When I put out the feelers for potential companions for a trip to Iran not long ago, I was struck by the incredulity with which people regarded my plans. There seemed to be a widespread notion that embarking upon such a trip equated to, at best, terrible taste in holiday destinations and at worst, an ill-disguised death wish.
Iran
Iran-making the deal work
Today marks the start of implementing the interim deal with Iran, which will halt the development of its nuclear programme for six months in exchange for limited sanctions relief from the international community. Since the interim deal was struck in November 2013, the parties have been working together to agree on the terms of implementation.
US bill requiring zero enrichment would be a deal breaker
Implementation of the deal with Iran to roll back its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief will begin on January 20. It puts a temporary freeze on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for around billion in economic sanctions relief.
Warming Up the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Relationship for 2014
Tuesday will be the 20th anniversary of the announcements made by U.S. and Russian Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin that the two countries agreed to detarget their nuclear weapons so that none would be aimed at the other nation.
Could New Sanctions Bills Jeopardize the Iran Deal?
The new year will bring with it a host of issues for the international community to contend with. High on the agenda will be implementation of the interim deal over the Iranian nuclear program, which was agreed to in 2013 after intense negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 (the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and China).
Nuclear disarmament ambitions in 2014
Absent any major catastrophe involving a nuclear weapon (which isn’t out of the question but let’s all hope we don’t get to that point), established nuclear-weapons policies look unlikely to shift dramatically in 2014. Predictably, for an issue involving diverse interests, entrenched mistrust and engagement across the entire international community, the rate of change often feels glacial.
Nuclear Diplomacy in 2014
Looking ahead to this coming year, 2014 is full of opportunities for reducing the value of nuclear weapons and developing arms control in ways that could improve security relations. Enough time remains before policymakers and analysts start talking about how we must focus on “managing expectations” for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in the spring of 2015.
Nuclear Deal with Iran: Limitations and Regional Repercussions
The sealing of a nuclear deal with Iran on November 24 represents not only an explicit victory for diplomacy, but also an overarching recognition of the fact that negotiations and rapprochement are inherently more constructive than conflict.