Naysan Rafati Senior Analyst, Iran Washington DC Please submit all media inquiries to media@crisisgroup.org or call +32 (0) 2 536 00 71 Crisis Group Role Naysan Rafati is Crisis Group’s Iran Senior Analyst. His research is focused on the Iran nuclear deal and Iran’s regional policies. He joined the organisation in October 2017 and is based in Washington. Professional Background Prior to joining Crisis Group, Naysan was a Transatlantic Postdoctoral Fellow in International Relations and Security (TAPIR) at the RAND Corporation, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Institut français des relations internationales. He holds MSt and DPhil degrees in Oriental Studies from St Antony's College, Oxford, where he was awarded the Albert Hourani and Jenkins Memorial Scholarships and taught various courses on Middle East politics and history. He received his BA magna cum laude from Yale. Languages English Persian Arabic Hebrew Publications Naysan has written for a variety of publications including Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Le Monde Diplomatique (English), and the Financial Times. In The News 25 Jul 2019 What the Iranians do have are missiles and local allies, proxy groups. It's entirely possible that an escalation [between the U.S. and] Iran would manifest across regional flash points. Vice Naysan Rafati Senior Analyst, Iran 26 May 2019 What we've definitely seen is a response from Iran on the nuclear front ... and the risk has always been that there would be a response on the regional front. CNN Naysan Rafati Senior Analyst, Iran 6 Aug 2018 There is a fine line between politics and economics in a country [Iran] where the government plays such a major role in the economy. But you can’t say that every economic protest is a pre-revolutionary protest. Foreign Policy Magazine Naysan Rafati Senior Analyst, Iran 26 Jan 2018 Internally, [Iran's Prensident] Rouhani has been trying to clip the wings of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), on their military moves but also economic influence. Business Insider Naysan Rafati Senior Analyst, Iran 11 Jan 2018 Iranian government's opponents will focus on [Ayatollah] Khamenei's self-critical statements and appointment to what was intended to be a caretaker position, as evidence of inter-regime wheeling. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Naysan Rafati Senior Analyst, Iran 2 Jan 2018 The scale and scope of the [Iranian] unrest as well as the varied demands raised by the protesters make it more difficult to make tangible concessions that would address their grievances. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Naysan Rafati Senior Analyst, Iran Latest Updates Commentary / Middle East & North Africa 5 November 2019 U.S. Maximum Pressure Meets Iranian Maximum Pressure Eighteen months after Washington quit the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, Tehran is proceeding with staggered steps away from its own compliance. The deal is unravelling against the backdrop of high regional tensions. A de-escalation along the lines developed by France provides an off-ramp. Commentary / Middle East & North Africa 20 September 2019 After the Aramco Attack: A Middle East One Step Closer to Its “1914 Moment” On 14 September, strikes of uncertain provenance hit Saudi Arabia’s largest oil facilities, taking some 50 per cent of the kingdom’s oil production temporarily offline. Crisis Group offers a 360-degree view of the attacks and their implications for Middle Eastern and international peace and security. Op-Ed / Middle East & North Africa 17 May 2019 Europe Tests the Boundaries on Iran A New Trade Vehicle Could Preserve the Nuclear Deal’s Core Bargain Originally published in Foreign Affairs Op-Ed / Middle East & North Africa 18 April 2019 Looking Eastward The Islamic Republic faces a mix of challenges and opportunities. While its rivalry with the United States and its allies in the Middle East is increasingly harsh, Tehran’s regional influence is unprecedented in recent history Originally published in World Energy Commentary / Middle East & North Africa 1 November 2018 Regional Risks of Rising U.S.-Iran Rivalry The U.S. is pursuing a "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran that includes the re-imposition of key energy and banking sanctions. With Tehran refusing to capitulate over its nuclear program or regional policies, the U.S.-Iran rivalry could escalate across the region.