After months of diplomacy punctuated by military strikes, the United States and Iran have stopped fighting and signed a memorandum of understanding. The technical grind of nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz will consume much of the 60-day period for negotiations. But the deeper question is whether durable stability is possible without addressing the … Read more
When Donald Trump arrived in the White House in January 2025, securing a quick end to the war in Ukraine was near the top of his foreign policy agenda. Despite political backlash, he pushed ahead with this objective early in his second term by resuming dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin and initiating parallel diplomatic … Read more
As signals mounted early Thursday that President Trump planned to escalate with Iran, two congressional Republicans urged him to abandon what they said are fruitless negotiations with the Islamic Republic. While saying they wanted to see the war with Iran end, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) told the audience at the … Read more
When President Donald Trump announced a possible U.S.-Iran understanding, he did so after placing calls to a number of regional countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, and – separately – Israel. Not a single European capital was on the call list. As the Quincy Institute’s Executive Vice President, … Read more
Last week, there were genuine signs that the United States and Iran might be edging toward an agreement to formalize the ceasefire that has tenuously held since April 7. Then, the U.S. launched a new round of attacks on Iran and the week ended with the White House saying there would be no final determination … Read more
As the government’s standing plummets to an all-time low due to a reckless disregard for the welfare of its people, mass protests sweep across major Iran’s cities, including Shiraz, Tabriz and Tehran. Driven by a threat to their economic survival, the merchant class, or bazaaris, are leading the demonstrations. This is not a news report … Read more