David E. Sanger criticizes U.S. containment strategies used in an effort to reduce Iran's nuclear capability.

The fast-emerging split between Turkey and Iran has revived a centuries-old rivalry between the Ottomans and the Persians.

Ray Takeyh states, "Iran may have been able to project its influence in an Iraq beset by civil war, but Tehran increasingly is on the margins as Iraq reconstitutes its national institutions."

Iran's power struggles are adding to the political problems of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but it remains unclear who will emerge most powerful among the feuding conservative factions, says expert Farideh Farhi.

Bahman Kalbasi of BBC Persia interviews Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on current U.S. policy and attitude toward Iran.

This UN Secretary-General's report on human rights in Iran was released in September 2011.

Ray Takeyh says that the reaction of Iran's opposition and its establishment figures to Washington's recent accusations that Tehran was involved in an assassination plot on U.S. soil suggests a more tenuous relationship between the Islamist regime and Iranian nationalism than generally thought.

As Washington ratchets up pressure on Tehran in the wake of an alleged terror plot, focus has shifted to finding new levers for halting Iran's controversial nuclear program and casting it as an international pariah.

Mark Lagon argues that President Obama's approach to foreign affairs suggests that
 while the president may be for “soft power,” he is not so sure about America's moral authority to project it.

It seems unlikely that the plot to kill a Saudi ambassador involved the highest levels of Iran's government, says expert Kenneth Katzman, including the plan to use non-Muslim proxies to carry it out.

The U.S. government designates Iran as the "most active state sponsor of terrorism," which feeds concerns about Iran's growing nuclear program.

The alleged Iranian plot to kill a Saudi ambassador in Washington, DC requires a strong response from the Obama administration and makes Iran a national security priority, says CFR's Elliott Abrams.

Patrick Disney points out the need for change in U.S. policy towards Iran, as miscommunication and confusion motivate further expansion of the country's nuclear program.

Iran poses steep challenges to its Middle East neighbors and the world. Explore the country's complex regime structure and controversial nuclear program, and watch experts debate the range of policy options.

This is a special feature presentation from CFR that offers a unique, full-screen experience.

The latest multimedia feature in CFR's Emmy award-winning series uses expert interviews, interactive timelines, graphs, and images to trace Iran's history, examine its oil-driven economy, and survey its nuclear program.

The upheaval in Arab states presents opportunities and pitfalls for Iran in the Mideast. The best way for Washington to counter a possible Iranian rise, say some experts, is to cultivate relationships with Arab publics.

In this monograph, author Michael Einsenstadt discusses the strategic culture of Iran and its impact on the country's approach to strategy and war. Through an examination of Iran's “way of war,” Eisenstadt offers specific suggestions for the United States to better engage or deal with Iran.

A growing power struggle in Tehran adds new concerns for deterring Iran's nuclear ambitions. Analysts' recommendations for the U.S. range from engaging in direct talks to increasing pressure on the regime and trying to erode the regime's popular base.

Ray Takeyh states, "The Islamic Republic has entered its post-authoritarian stage."

Kenneth M. Pollack and Ray Takeyh state, ""... it is time to appreciate that the only manner of inducing meaningful change in the Islamic Republic's behavior without the resort to war is to otherwise imperil its very existence."