The Iranian regime continues to imprison innocent people and impose harsh sentences on them. As moderates who might be sympathetic to reformers are purged from regime’s ranks, engaging with leaders on behalf of prisoners has only become more difficult.
The Russian, Israeli, Iranian and U.S. positions on Iran’s nuclear ambitions are open to several interpretations. The most realistic endgame scenario to best serve the chief interests of all players is one in which Iran maintains the ability to produce a nuclear weapon but refrains from testing one.
Universal ratification of the CTBT will create another tool for impeding Iran's nuclear ambitions, but the United States must take the lead.
Iran’s nuclear ambitions pose a challenge to international nonproliferation goals. The international community must find a way to ensure Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology while preventing Iran from developing atomic weapons.
Iran's month-long delay in inspections of the Qom facility has important implications for the IAEA's ability to properly understand the nature of the previously undeclared enrichment site.
Russia and the United States are not likely to come to agreement on the best way to approach Iran’s nuclear ambitions any time soon. This issue is likely to be at the top of Secretary Clinton’s agenda during her time in Moscow.
Rules are the key to maintaining necessary pressure on Iran and framing a mutually-acceptable, face-saving outcome. Iran must take steps to build and maintain international confidence that all its nuclear activities are peaceful, and that none have military dimensions.
The reported agreement to refuel the Tehran research reactor by shipping Iranian-made low enriched uranium to other states for further enrichment and fuel fabrication could be a good precedent for meeting Iran's future and potentially larger nuclear fuel needs.
The United States and Russia need a coordinated approach to Iranian nuclear ambitions, where sanctions and opportunities become incentives pushing and pulling Iran toward a solution beneficial for both global security and Iran’s national interest.
In the aftermath of the P5+1 nuclear talks in Geneva, the focus should be on finding a face-saving arrangement in which Iran could enrich uranium, but below the high enrichment levels needed for nuclear weapons.
















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