Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The recent UN sanctions may have been diluted by the strategic interests of members of the UN Security Council, but they could have a stronger impact if they lead to more unilateral sanctions from European countries.
A year after the June 2009 controversial presidential elections in Iran, domestic discontent continues to simmer and the Iranian regime faces a new round of international economic sanctions.
One year after Iran was shaken by massive street demonstrations to protest the results of the presidential elections, the political, social, and economic malaise that led to those demonstrations remains strong.
The Middle East is in a state of heightened tension following Israel’s armed attack on a flotilla of humanitarian aid. If nations in the region are determined to provoke a war, little can be done to prevent conflict from escalating.
The Nuclear Security Summit is the largest U.S.-hosted gathering of world leaders in 65 years. Its focus was on the threat of nuclear terrorism and the importance of global cooperation in the effort to secure nuclear materials.
The probability of nuclear terrorism may not be high, but the Nuclear Security Summit raises the awareness of states with nuclear materials and encourages real commitments toward preventing a nuclear terrorist attack.
The United States and Russia have officially signed the new START Treaty, setting up the necessary framework to reduce the world’s nuclear weapon stockpile by almost a third.
The current discussion in the UN Security Council regarding a fourth sanctions resolution against Iran is a result of Iran's inability to convince the international community of its peaceful nuclear intentions.
Tehran faces both international and domestic challenges, as the Obama administration’s policy of engagement demonstrates Iran’s intransigence to the international community and the regime struggles to deal with a growing opposition movement.
After a year of stalled negotiations which have demonstrated the intransigence of the Iranian regime, the Obama administration is now attempting to unite the international community behind sanctions on the Islamic Republic.