Q&A
Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright
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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.
Published on Sep 29, 2009
Source: The Diane Rehm Show
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.
- What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for Now
- 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.
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