Center for a New American Security

The debate over how the United States and its allies should deal with Iran is one of the most important national security issues today.   To address this challenge, CNAS continues to evaluate U.S. military and diplomatic options and economic and financial measures to encourage regime behavior change. This work builds on already published research, Iran: Assessing U.S. Strategic Options and Pressure: Coercive Economic Statecraft and U.S. National Security.

The Obama administration has proven more successful than many expected at constructing an international coalition in support of significantly more intense sanctions on Iran while holding out the hope of a diplomatic solution to Iran’s alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon.  But while these efforts have bought time, their inability to definitively resolve the problem will likely mean new calls to escalate sanctions and to more publicly threaten war.   The new debate will be framed by the successive foreclosing of previously attractive possibilities.  Efforts early in the Obama administration to begin comprehensive engagement aimed at a “grand bargain” with Iran have faded, as have hopes which flared in the aftermath of the June 12, 2009 Iranian elections that the Green Movement might bring to power a less combative Iranian government.  While sanctions have clearly begun to hurt Iran’s economy, there are few signs that it is considering a bold change of policy. 

CNAS’ Iran research is led by Senior Fellow Dr. Colin Kahl, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East.