Aerospace Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution

January 31, 2025 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

The Potential Challenges of Deterring a Nuclear Iran

Excerpt Unpacking the importance of deterrence to Iranian security policy can help the United States and others to devise strategies aimed at having a deterrent effecton Tehran. Deterrence is an obsession...

January 7, 2025 | Janatan Sayeh |

Tehran’s triad: propaganda, proxies, and preparedness

The regime in Tehran finds itself increasingly besieged by challenges, ranging from the faltering influence of its regional proxies to the prospect of an Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities, potentially...

August 4, 2024 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

The Islamic Republic prepares to avenge Ismail Haniyeh

“Bloodlust” is a term cascading across the Iranian media space this week: “Bloodlust is commanded,” declared Jam-e Jam newspaper, connected to Iran’s state-sanctioned...

November 21, 2023 | |

Iran Unveils New Missile It Claims Is Hypersonic

Iran reportedly unveiled a new hypersonic missile on November 19, claiming capabilities that surpass those of an earlier version of the missile unveiled earlier this year. Brig....

September 29, 2023 | |

Iran Launches Satellite Using Ballistic Missile Technology

The Biden administration expressed concern on September 28 over Iran’s successful launch of an imaging satellite a day earlier. The Qased rocket that launched Iran’s Noor-3 satellite...

September 20, 2023 | |

Iran and Russia Deepen Ties as Russian Defense Minister Visits Tehran

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Iran on September 19 for high-level meetings with Iranian military officials. Shoigu’s trip came at the invitation of Iranian Armed...

June 8, 2023 | |

Israeli Defense Minister: Israel Can Defend Against Iran’s Alleged Hypersonic Missile

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on June 6 that Israel had ways to counter the alleged hypersonic missile unveiled by Iran earlier that day. “I hear our enemies boasting about weapons they...

April 11, 2023 | |

U.S. Sends Submarine to Middle East to Counter Iranian Threats to Maritime Trade

The American nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine USS Florida arrived in the Middle East and now operates under the command of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, signaling to the regime in Tehran that the United States will not tolerate Iranian activities targeting its troops and shipping, or those of its allies.

March 28, 2023 | |

Iran Obtains Advanced Cyber Warfare Capabilities from Russia

Latest Developments Russia is helping Iran advance its cyber warfare and digital surveillance capabilities, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The cooperation comes as the United Kingdom’s...

April 7, 2022 | Elliott Abrams, Behnam Ben Taleblu

Reducing Pressure on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Raises Risks for America

Deal or no deal with Iran, retaining and enforcing America’s most significant counterterrorism authority against the long arm of the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism remains in the national security interest of the United States.

March 8, 2022 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

New Iran Nuclear Deal? Same Old Missile Problems.

The U.S. and Europe ignore Iranian missile tech developments at their own peril.

February 2, 2022 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

Solid-Propellant Motor Test Proves Iran’s Continuing Missile Advancement

Less than a decade ago, the Islamic Republic went to great lengths to downplay that it was seeking such longer-range strike capabilities. But steady technical advancements have made the regime somewhat more brazen.

May 24, 2021 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

Redefining Iran’s Role in its Latest ‘Shadow War’ Against Israel

As Iran works to make its proxies more militarily self-sufficient, opportunities for weapons interception will be reduced and claims of attribution against Tehran will become harder.

February 9, 2021 | Behnam Ben Taleblu, Andrea Stricker

Shining a Light on the Iran Deal’s Sunset Problem

If the new administration is serious about reinvigorated diplomacy, it must resist Iran’s nuclear extortion and forgo the temptation of re-joining the JCPOA. Breathing life into an expiring accord will not help dampen the Islamic Republic’s nuclear, missile, and military threats.

November 21, 2020 | Bradley Bowman, Behnam Ben Taleblu

Successful SM-3 weapons test offers missile defense opportunity

[This article was published in Defense News on November 21, 2020. The version below contains the complete set of hyperlinks to sources referenced in the piece.] The United States this week successfully...

October 19, 2020 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

The IRGC runs for high office in Tehran

It’s not every day that a former hostage-taker and a man essential to the founding of a designated terrorist organization throws his hat into the ring for president, not even in the Islamic Republic of...

July 11, 2020 | Jacob Nagel, Jonathan Schanzer

Get Ready for a New Type of Israeli War

The focus until now has been on when and where Israel strikes, and not what is being destroyed. But that is now changing.

April 28, 2020 | Behnam Ben Taleblu, Bradley Bowman

Iran military satellite launch requires US action

The Islamic Republic of Iran is at it again. In addition to resuming its longstanding maritime belligerence that instigated the latest war of words with President Trump, Tehran recently launched its...

January 30, 2018 | Behnam Ben Taleblu, Richard Goldberg

Here’s How the U.S. and EU Can Thwart Iranian Missile Programs

In a last-ditch attempt to prevent President Donald Trump from exiting the Iran nuclear deal, European leaders have finally ...

July 20, 2017 | Tyler Stapleton, Behnam Ben Taleblu

New Sanctions Highlight the Need to Counter Iran’s Non-Nuclear Threats

In a joint effort on Tuesday, the Departments of State,...