Informing U.S. engagement with the world

The U.S. Campaign in Iran Ignores the Lessons of the Iraq War
By Linda Robinson
![<p>A drone view of the aftermath of a U.S. strike on the Ras Isa fuel port, Al Jazirah, Yemen, April 18, 2025. </p>]()
Americans Are Skeptical About Operation Epic Fury
By James M. Lindsay
![<p>President Donald Trump announces that the United States has begun major combat operations in Iran, February 28, 2026.</p>]()
![Plumes of smoke rise over the residential areas of the Iranian capital following airstrikes amid ongoing U.S.–Israel attacks as multiple explosions are heard across the city in Tehran.]()
![<p>In a screen grab from a video, smoke rises following an explosion in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026.</p>]()
![An Iranian woman holding a poster depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei walks under a large flag during the forty-seventh anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran on February 11, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency via Reuters]()
Iran, Explained
The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28, targeting nuclear facilities, military installations, and senior leadership—killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggering Iranian retaliation across the region.
Use CFR’s timelines, explainers, and backgrounders to learn more about the country at the center of the attacks.
Unpacking the President’s Decision
Host James M. Lindsay Lindsay, a distinguished senior fellow in U.S. foreign policy, sits down with Dalia Dassa Kaye, a senior fellow at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations and the author of Enduring Hostility: The Making of America‘s Iran Policy in the latest episode of The President’s Inbox. They discuss Trump’s decision to launch a war against Iran, the prospects for regime change, and the consequences for the region.
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Artificial Intelligence
President Trump ordered the U.S. government to stop using Anthropic’s cutting-edge AI model. It is the latest development in a standoff between the tech company and the Pentagon over how the new technology should be used.
The War in Ukraine
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