Obama: World 'Appalled' by Iran Violence

White House shifting strategy, but activists aren't thrilled

(NEWSER) - With President Obama's attempts to negotiate with Tehran going nowhere, the White House is looking to a new approach to pressuring Iran on nuclear weapons: backing the Iranian opposition movement. The US administration is now convinced the Iranian opposition is here to stay, and hopes to boost it while further destabilizing the regime with sanctions targeting the Revolutionary Guard. But the Iranian opposition says the last thing it needs is love from Washington. More»

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urges high turnout

(AP) - Iran's supreme leader urged Iranians to vote in large numbers as the country holds parliamentary elections today, saying a high turnout would send a strong message to the enemies of the nation amid the nuclear standoff with the West. The balloting for the 290-member parliament is the first major voting since the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009 and the mass protests and crackdowns that followed. More»

February 11 will test regime, international community

(NEWSER) - Feb. 11, the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, promises to bring tests for all parties with a hand in the nation's fate, writes Gerald Seib. Big marches traditionally herald the anniversary, and members of the opposition movement that has bloomed since last June's election will undoubtedly come out in big numbers. That's the test for Mahmoud "Ahmadinejad and his government, which will have to decide how hard to bring down their iron fist." More»

Ticking nuclear clock won't allow many more missed chances

(NEWSER) - By not throwing his support to Iran’s struggling opposition movement, President Obama should be looking back with regret on “a year of spectacularly squandered opportunity,” Charles Krauthammer writes. Citing Obama’s “scandalous silence,” and his “relentless engagement with the murderous regime” of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Krauthammer says that even if he only cares about Iran’s nuclear program, regime change is the best way to get that under control—and Obama’s missed a year of chances. More»

China ascendant, Pakistan dangerous, Iran is one to watch

(NEWSER) - Foreign Policy asked 100 luminaries—from Bill Clinton to Francis Fukuyama to David Petraeus—to weigh in on just what happened in the past year, and what the future holds. Some of their opinions and predictions:

• Obama's doing all right: The average rating for Obama's first year in office is a 7 out of 10.
• Iran's the one to watch in 2010: Some 29% say Iran will be the "unknown unknown" next year; Pakistan is close behind, at 21%.