Ditching U.S. Nuclear Protection in Europe: Will It Trigger a Nuclear Arms Race?
What if France takes over the U.S. role in providing nuclear deterrence for Europe? What happens to U.S. nuclear weapons stationed on the European continent? Could France’s increased nuclear security role lead to proliferation and a new arms race? Join us as we delve into European nuclear security, the Iranian nuclear program, and the roles of Russia and China in supporting Iran.
Iranian lithium deposits: EU can ‘easily’ do without, experts say
The Iranian government claimed last week it had found a new deposit of lithium in the Hamedan province, worth 10% of all global lithium resources, but experts say this marks no shift in EU-Iran diplomatic ties.
USA and the negociations with Iran 2/2 : U.S. views on the true nature of the Iranian regime
Robert Litwak from the Wilson Center joined Ifri on April 22, 2015 for a seminar on the U.S.-Iranian nuclear negotiations. In this video, he analyzes the different views on Iran and its regime.
Robert Litwak is the Vice President for Scholars and Director of International Security Studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
USA and the negociations with Iran 1/2 : How does each side understand nuclear diplomacy?
Robert Litwak is the Vice President for Scholars and Director of International Security Studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Hostage diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The case of Europeans detained in Iran
The so-called hostage diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran refers to a political and diplomatic strategy in which Tehran uses the detention of Western nationals, dual citizens, or Iranian citizens residing in Europe, Australia, or the United States as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. This practice aims to exert pressure to secure political, economic, or diplomatic concessions as part of Tehran’s asymmetric response strategy. Hostage diplomacy remains a controversial yet effective tool from the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran, given its context of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
The New Geopolitics of Energy
Following the dramatic floods in Valencia, and as COP29 opens in Baku, climate change is forcing us to closely reexamine the pace—and the stumbling blocks—of the energy transition.
The South versus the West?
In 2023, forums that amplify the voice of the “Global South” have proliferated and grown louder. As contradictory and divided as they may be, these forums (BRICS+, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), G20, the Group of 77, the European Silk Road Summit…) attest to the emergence of new power relations, and especially new directions in foreign policy, with states rejecting alignment with the dominant powers of the past in favor of putting their own interests first. A new world is taking shape, with changeable, still uncertain, contours.
Is Iran the Big Beneficiary of Chinese Foreign Policy in the Middle East?
On March 10, the revelation of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran brokered by China took Western observers and diplomats by surprise. Beijing's unprecedented intervention in the dispute between Riyadh and Teheran confirms its growing ambitions in the region.
The Ambitions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Pacific
In January 2023, the Iranian Navy staged a show of force near the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) amid growing tensions between Tehran and Canberra.
Why a reconciliation between Washington and Teheran seems impossible.
Relations between the United States and the Islamic Republic are marked by history. On the Iranian side, the overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953 weighs heavily on the perception of the United States. On the American side, the events linked to the 1979 Islamic Revolution remain a trauma after more than forty years. The agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and signed in July 2015, was therefore a momentous first step towards a possible reconciliation. Unfortunately, the process was interrupted by the United States’ withdrawal from the agreement and the implementation of a "maximum pressure" policy by the Trump administration in 2018.
Hostage diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The case of Europeans detained in Iran
The so-called hostage diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran refers to a political and diplomatic strategy in which Tehran uses the detention of Western nationals, dual citizens, or Iranian citizens residing in Europe, Australia, or the United States as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. This practice aims to exert pressure to secure political, economic, or diplomatic concessions as part of Tehran’s asymmetric response strategy. Hostage diplomacy remains a controversial yet effective tool from the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran, given its context of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
The South versus the West?
In 2023, forums that amplify the voice of the “Global South” have proliferated and grown louder. As contradictory and divided as they may be, these forums (BRICS+, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), G20, the Group of 77, the European Silk Road Summit…) attest to the emergence of new power relations, and especially new directions in foreign policy, with states rejecting alignment with the dominant powers of the past in favor of putting their own interests first. A new world is taking shape, with changeable, still uncertain, contours.
Is Iran the Big Beneficiary of Chinese Foreign Policy in the Middle East?
On March 10, the revelation of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran brokered by China took Western observers and diplomats by surprise. Beijing's unprecedented intervention in the dispute between Riyadh and Teheran confirms its growing ambitions in the region.
The Ambitions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Pacific
In January 2023, the Iranian Navy staged a show of force near the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) amid growing tensions between Tehran and Canberra.
Why a reconciliation between Washington and Teheran seems impossible.
Relations between the United States and the Islamic Republic are marked by history. On the Iranian side, the overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953 weighs heavily on the perception of the United States. On the American side, the events linked to the 1979 Islamic Revolution remain a trauma after more than forty years. The agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and signed in July 2015, was therefore a momentous first step towards a possible reconciliation. Unfortunately, the process was interrupted by the United States’ withdrawal from the agreement and the implementation of a "maximum pressure" policy by the Trump administration in 2018.
War in Ukraine: A New World?
Beyond the tactical sphere, the conflict in Ukraine has already had numerous repercussions, and its conclusion will provoke many more in the global system. In this special issue, Politique étrangère explores some potential outcomes.
The Russian-Iran Partnership in a Multipolar World
The strengthening of the partnership between Russia and Iran depends on overlapping security interests; bilaterally, regionally and on the world stage.
Climate: Which Way Forward?
Thirty years after Rio, the case file “Climate: Which way forward?” assesses current climate commitments, which are undoubtedly less impressive and less certain than the political pronouncements and media fanfare make them seem. A number of fundamental problems remain.
Strait of Hormuz: The War of Nerves
In the event of a major conflict, Iran could decide to close the Strait of Hormuz, which would cause a global energy crisis.
Washington-Téhéran : l'élection de Joe Biden change-t-elle la donne ?
The recent assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the father of Iran's nuclear program, echoes that of Qassem Soleimani in January 2020 and illustrates the policy of "maximum pressure" which has prevailed these past four years. In this context, Joe Biden's election gives rise to high expectations for the appeasement of U.S.-Iran relations.
Iranian lithium deposits: EU can ‘easily’ do without, experts say
The Iranian government claimed last week it had found a new deposit of lithium in the Hamedan province, worth 10% of all global lithium resources, but experts say this marks no shift in EU-Iran diplomatic ties.
Ditching U.S. Nuclear Protection in Europe: Will It Trigger a Nuclear Arms Race?
What if France takes over the U.S. role in providing nuclear deterrence for Europe? What happens to U.S. nuclear weapons stationed on the European continent? Could France’s increased nuclear security role lead to proliferation and a new arms race? Join us as we delve into European nuclear security, the Iranian nuclear program, and the roles of Russia and China in supporting Iran.
USA and the negociations with Iran 1/2 : How does each side understand nuclear diplomacy?
Robert Litwak is the Vice President for Scholars and Director of International Security Studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
USA and the negociations with Iran 2/2 : U.S. views on the true nature of the Iranian regime
Robert Litwak from the Wilson Center joined Ifri on April 22, 2015 for a seminar on the U.S.-Iranian nuclear negotiations. In this video, he analyzes the different views on Iran and its regime.
Robert Litwak is the Vice President for Scholars and Director of International Security Studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
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