Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran Please submit all media inquiries to avaez@crisisgroup.org or call +32 (0) 2 536 00 71 Crisis Group Role Ali Vaez is Crisis Group's Iran Project Director. Consulting closely with all sides in the nuclear negotiations for the past few years as our former Iran Senior Analyst, he led Crisis Group’s efforts in helping to bridge the gaps between Iran and the P5+1 and is renowned as one of the foremost experts on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Professional Background Before joining Crisis Group, he headed the Iran project at the Federation of American Scientists in Washington, DC. Trained as a scientist, Vaez has more than a decade of experience in journalism. He has written widely on Iranian affairs and is a regular contributor to mainstream media outlets. He was a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University from 2008 to 2010 and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Geneva and a master's degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Languages Persian French English In The News 8 Nov 2018 The only thing the Iranian leadership deems more dangerous than suffering from sanctions is surrendering to them. TIME Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 25 Sep 2018 The emphasis on coercion and pressure may find a receptive audience among U.S. regional allies, but is hardly going to lure the Iranians back to the table. Lowering tensions between Tehran and Washington is critical - but insults make any accommodation a less likely proposition. AFP Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 7 Aug 2018 Sanctions are effective as they have international support. This time around, the U.S. is basically bullying the rest of the world into compliance. There are many countries who would not comply like China or Russia. As a result of it, the leaky sanctions regime would not be as effective as the previous round. Al Jazeera Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 26 Jul 2018 There’s so much friction between Iran, the U.S. and their respective allies throughout the region. There’s so many flash points that a single miscalculation could result in a confrontation that could easily spiral out of control. TIME Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 24 Jul 2018 Unlike the case of North Korea, enmity with Iran is quite ideological in [the Trump] administration... The more the U.S. threatens Iran, and the more ordinary Iranians have to deal with economic hardships, the less motivation [Iranians] may have for pursuing any kind of radical change The Washington Post Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 9 Jul 2018 Trying to appropriate Iranian women’s discontent to advance regime change is a surefire way to undermine their cause. The more the Trump Administration tries to deepen Iran’s domestic fault lines, the more likely it is that the political élite will close ranks and bring down the iron fist. The New Yorker Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran Latest Updates Op-Ed / Middle East & North Africa 28 June 2018 Trump's unintended allies in Iran: the hardliners Originally published in The Hill Op-Ed / Middle East & North Africa 25 May 2018 The Iran deal is on life support. Can Europe revive it? The key question is whether the sum total of what Europe can offer Iran is sufficiently robust – financially and symbolically – to give those in Iran who argue for restraint and continued engagement a chance. Originally published in euronews Op-Ed / Middle East & North Africa 16 January 2018 Can Europe Save the Iran Deal? Originally published in Foreign Affairs Op-Ed / Middle East & North Africa 15 January 2018 Iran’s Protests: Time to Reform Without addressing head-on the drivers of the protests and pursuing popular reform, the Iranian leaders are only buying time until the next standoff between the state and the society. Originally published in Open Democracy Commentary / Middle East & North Africa 4 January 2018 How Iran’s President Rouhani Can Turn Crisis into Opportunity Daily street protests across Iran since 28 December 2017 have pitted many young Iranians against the government, but the state’s response is revealing deep fractures in the political establishment. To outflank both the unrest and his political opponents, President Rouhani’s best option is to address head-on the drivers of the protests and pursue popular reform. Load more