Vali Nasr

Iran's Water Crisis Is Its Greatest Threat The collapse of water security in Iran has been decades in the making and is rooted in a mania for mega projects.

Iran’s water crisis is the biggest threat it faces time.com/7321571/iran...

With Iran under pressure, fears grow of new Israeli strikes The Trump administration sees “snapback” sanctions as a key pressure tactic. For some U.S. allies, they raise fears of further instability.

I told Washington Post on the dangers of renewed war "The longer Iran and the United States go without restarting talks, the greater the likelihood of renewed conflict. And now that “snapback” sanctions have been reimposed, it could be months before the two sides are talking again." wapo.st/4gO6KNs

The Middle East That Israel Has Made Why Washington will rue the costs of Israeli aggression.

Excellent analysis by Sanam Vakil and Galip Dalay on the impact Israel’s wars on regional order www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/middl...

The Middle East That Israel Has Made Why Washington will rue the costs of Israeli aggression.

Excellent analysis by Sanam Vakil and Galip Dalay on the impact Israel’s wars on regional order www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/middl...

Hussein Agha and Robert Malley's new book, Tomorrow is Yesterday is a first rate examination of why the idea of "two-state solution" has thus far failed and why it is likely to fail again. There is much eye-opening history and ground realities in this book. highly recommended. a.co/d/aI4B41k

Book Talk: Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History - Arab Gulf States Institute On September 16, AGSI will host a discussion on the roots of Iran's strategic outlook.

TODAY at 12:30 pm ET: Book Talk: Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History with author @valinasr.bsky.social and @alfoneh.bsky.social, moderated by @ibishblog.bsky.social.

Book Talk: Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History - Arab Gulf States Institute On September 16, AGSI will host a discussion on the roots of Iran's strategic outlook.

Next week: AGSI will host a discussion on the roots of Iran's strategic outlook with @valinasr.bsky.social and @alfoneh.bsky.social, moderated by @ibishblog.bsky.social. Register today.

You heard it at Commonwealth Club World Affairs

Over the summer, @valinasr.bsky.social spoke with @swamiriver.bsky.social at @cwclub.bsky.social in San Francisco about Iran's grand strategy.

Photos below by Sarah Gonzalez/Peopletography

You can watch the entire program: youtu.be/K6fWqR3LDXA?...

Israel’s attack on Qatar is as big a shock for the Gulf as Iran’s attack on Abquaiq in 2019. And both have shown US security protection to be of little value. The attack on Qatar will prove as consequential as Iran’s attack on Abquaiq and that one changed the Gulf’s outlook in fundamental ways.

How to Make Snapback a Success The clock is ticking for a new nuclear deal with Iran.

Important piece by Ellie Geranmayeh: How to Make Snapback a Success - The clock is ticking for a new nuclear deal with Iran. foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/03/s...

www.instagram.com/p/DNybYQ_UDu...

Iran’s Roads Not Taken Tehran, Washington, and the failures that led to war.

My essay in Foreign Affairs on why war was not and is not inevitable between US and Iran and what lessons can be drawn from missed diplomatic opportunities: "Iran’s Roads Not Taken" www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/irans-r...

After the shock of war, Iranians yearn for change Despite an initial mood of wartime solidarity, Iranians across the political spectrum believe the conflict has exposed the vulnerabilities of the system

excellent piece by Andrew England and Najmeh Bozorgmehr on the political mood in Iran: after the shock of war, Iranians yearn for change www.ft.com/content/bf5f...

Iran’s Roads Not Taken Tehran, Washington, and the failures that led to war.

My essay in Foreign Affairs on why war was not and is not inevitable between US and Iran and what lessons can be drawn from missed diplomatic opportunities: "Iran’s Roads Not Taken" www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/irans-r...

The New Hamas Insurgency The embattled group is drawing Israel further into an unwinnable war.

good take by Leila Seurat: Hamas has been battered for two years, but on is still doing enough to draw Israel, set on its war to the end strategy, into an unwinnable war
www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/new-h...

Book Talk: Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History - Arab Gulf States Institute On September 16, AGSI will host a discussion on the roots of Iran's strategic outlook.

Event 9/16: Book Talk: Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History with author @valinasr.bsky.social and @alfoneh.bsky.social, moderated by @ibishblog.bsky.social. Register now.

Looking forward to my conversation with Helene Cooper on Iran Sept 10

What Israelis and Palestinians can learn from Bosnia The Dayton accords had many shortcomings but peace has largely held for 30 years in the wake of genocide

A thoughtful piece by Dahlia Scheindlin: What Israelis and Palestinians can learn from Bosnia www.ft.com/content/b48b...

The Crown Center for Middle East Studies invites you to our exciting lineup of in-person and virtual events this fall. Save the dates and register for virtual attendance! www.brandeis.edu/crown/events...

@valinasr.bsky.social @safiraleaf.bsky.social | #iran #iraq #gaza #middleeast

Iran’s Roads Not Taken Tehran, Washington, and the failures that led to war.

My essay in Foreign Affairs on why it is important to take stock of missed opportunities that could have set US-Iran relations on a different path if a worse conflict now is to be averted www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/irans-r...

Iran’s Roads Not Taken Tehran, Washington, and the failures that led to war.

My essay in Foreign Affairs on why it is important to take stock of missed opportunities that could have set US-Iran relations on a different path if a worse conflict now is to be averted www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/irans-r...

why India won’t abandon Russia. Despite the high cost of Trump’s secondary tariffs, New Delhi has compelling reasons to keep Moscow close.

Israel Is Quietly in Talks to Relocate Palestinians From Gaza The effort, spurred by President Trump’s idea of redeveloping the enclave, has been criticized as a potential violation of international law.

Israel is pushing forward efforts to relocate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza. Libya, South Sudan and Syria are among the countries Israel has spoken to in its effort to move hundreds of thousands from the enclave www.wsj.com/world/middle... via @WSJ

Israel’s Emerging Occupation Consensus Despite misgivings about Netanyahu’s Gaza plans, most Israelis support his approach to the Palestinians.

A bleak picture: The focus on Bibi is misplaced, despite all their misgivings about him, there is broad support in Israel for his approach to Palestinians and occupation www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/israe...

Inside the 13-year search for Austin Tice, the journalist who disappeared Austin Tice disappeared in Syria in 2012. To reconstruct the 13-year search for the journalist, The Post spoke with more than 70 people, uncovering new information about his imprisonment and the effor...

Excellent reporting, insightful and heartbreaking: Inside the 13-year search for Austin Tice, the journalist who disappeared in Syria wapo.st/4mdwa91

The Next Israel-Iran War Is Coming Both countries’ strategic calculus suggests it will be even more violent.

Is the nextIsrael-Iran war Is coming? Trita Parsi argues the strategic calculus of both countries suggests it will be even more violent. foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/11/i...

The U.S. Marches Toward State Capitalism With American Characteristics President Trump is imitating the Chinese Communist Party by extending political control ever deeper into the economy.

U.S. is moving toward state capitalism mirroring China www.wsj.com/economy/the-... via @WSJ

YouTube video by Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California Vali Nasr | Iran's Grand Strategy

It was great to be back at the Commonwealth Club of Sa Francisco to discuss my book Iran’s Grand Strategy youtu.be/K6fWqR3LDXA?...

YouTube video by Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California Vali Nasr | Iran's Grand Strategy

It was great to be back at the Commonwealth Club of Sa Francisco to discuss my book Iran’s Grand Strategy youtu.be/K6fWqR3LDXA?...

How the Revolutionary Guard stealthily shapes Iran’s economy In a remarkable disclosure, the founder of a thriving Iranian tech company has revealed the behind-the-scenes pressure that security forces exerted on his firm.

a closeup of how IRGC pressures Iran's private sector. Political bullying but also self-defeating predatory behavior. That there are so companies like Divar thriving in Iran's private sector is surprising wapo.st/45FHGUU