Obama Has 'Accentuated Iran's Internal Rifts'

{
  "authors": [
    "Karim Sadjadpour"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "MEP",
  "programs": [
    "Middle East"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "Middle East",
    "Iran"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}

In The Media

Obama Has 'Accentuated Iran's Internal Rifts'

Whereas the Bush administration united Iran's disparate political factions against a commmon threat, Obama's overtures have accentuated deep internal rifts amongst Iranian political elites.

By Karim Sadjadpour

Published on Jun 22, 2009

Source: BBC Radio 4 Today

In addition to debates that have arisen in Washington over how hard-hitting President Obama should be in response to the situation in Iran, there is also debate over whether the existence of these protests can be attributed to the election of Obama himself. Karim Sadjadpour comments, "I do think there is a real link between the election of Barack Obama and some of the fissures which we are seeing now in Tehran. The argument I would make is that whereas the Bush administration united Iran's disparate political factions against a common threat, Obama's overtures to Iran have really accentuated these deep internal rifts amongst Iranian political elites. Between a small minority faction that wants to continue this "death to America" culture of 1979 and the vast majority of the Iranian population, but I would also argue the vast majority of the Iranian political elite."

About the Author

Karim Sadjadpour

Senior Fellow, Middle East Program

Karim Sadjadpour is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on Iran and U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East.

Recent Work

Q&A
Iran Wanted to Survive the War. Now What?
- Suzanne Maloney, Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour
Q&A
What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for Now
- Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright

Political Reform Foreign Policy North America United States Middle East Iran

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Europe

Commentary
Turning Russian Assets into Financing for Ukraine Now
Funding Ukraine remains a priority for European leaders. As Russia’s war of aggression heads into another winter, two feasible options to mobilize support for Kyiv should be fast-tracked.
Vladyslav Rashkovan, Gregory P. Wilson
Commentary
Strategic Europe
The EU’s Middle-Power Puzzle
While the EU and European governments are embracing the much-lauded middle-power moment, this entails three difficult conundrums.
Richard Youngs
Book
The Scramble for Europe. Russia, China, and Turkey Challenging Regional Order
Europe is facing rising populism internally as well as external pressures from Russia, China, Turkey, and the United States.
Dimitar Bechev
Article
Europe’s Tide of Citizen Assemblies: Unsung Success or Anticlimax?
A notable degree of participative democracy has firmly arrived in Europe. But to have more far-reaching impact, democratic deliberation needs to move into a radically new phase.
Richard Youngs
Commentary
Strategic Europe
How the EU’s Single Market Could Unlock Enlargement
Much has been said of the changes Brussels is trying to make to the EU enlargement process. Here’s why gradual integration might—or might not—be the answer.
Dimitar Bechev

More Work from Carnegie Europe

Commentary

Turning Russian Assets into Financing for Ukraine Now

Funding Ukraine remains a priority for European leaders. As Russia’s war of aggression heads into another winter, two feasible options to mobilize support for Kyiv should be fast-tracked.

Vladyslav Rashkovan, Gregory P. Wilson

Commentary

Strategic Europe

The EU’s Middle-Power Puzzle

While the EU and European governments are embracing the much-lauded middle-power moment, this entails three difficult conundrums.

Richard Youngs

Book

The Scramble for Europe. Russia, China, and Turkey Challenging Regional Order

Europe is facing rising populism internally as well as external pressures from Russia, China, Turkey, and the United States.

Dimitar Bechev

European Union EU democracy Parliament citizens assembly

Article

Europe’s Tide of Citizen Assemblies: Unsung Success or Anticlimax?

A notable degree of participative democracy has firmly arrived in Europe. But to have more far-reaching impact, democratic deliberation needs to move into a radically new phase.

Richard Youngs

Commentary

Strategic Europe

How the EU’s Single Market Could Unlock Enlargement

Much has been said of the changes Brussels is trying to make to the EU enlargement process. Here’s why gradual integration might—or might not—be the answer.

Dimitar Bechev