Steve H. Hanke

Professor of Applied Economics at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore

Those data that are reported tend to possess what I've described as an "Alice in Wonderland" quality. In light of this, it is fair to suggest that any official data on Iran's inflation be taken with a grain of salt. So, how can this problem be overcome?

Michael Shank and Kate Gould

Director of Foreign Policy, Friends Committee on National Legislation

As the elections signified, it is the Iranian people who will ultimately shape the destiny of Iran. And it is the Iranian people who have borne the brunt of sanctions, and it is these human impacts that must always be at the forefront of U.S. sanctions policy considerations.

Chris DeVito

Director of Outreach, Iran180

Iran is not a democracy, its elections have little to no bearing on the critical issues the country faces, and its leadership and corrupt political system deserve none of the credit that comes with the conduct of a free vote.

Milad Jokar

Political Analyst

Iran is located in the middle of a region which is on the edge of conflagration. A destabilization of the regime would not only undermine the stability of its power; it would also put the Iranian nation at stake and potentially collapse the regional balances of power.

Doug Bandow

Senior Fellow, the Cato Institute

Iran is Exhibit #1 for the threat posed by Islamic fundamentalists gaining control of government. Iranian repression is increasing and the space available to regime opponents is diminishing.

John Glaser

Editor at Antiwar.com

Americans need to stop pointing the finger at the "bad guys" Washington is so keen to warn us about, and start paying attention to their own government's crimes.

Stephen Schwartz

Executive Director, Center for Islamic Pluralism

Persecution of the Gonabadi-Nimatullahi Sufis has been relentless. The motive for the Iranian government assault on them is simple: They are blunt critics of the theocracy.

Tad Daley

Director, The Project on Abolishing War, www.abolishingwar.org.

Iran must know that until it rejects the false seductions of nuclear security, for us, all options but one must remain on the table. But Iranians should also be assured that we do not expect them to endure a nuclear double standard forever until the end of time.

Geneive Abdo

Fellow, Stimson Center

Since the Egyptian revolution, Sunni animosity in Egypt toward Shia Muslims has increased and gone public in a country where, in the past, doctrinal differences between the two Islamic sects were barely mentioned.

Reza Marashi and Trita Parsi

Research Director, National Iranian American Council

Innocent people are deprived of access to vital medicine as a result of the medical supply shortage, with some even paying the ultimate price -- even though they are neither responsible for or have influence over Tehran's nuclear policies.

Joe Peyronnin

Hofstra Journalism Professor

President Hugo Chavez's death, while not unexpected, brings an uncertain future to a country that he ruled with an iron fist. It also may present a great opportunity for American diplomacy in Venezuela and Latin America.

Michael Brenner

Senior Fellow, the Center for Transatlantic Relations; Professor of International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh

The White House will have to make up its mind whether it's war or peace -- attack nuclear sites or engage Iran on terms of respect for Tehran's legitimacy and Iran's own perceived security interests. And perhaps do so sooner than it likes.

Neale Donald Walsch

Writer

Can the people of the Earth ever, and finally, get along? What could cause them to do so, at last? These questions linger today following news that we apparently can't even talk to each other. At least, in some instances. In one case, the United States and Iran.

Maryam Zar

Founder of Womenfound, Fmr. Iran Correspondent, Editor, Entrepreneur and Writer

On the first state visit of an Iranian leader to the nation of Egypt since 1979, during a visit that alarmed many, a shoe has been thrown.

Dr. Josef Olmert

Adjunct Professor, University of South Carolina

Egypt needs the US, not Iran, and it is well known in DC. Hopefully Obama's visit will be successful to the point when Morsi will be satisfied enough to get American assurances regarding his financial survivability, in return to assurances, on his part, regarding preserving the peace treaty with Israel.

Ahmad Sadri

Professor Sociology and James P. Gorter Chair of Islamic World Studies, Lake Forest College

Obama's return to the discourse of nuclear disarmament earned him a Nobel Peace Prize. Earlier that year the recently elected Presiden went to Prague and sounded a clarion call for a ban on all nuclear testing. Four years has passed and the Prague promise seems to have been forgotten.