Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright
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Iran's Nuclear Threat
Any military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities will indefinitely postpone the shelf life of the Iranian regime and therefore be counterproductive.
Source: ABC's This Week
The debate over Iran’s nuclear program often seems to leave out the fact that the largest anti-government protests the Middle East has seen in recent years have come from Iran. Karim Sadjadpour asserts that “military action may set back the nuclear clock back a couple of years, but it will also indefinitely postpone the shelf life of the Iranian regime.” Many Americans are now more worried about nation-building at home through improving the American economy and reducing the U.S.’ footprint in the Middle East. A military attack on Iran would greatly hinder an economic recovery by causing a steep hike in oil prices and further tumult in the region. “The best way we can help the Iranian opposition is by inhibiting the regime’s ability to control information and communication,” notes Sadjadpour.
About the Author
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.
- What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for NowQ&A
- How Washington and Tehran Are Assessing Their Next StepsQ&A
Aaron David Miller, David Petraeus, Karim Sadjadpour
Recent Work
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
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Europe’s reaction to the war in Iran has been disunited and meek, a far cry from its previously leading role in diplomacy with Tehran. To avoid being condemned to the sidelines while escalation continues, Brussels needs to stand up for international law.
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France has stopped clinging to notions of being a great power and is embracing the middle power moment. But Emmanuel Macron has his work cut out if he is to secure his country’s global standing before his term in office ends.
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