Editor's Pick ·
Nobody Loves Iran’s Islamic Revolution
But nuclear weapons could still save it.
Ray Takeyh
Ray Takeyh is Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His areas of specialization are Iran, political reform in the Middle East, and Islamist movements and parties.
Latest Content
Editor's Pick ·
Israel Is Winning Battles, but Iran May Be Winning the War
Hard power is the only coin of the realm.
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Iran’s New Friends Make It More Dangerous Than Ever
Russia and China don’t fear the ayatollahs’ nuclear program.
Editor's Pick ·
How the U.S. Can Hasten the Fall of the Islamic Republic
Protestors want revolution, not reform.
Editor's Pick ·
Is a Second Iranian Revolution Afoot?
The parallels to 1978 are hard to ignore.
Editor's Pick ·
The Day after an American or Israeli Strike on Iran
Iranians are unlikely to rally behind the flag.
Editor's Pick ·
As Iran Heads toward a Political and Economic Crisis, the Biden Administration Plans to Offer It a Lifeline
Tehran will get guns, butter, and nuclear deterrence.
Observation ·
Did the Recent War Between Israel and Hamas Help Iran or Hurt It?
By Ray Takeyh, Assaf OrionCommitted to developing and supporting the intellectual, religious, and political leaders of the Jewish people and the Jewish state.
Editor's Pick ·
Iran’s New President Won’t Make Any Concessions When It Comes to Nuclear Weapons
A cleric with a proven capacity to repress and liquidate those willing to challenge the theocracy.
Editor's Pick ·
The Assassination of a Nuclear Scientist Suggests That the Iranian Regime Is in Trouble
Even members of the elite are defecting.
Editor's Pick ·
Negotiations with Iran Won’t Make the U.S., or the Middle East, Any Safer
At heart, the regime is a revolutionary organization.
Editor's Pick ·
Iran Won’t Renew Its Nuclear Deal with the U.S. under Any Circumstances
Adopt Reagan’s dictum: we win; they lose.
Editor's Pick ·
Why Iranians Are Setting Their Own Banks on Fire
And why Americans can help them by tightening sanctions.
Editor's Pick ·
The U.S. Should Rally the World against Iran
Now isn’t the time to back down.
Editor's Pick ·
Iran Can’t Win a War against the U.S., but It Can Win in Negotiations
Calibrated terrorism as a prelude to diplomatic maneuvers.
Editor's Pick ·
Why John Bolton Is Right to Threaten Military Action against Iran
History has proved that tough talk and tough deeds work against the mullahs.
Editor's Pick ·
Iran Is Feeling the Bite of U.S. Sanctions. But Will They Be Enough?
Washington’s endgame remains unclear.
Editor's Pick ·
The Dangers of Diplomacy with Iran
Avoid the yap trap.
Editor's Pick ·
Thanks to Intensified Sanctions and Domestic Protests, Iran’s Regime Is Weak. The U.S. Should Seize the Opportunity
Help push the mullahs out the door.
Editor's Pick ·
Toward an Iran Policy That Looks at the Big Picture
Ending the artificial separation of Tehran’s nuclear program from its adventurism.
Editor's Pick ·
Lessons from the End of the Iran Deal
And how to proceed.
Editor's Pick ·
Pulling Out of the Nuclear Deal Won’t Send Iran Rushing to Build a Bomb
As long as Washington is willing to play hardball.
Editor's Pick ·
Thanks to the Nuclear Deal, Iran Is on Its Way to Making Atomic Weapons
Just listen to what Iranian leaders have to say about it.
Editor's Pick ·
The U.S. Can Help Hasten the Collapse of the Iranian Regime
No island of stability.
Editor's Pick ·
The Myth of the CIA’s Meddling in Iran’s 1953 Coup
The original sin of U.S. Iran policy never happened.
Editor's Pick ·
The Right Way to Push Back against Iran
Human rights could be the key.
Editor's Pick ·
Yes, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Is a Terrorist Organization
Stating the obvious isn’t a provocation.
Editor's Pick ·
To Overcome Iran, the U.S. Can Learn from Reagan
And also foster Israel-Saudi cooperation.
Editor's Pick ·
How Not to Repeat Past Mistakes on Iran
To the clerical regime, improved relations with the West are an existential threat.
Editor's Pick ·
Ali Khamenei’s Successor Will Continue Iran’s Descent into Totalitarianism
A penchant for conspiracy theories, contempt for the West, and readiness to shed blood for the regime.