Islamic republic

February 5, 2025 | |

‘Denying Iran All Paths to a Nuclear Weapon’: Trump Reimposes Maximum Pressure Against Tehran

Washington Reinstates Maximum Pressure on Tehran: President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum on February 4, titled “Denying Iran All Paths to a...

February 3, 2025 | Johanna Yang, Ari Ben Am, Rohannah Shrestha 

Iran Conducts Cyberattacks to Terrorize Israelis

The Iranian hacking group Handala last week breached an Israeli electronics firm that operates panic button systems in schools, causing red alert sirens to trigger in at least 20 kindergartens across Israel...

February 3, 2025 | Saeed Ghasseminejad |

Cracks in the Core? The Meaning Behind Iran’s Assassinations

As Iran’s economic, regional, and domestic standing deteriorates, senior and junior officials alike will begin to realize that the regime cannot ensure their safety.

February 1, 2025 | Jonathan Schanzer, Natalie Ecanow

Why Does Qatar Keep Helping Terrorists?

Qatar remains one of the world’s foremost proponents of violent Islamist movements and states. The U.S. should treat it accordingly.

January 31, 2025 | |

Iranian Foreign Minister Meets With Hamas and Qatari Leaders as Support for Proxies Persists  

Iran Pledges Continued Support for Hamas: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with officials of the Iran-backed terrorist group Hamas in Doha on January 30, as well as Qatari...

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 31, 2025 | |

Prominent Critic of Islam and Iran Murdered at Home in Sweden

Shot While Streaming on Social Media: A prominent free speech activist and critic of Islam known for staging public burnings of the Islamic holy book, the Quran, was murdered inside...

January 30, 2025 | Janatan Sayeh |

Trump’s Return Pushes Iran Into a Defensive Posture

Increasingly fearful of their loosening grip on power, the Islamic Republic’s rulers are recalibrating their foreign policy, at least temporarily, to gauge the impact of Donald Trump’s return to the...

January 29, 2025 | Ahmad Sharawi |

Continued chaos in Syria: Iraqi militias and an Alawite insurgency

On January 25, a new Iraqi militia, Kataib Awliya’ al Haq (Guardians of Truth Brigades), announced its formation. So far, the group has issued a single statement displaying its full name, logo, and...

January 28, 2025 | |

‘Several Serious Blows’: Iranian FM Admits ‘Damage’ to Proxies

Hamas and Hezbollah ‘Are Rebuilding’: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conceded that Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — two of Tehran’s regional proxies —...

January 22, 2025 | Reuel Marc Gerecht, Mark Dubowitz

How Trump Can Counter Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions

If hard-line diplomacy doesn’t work, he’ll likely need to let Israel bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.

January 20, 2025 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer, Dalga Khatinoglu

Iran’s Energy Crisis

Iran is experiencing a systemic energy crisis. While many times in the past, Iran has had gas shortages or refined product shortages, this time Iran is undergoing an energy meltdown, with parallel shortages...

January 14, 2025 | |

‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’: Russia and Iran Set to Sign Pact After Presidential Visit

Pezeshkian to Visit Moscow: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will travel to Russia on January 17 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and sign a “Comprehensive Strategic...

January 14, 2025 | Edmund Fitton-Brown |

The role of Iraqi Shia militias as proxies in Iran’s Axis of Resistance

Iran’s 45-year trajectory from the Khomeini revolution to its current challenge to Israel, the West, and the Rules-Based International System (RBIS) led to developing and solidifying its “Axis...

January 13, 2025 | |

Ahead of Trump Return, Iran Strengthens Forces, Hosts Large Military Exercises

Iran Stages War Games Utilizing Air Defenses: Iran’s army hosted extensive wargames and military exercises on January 11, including a defense scenario simulating airstrikes against...

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...

January 6, 2025 | Janatan Sayeh, Saeed Ghasseminejad

Trump’s year of opportunity against Iran

What began as a year of resilience for Iran ended with the tide unmistakably turned against the Islamic Republic. Its Axis of Resistance is shattered, its currency is in freefall, its major cities...

January 3, 2025 | |

Biden Weighs Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities Should Tehran Dash for Bomb

U.S. National Security Advisor Presents Plans for Strikes on Iran: President Joe Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, presented options last month for a U.S. attack...

January 3, 2025 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

The Shadow War

A review of Yonah Jeremy Bob and Ilan Evyatar, “Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination—and Secret Diplomacy—to Stop a Nuclear Iran and Create a New Middle East” (Simon & Schuster, 2023).

December 23, 2024 | Reuel Marc Gerecht |

Khamenei’s Brilliant Failure

His strategy against Israel and the United States was working—until Hamas attacked Israel.