaiming One’s Supremacy Doesn’t Become a Supreme Leader

by Russ Wellen | Jul 22, 2010

What’s so Islamic about the leadership of the Islamic Republic?

60-Second Expert: U.S.-Iran Relations

by Richard Javad Heydarian | Jun 28, 2010

Iran’s nuclear program has become the focal point of international discussions about the region’s future, and the United States and its allies have made the resolution of the nuclear standoff a precondition for future discussions of Iran’s broader interests. Therefore, despite President Obama’s emphasis on diplomacy, U.S. relations with Iran remain strained. It would be in the best interest of both countries to put aside their history of conflict and often baseless mutual suspicion in favor of a more forward-looking approach.

It’s Time to Step up Diplomacy with Iran

by Mary Slosson | Jun 25, 2010

Things are heating up for Iran. The international community, responding to doubts over the intentions of the Iranian nuclear program, has passed three sanctions packages over the past three weeks.

An Iran-U.S. Grand Bargain

by Richard Javad Heydarian | Jun 14, 2010

Iran’s nuclear program has become the centerpiece of global security discussions for the last 10 years. It is a main sticking point in the relationship between Iran — a key regional player — and western countries, and it has acquired oversized significance in the international war against extremism. Despite Obama’s promise for change, and greater emphasis on multilateralism and diplomacy, the specter of military confrontation between Iran on the one hand and either Israel or the United States on the other persistently looms over the horizon, even though the probability remains low.

The Times, Lula and Lily Tomlin

by Conn Hallinan | May 27, 2010

Blind criticism of Iran deal seen as spot on Paper of Record’s legacy.

Iran, Brazil, Turkey and the Ghost of Lord Palmerston

by Conn Hallinan | May 26, 2010

The U.S. State Department’s claim that the “international community” is behind the U.S. is increasingly sounding like whistling past the graveyard.

Sanctions Debate Heats Up

by Jim Lobe | May 5, 2010

With mid-term elections only six months away, many lawmakers are eager to demonstrate their strong support for Israel, which has argued for the adoption of “crippling” sanctions against the Islamic Republic as the only way to halt its alleged effort to acquire nuclear weapons short of a military attack.