Michael Adler's Blog

Iran Nuclear Talks Plow Ahead

            The following article was originally published as Viewpoints No. 54 by the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.Michael Adler            Despite a spiraling crisis in Ukraine and discontent in Israel and Saudi Arabia, the Iranian nuclear talks have…

State of Diplomacy: What will it take?

Michael AdlerWhat is Iran’s standing in the world in 2013 compared to the beginning of 2012?              Iran was resilient in 2012. It managed to survive increasing diplomatic, economic and military pressures:   ·    Tehran did not yield to new sanctions, despite the fact that oil and gas…

Outcome of Iran Nuclear Talks in Baghdad

Michael Adler Diplomats from Iran and the world’s six major powers—the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- met in Baghdad on May 23 and 24. What did the talks produce? Nothing concrete. It was their second meeting in a new round of negotiations over concerns Iran is…

Analysis of Iran Nuke Talks

Michael Adler in Istanbul What happened during the talks? The most concrete result of the meeting in Istanbul on April 14 was a new round of talks scheduled for May 23 in Baghdad.    The original goal was to re-start diplomacy between Iran and the world’s six major powers— Britain, China, France…

What’s New in the U.N. Nuclear Report?

Michael Adler  What is new in the latest report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency about Iran’s controversial nuclear program? The report takes the U.N. nuclear watchdog's accounting of Iran's nuclear program to a whole new level. It is the first time the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)…

U.N. reports new information on Iran’s nuclear program

Michael Adler          The United Nations has obtained new information that Iran may have worked on making nuclear weapons, according to a report distributed in Vienna February 25. Its nuclear watchdog agency also said Iran appears to have overcome setbacks from the Stuxnet cyber-virus that set…

Why the Istanbul talks failed

Michael Adler in Istanbul Why did talks between Iran and the world’s six major powers in Istanbul January 21-22 fail to produce any agreement or significant movement toward a compromise?The talks deadlocked after Iran imposed two preconditions on any deal designed to assuage fears that the…

Nuke estimate may buy diplomacy more time

Michael Adler What does the new estimate by Israel’s retiring Mossad chief Meir Dagan-- that Iran won’t have a weapon before 2015-- do to the diplomatic effort? It reinforces it. Diplomacy needs time and and gets time if Iran is stalled in its nuclear program, as is apparently the case.  How…

U.N. report says Iran’s nuclear program temporarily stopped

Michael Adler The International Atomic Energy Agency – the U.N. nuclear watchdog – issued a report on Iran’s controversial nuclear program on Nov. 23. What did it conclude, in a nutshell? It reported that Iran stopped uranium enrichment for at least one day on Nov. 16, although it provided no…