By M.A. Saki

Doha talks will provide good opportunity for Iran and U.S.: professor

TEHRAN – Farhang Jahanpour, a former Senior Fulbright Research Scholar at Harvard, has a positive view toward the new format and venue of the talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

Biden continuing wrongheaded Trump-era policy on Iran: MSNBC

TEHRAN - In a commentary on May 20, the MSNBC criticized Joe Biden’s policy toward the Iran nuclear deal which is on life support, saying 18 months into his presidency he is “continuing wrongheaded Trump-era policy on Iran”.

Senator Murphy seeks answers on efficacy of ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran

TEHRAN - Chris Murphy, a United States senator representing Connecticut, has asked the opponents of the 2015 nuclear deal to explain to him whether five years of “maximum pressure” on Iran has “worked out”.

‘Trump’s Iran policy proved to be a complete, unconditional fiasco’

Trump's Iran failures left Biden with no choice but to make a deal: Senator Murphy

TEHRAN - Chris Murphy, a United States senator representing Connecticut, wrote an article in the TIME magazine on Thursday noting the mess created by Donald Trump’s “complete fiasco” toward the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran has left President Joe Biden with no alternative other than to make a deal with Iran.

Saeed Jalili: Maximum pressure failed miserably

TEHRAN— Saeed Jalili, a member of the Expediency Council and Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said on Thursday night that the maximum pressure campaign on Iran has failed.

IRGC chief: Enemy has retreated

TEHRAN — Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp (IRGC), said on Thursday evening that the enemies of Islam were united in defeating the Islamic Revolution but now they are retreating.

EU has just paid lip service to JCPOA, says Iranian envoy to Madrid

TEHRAN – Iran’s ambassador to Spain has said although the European Union has always been supporting the 2015 nuclear deal it has done nothing tangible in the face of repressive U.S. sanctions, IRNA reported on Sunday.

Iranians enchased the epic scenery of the bright future once again

With a stroke of the pen

TEHRAN – Iranians from all walks of life headed to polling stations across the country early on Friday to exercise their right to have a final say on all state matters ranging from how to run a village to deciding who will be the tenant of the Iranian presidential palace for the next four years.

Iran’s Araqchi says nuclear talks closer to deal

TEHRAN - Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal have come closer than ever to an agreement, but essential issues remain to be negotiated, the top Iranian negotiator said on Thursday.

‘Maximum pressure’ on Iran has failed: NY Times

TEHRAN – In a commentary on Saturday, April 10, the New York Times editorial board wrote that a return to the 2015 nuclear deal “is the first step out of the morass”.

 ‘Maximum pressure’ on Iran was total failure: Russian diplomat

TEHRAN - The United States economic pressures against Iran was a total failure and that needs no further evidence to be recognized, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov has said.

By Mehrdad Pahlavani, Asia analyst

What made diplomacy vulnerable in Iran: An inside-out perspective

Diplomacy, as an efficient art or an efficacious tool to resolve problems, has been undermined in the recent history of Iran's foreign relations. It has been done through creating many impediments and blockages for Iran in areas of diplomacy. This phenomenon to resort to hard politics is familiar to Iranians and its rivals. Confining, or even strangling, dialogue and diplomacy through expanding a wide spectrum of sanctions on Iran and cherishing military expenditure in West Asia is a well-known procedure. This abject slip is still underway. 

Maximum pressure policy is a failed policy, Javani says

TEHRAN - Brigadier General Yadollah Javani, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander for Political Affairs, has said the Iranian nation’s resistance, the Leader’s guidelines and the country’s military power “have worked well to defeat the U.S. maximum pressure policy against Iran,” Fars reported on Monday.

Global effort needed to end chilling effects of U.S. sanctions on Iran: Guardian 

In a commentary on January 22, The Guardian said the U.S. sanctions on Iran may have been unilateral, but their chilling effect was global and therefore global efforts, especially by the Europeans, are needed to end them.

'European sensitivity over propagandist’s execution instance of interference'

Rouhani: JCPOA is not renegotiable

TEHRAN – In a press conference on Monday, President Hassan Rouhani said the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the JCPOA, “is not renegotiable”.

Rouhani: World realizing ‘maximum pressure’ won’t work

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has said the world has realized that the “maximum pressure” policy does not work, emphasizing that the U.S.-adopted policy is coming to an end.

Vice president: Through resistance Iranians defeat ‘maximum pressure’

TEHRAN – Vice President Es’hagh Jahangiri has said the era of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy has ended with Iran’s resistance.

Envoy: Provoking so-called human rights issues part of ‘maximum pressure strategy’ against Iran 

TEHRAN – Tehran’s representative to the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee on Monday denounced a new report by the UN rights rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran as part of the Trump administration’s "maximum pressure" campaign against the Islamic Republic, Fars reported.

Next U.S. president will have to reconsider failed ‘max pressure’ campaign on Iran: expert

TEHRAN — A U.S. affairs expert believes Washington’s “maximum pressure” policy on Iran has failed to achieve its goals and whoever wins the November 3 presidential election in the U.S. will have to reconsider the failed policy.

By M.A. Saki

Mad sanctions

TEHRAN - On Thursday, the Trump administration introduced sweeping new sanctions targeting Iran's remaining financial sector.

Trump’s Iran policy is a ‘dangerous failure’, says Biden

TEHRAN — U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden has strongly criticized the Trump administration’s Iran policy, saying this past month has proven that Donald Trump’s Iran policy is a “dangerous failure”.

Saeed Jalili says Iran-China partnership will neutralize U.S. maximum pressure

TEHRAN - Saeed Jalili, a member of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has said that the Iran-China 25-year comprehensive partnership will make the United States “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran ineffective.

Iran, Russia underscore nuclear co-op amid U.S. pressure

TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali and Deputy Head of Russia's Rosatom Company for International Affairs Nikolai Spassky have met to discuss Iran-Russia nuclear cooperation in the face of U.S. pressure.

U.S. ‘maximum pressure’ brought Iran, Venezuela closer together: expert

TEHRAN — An international relations expert says the United States’ “maximum pressure” policy on Iran has brought Iran and Venezuela closer together as energy partners, with Venezuela serving as a destination country for Iranian gasoline exports.