Excerpts from previous status reports, by subject
Removed on August 28, 2009
Political turmoil in Iran dims prospect for diplomatic progress
Political turmoil in Iran surrounding the results of a June 12, 2009 presidential election has derailed the Obama administration’s policy of seeking to engage Iran in negotiations over its nuclear program. Iran was given until late September to accept the latest invitation to talk extended by the United States and its partners -- once again buying time for Iran and delaying the moment when further sanctions are considered. Stalled nuclear diplomacy continues to allow Iran to build up its nuclear infrastructure and increase its stockpile of nuclear fuel.
Conservative candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s current president, was sworn in on August 5, though his election was marred by a number of irregularities. Those contesting Ahmadinejad’s victory have mounted protests despite an interdiction on demonstrations and a crackdown by the Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and its Basij militia that has resulted in violence and arrests. This climate has likely eliminated the prospect of any fruitful nuclear talks involving Iran in the coming months. Iran’s leaders will remain focused on consolidating power and quashing dissent. And it will be difficult for the United States and its European partners to strike a compromise deal with a regime whose legitimacy has been so severely challenged at home -- and whose response to that challenge has been violence and repression.