FMSO

Open source research on foreign perspectives of defense and security issues, emphasizing those topics that are understudied or unconsidered.

Legacy Articles On Iran

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Thomas Tolare

2024-04-15 Spotlight on Vatanpour, Iran’s “Most Active” Airbase (Michael Rubin)
2024-04-15 Iran Hints It Will Supply Air Defense Weaponry to Palestinians (Michael Rubin)
2024-04-15 Iran Rationalizes Russia’s Pro-Arab Position on Disputed Islands (Michael Rubin)

2024-03-01 Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Seeks Dominant Role in Maritime Development (Michael Rubin)
2024-03-01 Iran’s Supreme Leader Announces Maritime Development Strategy (Michael Rubin)
2024-03-01 Iran Seeks To Assert Global Leadership in Determining International Cyber Policy (Michael Rubin)
2024-03-01 Belarus and Iran Form Alliance Against the West (Paris Gordon)

2024-01-03 Iran Announces Integration Of Artificial Intelligence Into Drone Fleet (Michael Rubin)
2024-01-03 Iran Equips Drones With Heat-Seeking Missiles (Michael Rubin)
2024-01-03 Iran Demands Disarmament Of Kurdish Dissidents In Iraq (Michael Rubin)

2023-11-08 Iran Promoting Medical Tourism To Generate Hard Currency (Michael Rubin)
2023-11-08 Iran’s Supreme Leader Accuses West of Ukraine War Conspiracy (Michael Rubin)

2023-10-03 Iran Claims Development of Cruise Missiles Guided by Artificial Intelligence (Michael Rubin)
2023-10-03 Requirements for Desirable Iranian Oil Ministry Jobs Revealed (Michael Rubin)
2023-10-03 Iran’s Supreme Leader Warns of Declining Fervor of New Generation (Michael Rubin)

2023-08-25 Iran Claims New Flight Simulator Will Enhance National Power (Michael Rubin)
2023-08-25 Iran’s Simorgh Transport Plane Makes Maiden Flight (Michael Rubin)
2023-08-25 Iran Indicates Plans To Commercialize Nuclear Technology, Sell Heavy Water (Michael Rubin)
2023-08-25 Iran’s Persistent and Growing Influence in Latin America (Ryan Berg)

2023-06-01 Iran Unveils New Thermobaric Warhead (Michael Rubin)
2023-06-01 Iran Opens New Helicopter, Drone Base in Southeastern Provincial Capital (Michael Rubin)
2023-06-01 Iran Ready To Help Syria Rebuild Its Defense Infrastructure (Michael Rubin)

2023-05-01 Iran Installs New Precision Missiles on Army Helicopters (Michael Rubin)
2023-05-01 Iran Seeks To Reestablish Embassy and Consulate in Saudi Arabia Before Hajj (Michael Rubin)
2023-05-01 Iran Considers Rapprochement With Pakistan (Michael Rubin)

2023-04-01 Iran Unveils Updated Yasin Training Jet With Possible Close Combat Applications (Michael Rubin)
2023-04-01 Iran’s Increased Defense Budget Leading to More Arms Exports (Michael Rubin)
2023-04-01 Iran Capitalizing on Post-Earthquake Conditions To Deepen Influence in Syria (Lucas Winter)

2023-03-01 Iran Praises Revolutionary Guards’ Proxy Afghan Brigade (Michael Rubin)
2023-03-01 Iran Profiles the Female Police Seeking To Quell the Women’s Protests (Michael Rubin)

2023-02-01 Iran Moves Sea-Borne Drone Fleet Closer to Reality (Michael Rubin)
2023-02-01 Iranian General Reiterates Goal To Expel United States From Region (Michael Rubin)
2023-02-01 Iran Fires Indigenous Torpedoes From Submarines for First Time (Michael Rubin)

2023-01-01 Iran Asks Tajikistan Not To Use Iranian Drones in Dispute With Kyrgyzstan (Michael Rubin)
2023-01-01 Iran Claim of Hypersonic Missile Capability Probably Exaggerated (Michael Rubin)

2022-11-01 Iran Vaunts Persian Language as Marker of National Identity Despite Country’s Ethnic Diversity (Michael Rubin)
2022-11-01 Iran’s Proposal To Build Railroads and Housing in Syria Could Enrich IRGC (Michael Rubin)
2022-11-01 Iran Lauds Air Defense, Claims Sepehr Radar Will Soon Be Operational (Michael Rubin)

2022-10-01 Iran Wants Sukhoi-35 Fighters From Russia (Michael Rubin)
2022-10-01 Iran Intercepts Crystal Meth Shipment From Afghanistan (Michael Rubin)

2022-09-01 Iran Reportedly Using New Carrier, Submarines To Expand Reach of Drones (Michael Rubin)
2022-09-01 Iran Unveils Stealth Speedboats (Michael Rubin)
2022-09-01 Iran’s Flawed Statistics and Growing Drug Addiction (Michael Rubin)

2022-08-01 Iranian F-14 Crash Highlights Iran’s Need for New Fighter Contract (Michael Rubin)
2022-08-01 Iranian Trade With China Is Up, but So Is Political Risk (Michael Rubin)
2022-08-01 Iran’s Revolutionary Guards To Expand Drug Treatment Center (Michael Rubin)
2022-08-01 Iran Believes Turkey’s Rapprochement With Israel and Saudi Arabia Is a Threat (Ihsan Gunduz)

2022-07-01 Iran Unveils New Drone-Fired Cruise Missile (Michael Rubin)
2022-07-01 Iran Opens New Drone Plant in Tajikistan (Michael Rubin)
2022-07-01 Iran Warns UAE Against Allowing Israel in the Persian Gulf (Michael Rubin)

2022-06-01 Khamenei Speaks on Necessity of Palestinian “Resistance” (Michael Rubin)
2022-06-01 Iran Initiates and Defends New Bread Subsidies Amid Deteriorating Economy (Michael Rubin)
2022-06-01 Iran Seeks To Counter Misinformation Circulating on Social Media (Michael Rubin)

2022-05-01 Iran Digs into Central Syria, Filling Vacuum Left by Russia (Lucas Winter)
2022-05-01 Iran Tries To Justify Abstention in UN Vote Condemning Russian Invasion of Ukraine (Michael Rubin)
2022-05-01 Iranian Navy Joins Indian Naval Exercises (Michael Rubin)
2022-05-01 Iran’s New Damavand Destroyer Set To Join Navy (Michael Rubin)

2022-04-01 Iran: Emphasizing Religiosity in Regular Army Promotions (Michael Rubin)
2022-04-01 Iran Uses Online War Games To Teach Younger Generation of Officers (Michael Rubin)
2022-04-01 Iran’s Supreme Leader Condemns Alleged Corruption of the West (Michael Rubin)
2022-04-01 Iran Repositions Its Proxies in Syria as Russia Turns Focus to Ukraine (Lucas Winter)

2022-03-01 Iranian Authorities Arrest Alleged Deputy Leader of Royalist Terrorist Group (Michael Rubin)
2022-03-01 I ran’s Prosecution of Arab Separatist Highlights Supposed Saudi Ties (Michael Rubin)
2022-03-01 Russia and China To Help Iran Build New Airports (Michael Rubin)

2022-02-01 Iran and Syria Discuss Transportation Cooperation (Michael Rubin)
2022-02-01 Iran’s Purported Counter-Hijacking Record (Michael Rubin)
2022-02-01 Iran Busts Weapons and Ammunition Smuggling Ring (Michael Rubin)

2022-01-01 Iran-Pakistan Bolstering Naval Cooperation (Michael Rubin)
2022-01-01 Iran Agrees To Gas Swap with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan (Michael Rubin)
2022-01-01 Iran and Syria Seek To Jumpstart Economic Ties (Michael Rubin)

2021-04-01 IRA N Unveils New Baman Radar System (Michael Rubin)
2020-10-01 Iran Stockpiling Supplies throug h Chahbahar (Michael Rubin)

2020-09-01 More Ir an in Venezuela (Geoff Demarest)
2020-09-01 Ir an Increases Range of Smart Bombs (Michael Rubin)
2020-09-01 Iran: Passive Defense Organization and Basij Sign Memorandum of Understanding (Michael Rubin)
2020-09-01 Iran: Khamenei Speaks on Sanctions, Enmity toward America, and Nuclear Power (Michael Rubin)

2020-08-01 Iran: Khamenei Speaks on Corruption (Michael Rubin)
2020-08-01 Iran: What’s Behind the Government’s Secrecy on Handing Over Kish Island to Chinese? (Michael Rubin)
2020-08-01 Ira n Eager to Enter the Global Market as a Military Equipment Exporter (Jerrilee Plude)
2020-08-01 C hina and Iran Announce $400 Billion Trade Deal (Peter Wood)

2020-07-01 R ussian Arms Sales to Iran? (Ray Finch)
2020-07-01 An Afghan Perspective: A New Phase in Afghanistan-Iran Relations (Michael Rubin)
2020-07-01 More Iran in V enezuela (Geoff Demarest)
2020-07-01 T he Three Main Missions of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Michael Rubin)

2020-06-01 Iran: Prosecute Cybercrimina ls (Michael Rubin)
2020-06-01 Ir an Improves its UAV Technology (Robert Bunker and Alma Keshvarz)

2020-05-01 Iran: Khamenei on Power and Patience (Michael Rubin)
2020-05-01 I ran Unveils Ghadir Submarine Upgrades (Michael Rubin)
2020-05-01 I ndia Evacuates its Citizens from Iran (Michael Rubin)
2020-05-01 I ran Announces Mass Production of COVID-19 Test Kits (Jerrilee Plude)

2020-04-01 Israel Establ ishes New ‘Strategy and Iran Directorate’ Under General Staff (Zachary Fesen)
2020-04-01 I ran: Sanctions Don’t Impact Military Spending (Michael Rubin)
2020-04-01 Iran: IRGC Establishes Biological Defense Headquarters (Michael Rubin)

2020-03-01 C ounterfeit Bank Notes Seized in Iran (Michael Rubin)
2020-03-01 Iran -Increasing Domestic Production of Rare Earth Elements (Michael Rubin)
2020-02-01 Ir an to Send Astronaut into Space? (Michael Rubin)

2020-01-01 Iran: Identity Theft and Extortion in Isfahan (Michael Rubin)
2020-01-01 Iran and Russia to Establish Visa Waivers (Michael Rubin)
2020-01-01 Iran: Use Suicide Drones as Air Defense (Michael Rubin)
2020-01-01 Iran, China, and Russia Plan Joint Naval Drills in Indian Ocean (Zachary Fesen)

2019-12-01 Ir an- Khamenei Speaks on America (Michael Rubin)
2019-12-01 Iran Establishes Official VPN Operators (Michael Rubin)

2019-11-01 Ira n and Turkey- Friend or Foe (Ihsan Gunduz)
2019-11-01 Ira n Opens Persian Gulf Air Defense Command Center (Michael Rubin)
2019-11-01 I ran- Mobile Rocket Systems and Underground Tunnels (Michael Rubin)
2019-11-01 Ir an Announces Dome Defense against Drones (Michael Rubin)

2019-10-01 Iran- Khamenei Speaks on Kashmir (Michael Rubin)
2019-10-01 I ran- Armed Forces Ready to Take Over National Intranet Project (Michael Rubin)
2019-10-01 I srael- Iran’s Military Entrenchment in Iraq Poses Threat (Karen Kaya)

2019-09-01 I ran Warns of Phone and Text Scams (Michael Rubin)
2019-09-01 Iran – Mohajer-6 UAV Strikes Targets in Iraq (Michael Rubin)
2019-09-01 Iran’s Negotiations with Domestic Kurdish Opposition Groups (Ihsan Gunduz)
2019-08-01 Iran: Optoelectronic Military Developments (Michael Rubin)

2019-07-01 Iran: Progress on National Intranet (Michael Rubin)
2019-07-01 Iran: Nationwide Curriculum for Computer Programming (Michael Rubin)
2019-07-01 Iran: Preparing for Zafar III Satellite Launch (Michael Rubin)
2019-07-01 Iran: Admiral Fadavi Selected as Revolutionary Guards Deputy (Michael Rubin)
2019-06-01 T he Dynamics of Trilateral Relations between Turkey, Russia, and Iran (Ihsan Gunduz)

2019-05-01 I ran Cements its Presence in Syria (Lucas Winter)
2019-05-01 Iran: Khamenei Threatens to Use Precision Missiles (Michael Rubin)
2019-05-01 Ir an Conducts its Largest UAV Exercise (Michael Rubin)

2019-04-01 Iran: Hovercraft successfully fires cruise missiles (Michael Rubin)
2019-04-01 Ir an Diverting Money from Development to Military (Michael Rubin)
2019-03-01 Ira n Builds Up Syrian Proxies on the Western Banks of the Euphrates (Lucas Winter)
2019-02-01 IRGC: Iran Can Extend Ballistic Missile Range (Michael Rubin)

2019-01-01 Ir an’s Basij in Cyberspace (Michael Rubin)
2019-01-01 Ir an Unveils JDAMs? (Michael Rubin)
2019-01-01 C hina, Russia and Iran Seek to Revive Syrian Railways (Lucas Winter)

2018-11-01 Ir an to Build New Missile System? (Michael Rubin)
2018-11-01 S upreme Leader’s Advisor- United States Common Enemy of Iran and China (Michael Rubin)
2018-09-01 W ill Iran Pivot to the East (Michael Rubin)
2018-09-01 Iran: IAEA Shouldn’t Inspect Universities (Michael Rubin)
2018-09-01 Russia and Iran Hamper Turkey’s Aspirations to Become Energy Hub (Ihsan Gunduz)

2018-08-01 Quest ions on Shortfalls in Electricity Generation in Iran (Michael Rubin)
2018-08-01 A chieving Gasoline Self-Sufficiency in Iran (Michael Rubin)
2018-08-01 V isit of Chinese Military Delegation to Iran (Michael Rubin)
2018-08-01 I ran to Re-Launch “Helicopter Carrier” (Michael Rubin)
2018-08-01 I ran Preparing to Host Nanotechnology Festival (Michael Rubin)
2018-08-01 Ir an to Launch New Satellite by Year’s End (Michael Rubin)

2018-07-01 G roup Planning to Hack Bank in Iran Arrested (Michael Rubin)
2018-07-01 W ho Took $30 Billion out of Iran? (Michael Rubin)
2018-07-01 I ran to Attend Russian Military Trade Show (Michael Rubin)
2018-07-01 I ran Cracks Down on Internet Café VPNs (Michael Rubin)

2018-06-01 I ran, Russia to Jointly Manufacture Helicopter (Michael Rubin)
2018-06-01 I ran Unveils New Unmanned Helicopter (Michael Rubin)
2018-06-01 R ussia and Iran Compete for Syria’s Phosphates (Lucas Winter)
2018-06-01 I s Iran Ready to Send Its Navy to Japan (Michael Rubin)

2018-05-01 I ran and Russia Compete for Influence in Syria (Lucas Winter)
2018-05-01 W ill Iran Interfere in Kashmir? (Michael Rubin)
2018-05-01 I ran and Russia Compete for Influence in Syria (Lucas Winter)
2018-05-01 I ran and Russia Compete for Influence in Syria (Lucas Winter)
2018-05-01 W ill Iran Interfere in Kashmir? (Michael Rubin)
2018-05-01 I ran and Russia Compete for Influence in Syria (Lucas Winter)

2018-04-01 1 3 Million Users of Domestic Messaging Apps in Iran (Michael Rubin)
2018-04-01 Iran: Supreme Leader Advisor Lauds Russian Strategic Ties (Michael Rubin)
2018-04-01 Iran: Muslims Supported by US, UK are Illegitimate (Michael Rubin)
2018-04-01 Iran: Israel’s Missile Defense Can Be Overwhelmed (Michael Rubin)
2018-04-01 Iran U nveils New Anti-Armor Missile (Michael Rubin)

2018-03-01 Iran: Warship Sinks after Mishap (Michael Rubin)
2018-03-01 Iran: Winning Hearts and Minds in Deir Ezzor (Lucas Winter)
2018-03-01 Ir an Develops UAS with “Smart Bomb” Capability (Alma Keshavarz and Robert Bunker)
2018-03-01 Iran: US Sponsoring Islamic State in Afghanistan (Michael Rubin)
2018-03-01 Iran: Winning Hearts and Minds in Deir Ezzor (Lucas Winter)
2018-03-01 Iran: Telegram Giving Data to US and Israel (MIchael Rubin)

2018-02-01 A Malaysian Perspective on US-Iran Relations (Jacob Zenn)
2018-02-01 T urkish Perspectives on Iran (Karen Kaya)
2018-02-01 Iran: Was America Behind Uprising? (Michael Rubin)
2018-02-01 Iran: Lifting the Ban on Instagram was Illegal (Michael Rubin)

2018-02-01 Ira n Approaches the Syria-Jordan Border (Lucas Winter)
2018-02-01 Indonesian Perspectives on the Iran Protests (Jacob Zenn)
2018-02-01 I ndia’s Interest in Stability in Iran (Matthew Stein)
2018-02-01 C hina Limits Internet Exposure to Iran Protests (Jacob Zenn)
2018-02-01 S audi-Iran Tensions Seen in Nigerian Crackdown on Shia Group (Jacob Zenn)

2018-01-01 Iran: New Military Budget Proposed (Michael Rubin)
2018-01-01 Ira n-Khamenei Speaks on Views toward America (Michael Rubin)
2018-01-01 Ira n’s Amphibious Aircraft from Russia (Michael Rubin

Alexandros Tsipouras

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

Alexandros Tsipouras
alexandros.tsipouras23@gmail.com

Alexandros Tsipouras is a recent graduate of American University’s School of Internataional Service, earning a B.A. in International Relations with a focus on national security. Prior to being a FMSO/GCKN fellow, he interned at the United Nations and the European Union respectively, focusing on Russian PMC activities in Africa and Europe, illegal arms trafficking, and the Western Balkans. Most of his academic research centers on Chinese influence in Asia, the evolution of PLA doctrine, and wargaming. He is a native English speaker with elementary proficiency in Russian.

Amelia Cheatham

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

Amelia Cheatham
acc2248@columbia.edu

Amelia Cheatham holds a Master of International Affairs, focused on International Security Policy, from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University. Between her undergraduate and graduate studies, she worked at the Council on Foreign Relations, where she conducted research and created multimedia content about Latin America and immigration.

She has also interned at The White House, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Most recently, she conducted research about the potential for cyber escalation at Columbia University’s Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies.

With a background in journalistic and legal investigations, she is interested in China’s presence in Sub-Saharan Africa and the U.S.-North Korea and China-North Korea relationships. Her analysis has been published by the Council on Foreign Relations and Foreign Policy.

Artemis Hodoyan

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

Artemis Hodoyan
artemishodoyanmon@gmail.com

Artemis Hodoyan is currently pursuing a MS in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security from American University. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and Theology from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and is currently a defense Legislative Assistant (policy advisor) in the U.S. House of Representatives and previously worked in the U.S. Senate.

Her academic and professional interests include foreign policy, defense, intelligence and national security. She is also an alumna of the Wilson Center’s Foreign Policy Fellowship Program. Artemis is a native English and Spanish speaker with elementary proficiency in Arabic.

August Gold

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

August Gold
arg2237@columbia.edu

August Gold is currently pursuing a Master’s in International Affairs, with a concentration in International Security Policy and Conflict Resolution with a regional specialization in the Middle East at Columbia University. He holds a B.A. in History from Columbia University, specializing in the history of American Foreign policy, and the ancient Mediterranean.

His previous research experience consists of large data collection projects on the history of modern naval warfare for Columbia University’s Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies. Prior to Columbia University he served four years in the Marine Corps as an infantryman with deployments to Afghanistan and the Pacific.

He also served as a civilian contractor for the Department of Defense and other government organizations. His primary research interests revolve around state and non-state violence, geopolitics, and the history of conflict.

Blaise Enonchong

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

Blaise Enonchong
benonchong@gmail.com

Blaise Enonchong, S.J.D. is a trained attorney. He graduated from Penn State’s Master of Professional Studies in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems in 2021. Prior to attending Penn State, Blaise had graduated from Golden Gate University Law School in San Francisco, CA, in 2011 with an S.J.D. He also holds an LL.B/Licence en Droit from the University of Yaounde II, Cameroon, and an LL.M from Howard University School of Law, Washington, D.C. He currently resides and works in Boise, Idaho, as a renewable energy and sustainability consultant.

Christopher Betts

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

Christopher Betts
chrisbetts.131@gmail.com

Christopher Betts is a detective for the Columbus Police Counter Terrorism Unit assigned to Ohio’s Statewide Terrorism Analysis and Crime Center. In that capacity, he often conducts briefings to senior members of the local, state, and federal government, as well as U.S. military personnel. He also has extensive professional experience related to racially motivated violent extremist groups and has investigated criminal cases involving ideologically-motivated extremists who threaten to commit acts of mass violence.

He obtained his Master’s in Homeland Security with a focus on counterterrorism from Penn State University and a Bachelor’s from The Ohio State University in International Studies with a focus on security and intelligence.

His primary research interests currently include the expanding Russian and Chinese influence in multiple regions of the world, as well as international terrorism trends in West Africa, specifically the ongoing security situation in the Sahel and Russian PMC activity in the region. He has elementary proficiency in Russian and continues to study in the language.

Eden Yakimov

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

Eden Yakimov
edenyakimov@hotmail.com

Eden Yakimov is currently pursuing an M.S. in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security from American University. She also earned her B.A. in Government and Politics with a concentration in International Relations from the University of Maryland. Her research interests include both foreign and domestic terrorism, as well as countering extremism around the world.

Her previous academic focus has centered on radicalization in online spaces and beyond, as well as the changing political climate in the United States. She has spent her time volunteering for political campaigns around the country, and she will start a position at the Department of Justice, Criminal Division in the summer of 2023.

Henry Guevara

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

Henry Guevara
guevarahm250@gmail.com

Henry Guevara is a recent graduate of Pennsylvania State University where he recieved his B.A. in International Politics. He will be pursuing his education this fall at the University of San Diego (USD) as a candidate in USDs’ Masters in International Relations (MAIR) program.

His professional career in military-diplomacy includes eighteen years of special operations experience around the world as a Naval Special Warfare SEAL Operator, having served in multiple theaters of operations and campaigns. He has also held high-level staff positions while on assignment in the Middle East working with and alongside strategic partners and allies to counter terrorism and extremism. Henry is a native English and Spanish speaker.

Jacob Edwards

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Thomas Tolare

Jacob Edwards
jedwards3@albany.edu

Jacob Edwards is a Master of International Affairs student at SUNY Albany. He earned his B.A. in International Relations from UC Davis with a focus on East Asian Peace and Security. In 2017, he interned for a county legislator in Long Island, NY. He completed the Summer Language School for Japanese at Middlebury College in 2019 and continues to focus on Japan and East Asian affairs.

His interest lies in naval and military dynamics in the region with a particular focus on the competition between the PLAN and the U.S. Navy. He is a native English speaker along with an intermediate Japanese proficiency.