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U.S. Overtures Highlight Divisions In Iran

President Obama's Nowruz message to the Iranian leadership and people was dismissed by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, but many Iranians appear dissapointed by his response.

published by
NPR's Morning Edition
 on March 24, 2009

Source: NPR's Morning Edition

President Obama sent a video message to Iran on Nowruz, the Persian New Year, seeking to ease long-strained relations between the two nations. Carnegie's Karim Sadjadpour decribes the administration's overture as a departure from past U.S. policy to Iran and one that puts the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, in a difficult position. Although Khamenei quickly dismissed the overture and called for concrete actions from the United States and not just rhetoric, his reaction is not representative of the will of his people.

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