The 11th Presidential election of Iran will be held on June 14, 2013. Why will this election be a test for the Islamic Republic’s stability? What are the factors at play that make this election critical; and more importantly, why must India monitor it closely?
The trilogy analyses three themes of discussions carried out at the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round – (i) agricultural tariffs and subsidies, (ii) non-agricultural market access and services trade, and (iii) trade remedies and facilitation.
For long, deterrence has been the backbone of the U.S. national security strategy. It has applied deterrence to Russia, failed to apply it to Iraq and Iran, and is confused about applying it to China. Does the U.S. need to relearn the basics of deterrence?
Earlier in April, representatives of the U.S., EU, China and Russia held discussions in Kazakhstan to break the deadlock over Iran’s nuclear program, but with little result. What are the complexities of the Iranian nuclear dispute, and what are the chances of progress in the negotiations?
Authors and Middle East analysts Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett, in their recent book, argue that the U.S. needs to change its approach towards Iran, and outline the reasons for the same.
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Despite serious warnings by the U.S., Pakistan recently inaugurated its oil-pipeline project with Iran – citing national interest in energy. Although the odds are stacked in Islamabad’s favour – which includes severe energy shortage resulting in economic issues – this move could be a high-risk gamble.
With the Islamic republic increasingly cut off from global markets due to sanctions, China, the largest importer of Iranian oil, is in prime position to capitalise on what is left of the ailing economy. However, the flooding of China-made products in the Iranian market has implications for Iranian manufacturers.
The ongoing U.S. economic sanctions on Iran have resulted in a severe shortage of life-saving medical supplies in the Islamic republic. There is hence an urgent need to amend the sanctions laws so that permissible humanitarian transactions can take place.
The U.S. has continually been trying to coerce Iran into giving up its nuclear program for years now, but with little success. What should Washington do to avoid both military action, and deterrence?
Turkey’s combined efforts with the West, to crush the regime in Syria, seem unlikely to fructify soon, as the conflict inside Syria only intensifies each day. Ankara’s improved relations with the West, therefore, are unlikely to compensate for the regional instability it might face to its east in the future.
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