Dear John,

We at NIAC have been following with concern, but not total surprise, the developments in Iran’s presidential race. Elections under the Islamic Republic have never been free or fair and so many of the diverse perspectives held in Iranian society are not given the chance to be aired publicly. But this year’s election is shaping up to be an inflection point in Iran's already severely restricted political space.

I wanted to share two articles I’ve written analyzing the implications of the Guardian Council’s disqualifications en masse of the candidates who registered to run for president. One, for Responsible Statecraft [[link removed]] , gives an overview of the election landscape and the role of U.S. pressure in impacting Iran’s political balance. The other, for Foreign Policy [[link removed]] , discusses the potential trajectory of Iranian politics amid the decay of republican institutions.

If you’d like to stay on top of the latest developments outside of Iran, please also consider reading and subscribing to my weekly digest, Iran Unfiltered [[link removed]] . The latest issue [[link removed]] digs into the most recent developments in the presidential race and the ongoing talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal.

Thank you as always for your support. We at NIAC always strive to give a nuanced view of the issues that impact U.S.-Iranian relations and advocate for policies in Washington that can secure a brighter future for both the Iranian and American people.

Best,

Sina Toossi
Senior Research Analyst, NIAC

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