Saudi-US friendship under pressure
Following recent meetings in Saudi Arabia, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said, “Our relationship is strategic, it is enduring and it covers a wide range.” But his Saudi counterpart, Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, politely acknowledged differences with the United States, stating that “a true relationship between friends is based on sincerity, candor and frankness.” […]
Mona Yacoubian on C-SPAN: Syrian Civil War and Chemical Weapons
Mona Yacoubian talked about efforts by international inspectors to locate and destroy Syria’s chemical weapons, as well as the continued violence in Syria on C-SPAN. She also responded to telephone callers and viewers asking questions electronically. To watch the full interview, click here.
More questions than answers about Afghan future
In the beautifully restored third century B.C. citadel of the ancient western Afghan city of Herat, scholars and diplomats from Afghanistan’s neighbors and international partners spent the first weekend in October at a security conference exploring prospects for the country to emerge as a stable and independent state after NATO military forces leave in 2014. […]
Syria and Iran: the UN proves its worth to the US
At this year’s annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly there was less idealistic posturing and more hard work done on the most intractable of problems — Syria’s violent civil war and Iran’s nuclear activities. The United States worked with and relied on the U.N. system to advance its interests and move towards the […]
Stimson Center Experts Analyze Developments in Iran
Stimson Center experts have been sharing their insights and analysis about developments in Iran with policymakers and the public for years. Here are some recent examples of Stimson commentaries published in newspapers and on websites, along with media interviews. COMMENTARIES Rouhani is walking a political tightrope at home – By Geneive Abdo (Al Jazeera America, […]
Amy J. Nelson in International Business Times on Syria’s Chemical Weapons Deal
The unanimous vote by the United Nations Security Council on Sept. 27 for a resolution requiring Syria to give up its chemical weapons is a triumph for arms control over the use of force in dealing with international conflicts. More precisely, it is a triumph of arms control backed by the credible use of force […]
Geneive Abdo is interviewed on CNN on Iranian President Rouhani’s Washington Post op-ed
CNN’s Becky Anderson talks to Geneive Abdo Author, “Mecca and Main Street.” To watch the full video, click here.
Can the US and Iran strike a nuke deal?
Many stars have aligned to make this moment an opportune time to resolve two conflicts in the Middle East — the Syrian civil war and Iran’s march toward a nuclear weapon. A new, more moderate faction is in power in Iran, led by President Hassan Rouhani, who has vowed to break the deadlock with the […]