New momentum? The US, Iran, and the fate of the JCPOA
The United States and Iran may finally be converging on a shared commitment to a new nuclear deal. This agreement would not be perfect, but the alternatives are far worse
Iran
Sharp relief: Automatic benefits and the Iran nuclear deal
It would be a mistake for the parties to the Iran nuclear deal to see the issue of guarantees in terms of economic targets. Instead, they should focus on how to normalise their economic relationship in the long term
The capture of Kabul: What the Taliban takeover will mean for Iran’s economy
Iran was more economically dependent on Afghanistan than many people realise. The change of regime will impact on Tehran in four main ways
High stakes: How sanctions relief could impact EU-Iran trade
The new Iranian administration may agree on a revised JCPOA with the US. But if the economic benefits are paltry, political support will drain away
A familiar victory: Iran’s divides under a new president
Raisi’s election victory will not make Iranian politics any less volatile. Instead, it signals another of the cyclical changes in Iran’s politics that have taken place since 1979
Council of despair: Iran’s uncompetitive presidential election
Iran’s presidential election will do little to boost frontrunner Ebrahim Raisi’s popular legitimacy
Mediation nation: Iraq’s new role in Iranian-Saudi talks
Europe should support the recent Iranian-Saudi talks in Baghdad as an opportunity to help stabilise the Middle East, despite risk of that engagement being derailed
Why Biden should not treat humanitarian trade as a concession to Iran
The Biden administration has boxed itself into a maximalist position that jeopardises efforts to make the Iran sanctions programme more humane. European governments should be pushed to change course
Engage and persuade: How the E3 should deal with Israel on Iran
In the coming weeks, the US and the E3 should make clear to Israel that reviving the original Iran nuclear deal is still the best means of addressing its immediate security concerns
The long year: Top foreign policy trends for 2021
Mark Leonard and Jeremy Shapiro predict ten bright and bold policy projections for the year to come