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Iran

FEATURED COMMENTARY

CTV News Interview: Iran Tests Long-Range Missiles
Analysis by Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student
Posted: 07/09/08

[Television Interview, CTV News, July 9, 2008] Michael Shank, a conflict analyst with the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, discusses Iran's recent missile tests in an atmosphere of heightened rhetoric and earlier military demonstrations by the US and Israel. Shank advocates for high level diplomacy, calling for a repeat of the the recent diplomatic successes achieved on North Korea's nuclear program. Interview conducted by Dan Matheson on July 9th, 2008. Video courtesy of CTV. WATCH BROADCAST

RECENT COMMENTARY

High-Level Engagement by US and UK is Needed vis a vis Iran
Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student
Posted: 07/01/08

[Published, Financial Times, July 1, 2008] Sir, Let us for a moment consider the merits of engagement ("A very small step: Pyongyang's nuclear declaration is no breakthrough", editorial, June 27). Three successes in 2008 are particularly salient and worth citing. US ambassador Christopher Hill's persistent diplomatic penetration of North Korea's notorious and noxious isolationism has finally unearthed some tractable - and previously conflict-ridden - landscape. READ MORE

New Treaty for Iran and Israel
Marc Gopin, ICAR Professor
Posted: 06/25/08

[Published, Middle East Times, June 25, 2008] It is often said in the Arab world that the road to Jerusalem goes through Washington, with the implicit assumption that only the Americans can bring the Israelis to the negotiating table. But there is a distinctly different dynamic emerging from the waning days of the U.S. presidency of George W. Bush. The road to Washington may in fact pass through Jerusalem. READ MORE

Interview with United Nations President Dr. Srgjan Kerim: Dialogue with Iran
Michael Shank, ICAR Ph.D. Student
Posted: 01/07/08

Michael Shank: How has multilateralism, a foreign policy concept you've noted to be of great importance to you as UN President, not yet been fully utilized when it comes to relations with Iran? UN President Srgjan Kerim: Well, you have different positions. You have countries that have their economic interest there and they prefer that to be their guidance in dealing with Iran. On the other side, to isolate Iran is not a good policy. Many of these countries who have been isolated in the past did not change anything. On the contrary, everything was frozen, nothing changed.READ MORE

US National Intelligence Estimate (Iran): Analysis by Michael Shank
Michael Shank, ICAR Ph.D. Student
Posted: 12/11/07

[Television Interview, CTV News, December 11, 2007] Michael Shank, a conflict analyst at George Mason University's Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, analyzes the release of the United States National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, the potential for dialogue between US and Iran, security implications regionally, and how Iraq will play a critical role in diplomacy with Iran. Video courtesy of CTV.ca. WATCH BROADCAST

Putting Iran on Annapolis Guest List Less of a Risk than Not
Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student
Posted: 11/30/07

[Published, Financial Times, November 30, 2007] Sir, Saudi Arabia and Syria hardly constitute a coalition of the craven ("Iran looms large over Arab 'coalition of the frightened' ", November 28). The appearance of these and other Arab states at the Annapolis peace summit is anything but an exhibition of anxiety over Tehran's regional role. The Arab League's alignment with US President George W. Bush on this peace process remains consistent with previous proclamations. Nothing was new about the Arab voice this time. READ MORE

Iran and Cultural Diplomacy
Suzanne Buchanan, ICAR Certificate Student
Posted: 10/02/07

[Published, Washington Times, October 2, 2007] In a world characterized by the United States’ increasingly intolerant foreign policy, the world of academia offered no alternative Monday. As if US-Iran relations were not already on ice; Columbia University President, Lee Bollinger’s tone and phrasing in addressing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad merely mirrored the current zero-sum resolve evident in US-Iran relations which has failed to constructively engage the Iranian government in a healthy debate. READ MORE

How to Challenge Iran's Militancy Without Using Arms
Marc Gopin, ICAR Professor, and Rep. Gregory Meeks
Posted: 08/22/07

[Published, Christian Science Monitor, August 23, 2007] There have been persistent rumors in Washington that President Bush does not want to leave office without "doing something" about Iran. Even more alarming, there have been rumors that Mr. Bush has solicited a green light from Russian President Vladimir Putin for Israel to "do something" about Iran. One of the central problems with the Bush administration is that it thinks military first and sometimes military only – with disastrous results for America. Though military action is an option, the consequences of the United States or Israel attacking Iran would be catastrophic. READ MORE

The United States and Iran: Restructuring a Fractured Relationship
Richard Rubenstein, ICAR Professor, & Rep. Moran, Rep. Gilchrest
Posted: 06/06/07

[Published, The Hill, June 5, 2007] Iran’s reported dinner-table snub of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Sharm el-Sheikh and the recent arrest of American Middle East expert Haleh Esfandiari are the latest in the U.S.-Iran shouting match. For years, Iran and the United States have been flexing their political and military muscle, yet failing to show their diplomatic agility. We are tenuously positioned for a violent confrontation but ill prepared for constructive communication.The temptation is to apply unilateral economic sanctions or enforce international political isolation. However, our failure to address the underlying issues may cause such standard deterrent strategies to backfire and lead to an unexpected conflict. READ MORE

U.S. Representative Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) on US-Iran Relations
ICAR Roundtable, National Press Club
Posted: 7/24/07

U.S. Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) on US-Iran Relations
ICAR Roundtable, National Press Club
Posted: 07/19/07

Joseph Montville on US-Iran Relations
ICAR Roundtable at National Press Club
Posted: 07/24/07

Joseph Montville is Board Chair and Senior Fellow at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Decision Time on Iran
David Young, ICAR Masters Student
Posted: 06/06/07

[Published, Middle East Times, March 8, 2007] After refusing to endorse the Iraq Study Group's recommendations in December to negotiate with Iran and Syria about the fate of Iraq, Secretary Rice's recent policy reversal was as startling as it was predictable. Only weeks ago, it had been staunch US policy not to submit to Iranian "extortion," but, like it or not, there is simply no other way now to secure Iraq. If only it were that simple.This is the moment Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been waiting for: US foreign policy will soon reflect the fact that the war in Iraq cannot be won with force, and that we will have to make concessions of some kind to salvage this failed mission. But at whose expense? READ MORE

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ICAR News Network Iran FEATURED COMMENTARY CTV News Interview: Iran Tests Long-Range Missiles Analysis by Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student Posted: 07/09/08 [Television Interview, CTV News, July 9, 2008] Michael Shank, a conflict analyst with the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, discusses Iran's recent missile tests in an atmosphere of heightened rhetoric and earlier military demonstrations by the US and Israel. Shank advocates for high level diplomacy, calling for a repeat of the the recent diplomatic successes achieved on North Korea's nuclear program. Interview conducted by Dan Matheson on July 9th, 2008. Video courtesy of CTV. WATCH BROADCAST RECENT COMMENTARY High-Level Engagement by US and UK is Needed vis a vis Iran Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student Posted: 07/01/08 [Published, Financial Times, July 1, 2008] Sir, Let us for a moment consider the merits of engagement ("A very small step: Pyongyang's nuclear declaration is no breakthrough", editorial, June 27). Three successes in 2008 are particularly salient and worth citing. US ambassador Christopher Hill's persistent diplomatic penetration of North Korea's notorious and noxious isolationism has finally unearthed some tractable - and previously conflict-ridden - landscape. READ MORE New Treaty for Iran and Israel Marc Gopin, ICAR Professor Posted: 06/25/08 [Published, Middle East Times, June 25, 2008] It is often said in the Arab world that the road to Jerusalem goes through Washington, with the implicit assumption that only the Americans can bring the Israelis to the negotiating table. But there is a distinctly different dynamic emerging from the waning days of the U.S. presidency of George W. Bush. The road to Washington may in fact pass through Jerusalem. READ MORE Interview with United Nations President Dr. Srgjan Kerim: Dialogue with Iran Michael Shank, ICAR Ph.D. Student Posted: 01/07/08 Michael Shank: How has multilateralism, a foreign policy concept you've noted to be of great importance to you as UN President, not yet been fully utilized when it comes to relations with Iran? UN President Srgjan Kerim: Well, you have different positions. You have countries that have their economic interest there and they prefer that to be their guidance in dealing with Iran. On the other side, to isolate Iran is not a good policy. Many of these countries who have been isolated in the past did not change anything. On the contrary, everything was frozen, nothing changed.READ MORE US National Intelligence Estimate (Iran): Analysis by Michael Shank Michael Shank, ICAR Ph.D. Student Posted: 12/11/07 [Television Interview, CTV News, December 11, 2007] Michael Shank, a conflict analyst at George Mason University's Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, analyzes the release of the United States National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, the potential for dialogue between US and Iran, security implications regionally, and how Iraq will play a critical role in diplomacy with Iran. Video courtesy of CTV.ca. WATCH BROADCAST Putting Iran on Annapolis Guest List Less of a Risk than Not Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student Posted: 11/30/07 [Published, Financial Times, November 30, 2007] Sir, Saudi Arabia and Syria hardly constitute a coalition of the craven ("Iran looms large over Arab 'coalition of the frightened' ", November 28). The appearance of these and other Arab states at the Annapolis peace summit is anything but an exhibition of anxiety over Tehran's regional role. The Arab League's alignment with US President George W. Bush on this peace process remains consistent with previous proclamations. Nothing was new about the Arab voice this time. READ MORE Iran and Cultural Diplomacy Suzanne Buchanan, ICAR Certificate Student Posted: 10/02/07 [Published, Washington Times, October 2, 2007] In a world characterized by the United States’ increasingly intolerant foreign policy, the world of academia offered no alternative Monday. As if US-Iran relations were not already on ice; Columbia University President, Lee Bollinger’s tone and phrasing in addressing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad merely mirrored the current zero-sum resolve evident in US-Iran relations which has failed to constructively engage the Iranian government in a healthy debate. READ MORE How to Challenge Iran's Militancy Without Using Arms Marc Gopin, ICAR Professor, and Rep. Gregory Meeks Posted: 08/22/07 [Published, Christian Science Monitor, August 23, 2007] There have been persistent rumors in Washington that President Bush does not want to leave office without "doing something" about Iran. Even more alarming, there have been rumors that Mr. Bush has solicited a green light from Russian President Vladimir Putin for Israel to "do something" about Iran. One of the central problems with the Bush administration is that it thinks military first and sometimes military only – with disastrous results for America. Though military action is an option, the consequences of the United States or Israel attacking Iran would be catastrophic. READ MORE The United States and Iran: Restructuring a Fractured Relationship Richard Rubenstein, ICAR Professor, & Rep. Moran, Rep. Gilchrest Posted: 06/06/07 [Published, The Hill, June 5, 2007] Iran’s reported dinner-table snub of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Sharm el-Sheikh and the recent arrest of American Middle East expert Haleh Esfandiari are the latest in the U.S.-Iran shouting match. For years, Iran and the United States have been flexing their political and military muscle, yet failing to show their diplomatic agility. We are tenuously positioned for a violent confrontation but ill prepared for constructive communication.The temptation is to apply unilateral economic sanctions or enforce international political isolation. However, our failure to address the underlying issues may cause such standard deterrent strategies to backfire and lead to an unexpected conflict. READ MORE U.S. Representative Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) on US-Iran Relations ICAR Roundtable, National Press Club Posted: 7/24/07 U.S. Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) on US-Iran Relations ICAR Roundtable, National Press Club Posted: 07/19/07 Joseph Montville on US-Iran Relations ICAR Roundtable at National Press Club Posted: 07/24/07 Joseph Montville is Board Chair and Senior Fellow at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution Decision Time on Iran David Young, ICAR Masters Student Posted: 06/06/07 [Published, Middle East Times, March 8, 2007] After refusing to endorse the Iraq Study Group's recommendations in December to negotiate with Iran and Syria about the fate of Iraq, Secretary Rice's recent policy reversal was as startling as it was predictable. Only weeks ago, it had been staunch US policy not to submit to Iranian "extortion," but, like it or not, there is simply no other way now to secure Iraq. If only it were that simple.This is the moment Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been waiting for: US foreign policy will soon reflect the fact that the war in Iraq cannot be won with force, and that we will have to make concessions of some kind to salvage this failed mission. But at whose expense? READ MORE News Network Homepage / Armenia / 2008 Elections / Afghanistan / Diplomacy/ Egypt / Environment / Global Peace Index / Health / Immigration / Iraq / Iran / Islam / Kosovo / Nuclear Proliferation / Pakistan / Palestine-Israel / Russia / Somalia / South America / Sri Lanka / Turkey /		About ICAR Student Information Prospective Students Faculty and Staff Alumni Career Services Academic Programs Library ICAR In The News Events Technology Resources ICAR Publications Point Of View Center Center for World Religions, Diplomacy & Conflict Resolution