M8D1: Iran’s nuclear program and the regional balance

37547M8D1: Iran’s nuclear program and the regional balance

Iran’s nuclear efforts and the response to its program have been the focus of much regional and international diplomacy in recent years. For this activity, you are asked to draw on your readings for the course and your readings of current events (such as in the New York Times) to discuss responses to and potential effects of the Iran nuclear issue.

Given what you have learned about the MENA region and what you can read in news coverage to be up to date about the status of negotiations and compliance with a nuclear deal, if any, answer the following questions:

Do you think the international community (especially the P5 +1 group) has responded appropriately to the development of Iran’s nuclear capabilities? Why or why not? Be sure to demonstrate your knowledge of what the response(s) is/are.

Read:

Required
Cooper, H. (2015, March 6). Iran as Unlikely Ally: US strategy in Iraq increasingly relies on Iran (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. New York Times.
Fawcett, L. (2013). International relations of the Middle East. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, pp. 90-98, 121-123, 136-145, 201-203, 208-219.
Rand, D. H. (2013). Roots of the Arab Spring: Contested authority and political change in the Middle East (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, pp.1-44.
Wood, G. (2015, March). What ISIS really wants and how to stop it (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. The Atlantic 315 (2): 78-94.
Laub, Z. (2017, October 19). What to Watch For in Post-ISIS Iraq and Syria (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Council on Foreign Relations
Module Notes: The Arab Spring and Political Upheaval

Optional:
Filkins, D. (2013, September 30). The Shadow Commander (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. New Yorker 89 (30), 1.
Hussein, M. et al. (2014, July 9). ISIS earning $1M per day from Iraqi oil smugglingPreview the document. [Word file size, 93 KB] Iraq Oil Report.