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 15 Feb 2019 Both Iran and the US are waiting and hoping for regime change in one another’s countries, but the clock in Washington is running faster than the clock in Tehran. Politico Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 13 Feb 2019 While many in Europe share US concerns with regards to Iran's regional activities & ballistic missiles program, they don't agree with Washington's one-sided and maximalist view that Iran is the source of all evil in the region Daily Mail Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 11 Feb 2019 (...) ravaged by years of war, sanctions and mismanagement, the Iranian economy has failed to fulfill its enormous potential, squandering the prosperity of an entire generation of Iranians. Bloomberg Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 21 Jan 2019 The risk is that the more the Trump administration succeeds in squeezing the Iranian economy, the less risk-averse Iran will become in the region. The Wall Street Journal Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 26 Dec 2018 The fight against corruption in Iran has always been subjective and used as a political football. The system is starting to perceive endemic corruption as existential threat and is seeking to at least contain it. The Wall Street Journal Ali Vaez Project Director, Iran 14 Dec 2018 In the process of using platforms associated with Iran's regional foes to delegitimize the Islamic Republic, the opposition risks delegitimizing itself in the eyes of the highly nationalistic Iranian population. Al Monitor 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