By Barbara Slavin Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s fourth sojourn to New York during the annual General Assembly summit will be his shortest since taking office – only two days. Rouhani, who is due to arrive Tuesday and leave Thursday, is seeking a Goldilocks-like happy medium intended to show that he is still relevant but avoiding […]
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What Would Be Most Likely to Unravel the Iran Nuclear Agreement
The scenario that presents the greatest danger of the nuclear agreement unraveling is thus one in which new sanctions legislation and other Iran-punishing moves by the U.S. Congress cross a line that leads most Iranians to get fed up and to say to heck with it.
America Needs Iranian Cooperation
The recent strife between Saudi Arabia and Iran, regional powers that have commanding influence in the Sunni and Shia worlds respectively, has made the Middle East even more volatile. By pursuing legislation to sink the Iran deal, the U.S. Congress will be adding fuel to the fire.
How Should Washington Respond to Iran’s Ballistic Missile Tests?
Rather than pursuing additional unilateral sanctions at this time or taking the draconian step of suspending the sanctions relief as outlined in the July 14 P5+1 and Iran nuclear agreement, the United States, our allies and partners should consider other effective means to curb Iran’s missile development.
Where New Cooperation Could Lead
One of the ironies of our time is that the people of Iran are among the most pro-American in the greater Middle East…. At the political level, however, the history of the two countries is full of bitter memories…. Could that ugly history ever give way to a sunnier view?
A Done Deal, Debate on Iran Turns to Implementation
The Iran nuclear deal and Congress’s impending vote has become the most contentious foreign policy issue since the decision to invade Iraq in 2003. President Obama has the votes he needs, but the debate continues. Republican presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Ted Cruz held a rally against the deal at the Capitol, just a few hours after Democratic contender Hillary Clinton shared how she would ensure Tehran’s compliance: “Distrust and verify.”
Iran Deal Features Defense Backstop
By US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter Today, the Iran deal provides the opportunity to address an even greater nuclear threat. Congress should support it because, once implemented, the deal will remove a critical source of risk and uncertainty in a vitally important but tumultuous region.
Obama’s Political Win on the Iran Deal Is a Hollow Victory
The president won’t win approval of his odious deal; a majority of Congress remains firmly opposed. He’s simply manipulated the process by demonizing his opponents as warmongers
Debate over Iran Nuke Deal Intensifies
Both sides in the debate over the Iran nuclear deal are in full campaign mode, counting heads in Congress for the vote in mid-September, and making contingency plans. The hashtag #IranDeal is being used to promote arguments pro and con. The White House praised last week’s endorsement by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat from New York, who is Jewish. Deal opponents point to Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York, who is also Jewish. Republicans are reportedly preparing legislation to sanction Iran if the deal is rejected by vote – or Obama invokes his right to veto.
The High Price of Rejecting the Iran Deal
The simple fact is that, after two years of testing Iran in negotiations, the international community does not believe that ramping up sanctions will persuade Iran to eradicate all traces of its hard-won civil nuclear program or sever its ties to its armed proxies in the region.