Avoiding the Slippery Slope to War with Iran

Amidst reports that stalled negotiations with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme may soon be jump-started, many here are arguing that a mutually negotiated settlement remains the most effective option for resolving the dispute and averting the threat of war.

U.S. Escalation Against Iran Would Carry High Cost for Global Economy

The world economy would bear substantial costs if the United States took steps to significantly escalate the conflict with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, according to the findings of a Federation of American Scientists’ (FAS) special report released here Friday.

Recent Economic Unrest Unlikely to Alter Iran’s Nuclear Calculus

As Iran faces economic unrest, discussion is intensifying over the impact sanctions are having on Iran’s economy.

U.S. to Take Iran Anti-Regime Group Off Terrorism List

In a move certain to ratchet up already-high tensions with Iran, the administration of President Barack Obama will remove a militant anti-regime group from the State Department’s terrorism list, U.S. officials told reporters here Friday.

U.S., Israeli Attacks Unlikely to Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Programme

While U.S. or Israeli air strikes may delay the building by Iran of a nuclear weapon, they are unlikely to prevent it altogether and could well prove counter-productive, according to a major new report signed by nearly three dozen former top U.S. foreign-policy makers, military officers, and independent experts.

Questions Linger as U.S. Cedes Detention Power in Afghanistan

Continued tensions over U.S. detention power in Afghanistan are highlighting issues related to the country’s sovereignty.

Q&A: U.S. Should Encourage NATO-Led Assistance to Syrian Opposition

Intervention in Syria was "only a matter of time", wrote Emile Nakhleh in February in the Financial Times. Seven months later, the fighting and divisions within Syria continue to worsen. Now, a diplomatic solution is no longer possible, Nakhleh, a retired CIA analyst, believes.

Iran Diplomacy Runs into Sanctions-Happy U.S. Congress

Congress’s rush to pass new sanctions against Iran ahead of the August recess comes amidst an intensified drive to pin the Iranian government to deadly acts of international terrorism and amplified moves by U.S. politicians to demonstrate their support for Mideast ally Israel ahead of the November presidential election.

Report Details Steady Erosion of Iranian Justice System

While Iran’s human rights record has “never been satisfactory”, since the 1979 Islamic Revolution the situation has deteriorated daily, according to Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi.

Analysts Say Nuclear Talks Should Continue Despite Sabre-Rattling

The one agreement that talks between Iran and the P5+1 - the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany - produced after a "technical meeting" in Istanbul was a decision to schedule more talks.

Renewed Talks with Iran Fuel Both Optimism and Caution

U.S. and Iranian officials were optimistic about renewed talks over the weekend between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, but analysts here urge the United States to keep its expectations in check and establish clear goals for future negotiations.

Ahead of Revived Talks, US Wavers: Diplomacy or Sanctions for Iran?

A former top state department official singled out diplomatic engagement as the best available option for ending decades of "mistrust and misunderstanding" between Washington and Tehran.

Shared Interests in Afghanistan Could Break U.S.-Iran Impasse

According to a new publication released here Thursday by an influential national security think tank, engaging Iran on shared interests in Afghanistan can help improve U.S.-Iran relations and maximise the chances for stability in the country following the withdrawal of U.S.-led combat forces by 2014.

Ex-IAEA Chief Urges Talks to Defuse Threat of Attack on Iran

Even as U.N. inspectors expressed disappointment about the results of their visit this week to Iran, a former chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urged all parties to make greater efforts to defuse rapidly rising tensions over Tehran's nuclear programme to avert war.

Arab Spring Solidarity Defies National Boundaries

Ever since the ousting of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, ordinary citizens have been leading uprisings all over North Africa and the Middle East against unwanted rulers. But what is now known as the "Arab Awakening" is not confined to people resisting within their own borders. Some Arabs are helping the fight in neighbouring countries too.

EGYPT: Litany of Abuses Fuelled Protesters’ Fury

In Egypt, where protestors continued to demonstrate Tuesday for the eighth day in a row, the use of torture by law enforcement officials over the past two decades has contributed to the growing unrest, rights groups say.