The surprising rise of the head of Iran's most influential charity

Ebrahim Raisi, head of one of Iran’s wealthiest organizations, appears to be using his position to put himself in the national spotlight ahead of presidential elections.

Iran

Congress cautiously takes on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

A bipartisan Senate bill to slap terrorism sanctions on the Iranian military raises questions about its practical impact.

Congress

Iranian ayatollah calls for fewer holidays

Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has criticized the number of holidays in Iran, urging the government to take action to decrease breaks.

Iran

What Rouhani wanted from Putin in Moscow visit

Moscow seems satisfied with Iranian President Rouhani’s visit, as Russia seeks a balanced relationship with the three most powerful Middle East states.

Russia

The GCC’s three options for dealing with Iran

Against the backdrop of heightened tensions with Iran in past years, the Gulf Cooperation Council stands at a crossroads in how it chooses to deal with the Islamic Republic.

Legacy: Gulf

Can Iran avoid looming banking crisis?

In Iran, debate on how to avoid a looming banking crisis reaches fever pitch, with the future structure of the Central Bank of Iran becoming a battlefield between the government and its conservative opponents.

Iran

Putin, Rouhani hold 'intensive' talks in Moscow

Iran’s president, who is on a two-day trip to Moscow, holds “important” meetings with Russia’s president and prime minister.

Russia

What role will Iran-linked militias play once IS leaves Iraq?

Despite Iraqi government attempts to control Shiite militias within the Popular Mobilization Units, the groups still are ready and willing to confront Israel and Saudi Arabia outside of Iraq.

Iraq

Iran responds to US with 'reciprocal sanctions'

In response to new US sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program, Tehran sanctioned US firms that supply the Israeli government with arms and other equipment to support the settlement enterprise.

Israel

5 reasons to watch Rouhani’s visit to Russia

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani is in Moscow for his first official visit to Russia.

Russia

Turkey's drive to attract Iranian tourists hits political snags

Scrambling to compensate for lost markets, Turkey’s tourism sector aims to attract 2 million tourists from Iran this year, but Ankara’s erratic foreign policy could throw this target into jeopardy.

Turkey

Why another Khomeini may soon shape Iranian politics

Of the many Iranian figures touted as potential successors to the late Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Hassan Khomeini stands out as the one person capable of assuming leadership of the moderate camp.

Iran