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{
  "authors": [
    "Karim Sadjadpour"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
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  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
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Source: Getty

In The Media

US-Iran Relations

The Iranian nuclear program continues to be a major foreign policy challenge for the Obama administration. Changing the behavior of the regime will most likely require a change in its character.

Link Copied
By Karim Sadjadpour
Published on Sep 29, 2009

Source: The Diane Rehm Show

As nuclear talks with the United States and its international partners approach, Karim Sadjadpour suggests that the Iranian regime will ensure that negotiations continue in order to “show the people they are legitimate and that the great powers are paying attention to them.” 

The underlying problem for the United States is the very character of the Iranian regime. Given this fact, it will be difficult to come to an agreement that can be trusted. Accordingly, Sadjadpour asserts that the United States should “pursue policies that will facilitate the transformation of the regime." The worst thing the United States or the Israelis could do is attack Iran, since “a military strike would be the best thing for regime hardliners, because it would heal internal political rifts and unite the people.” Ultimately, the United States will have to contain the threat posed by the regime “until there is a broad alteration of the character of the regime,” notes Sadjadpour. 

 

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
    What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for Now

      Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright

  • Q&A
    How Washington and Tehran Are Assessing Their Next Steps

      Aaron David Miller, David Petraeus, Karim Sadjadpour

Karim Sadjadpour
Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Karim Sadjadpour
Foreign PolicyNuclear PolicyUnited StatesMiddle EastIran

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.

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