Q&A
Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright
{
"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": [
"Middle East",
"Iran"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform",
"Foreign Policy"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
The Future of the Opposition and the Islamic Republic, July, 17, 2009
The main problem currently facing the Iranian opposition is that the bulk of their brain trust is either in prison, under house arrest or have no methods of communicating, which has stifled political expression.
Published on Jul 17, 2009
Source: BBC's Newsnight
Please Download Flash Plugin
Former Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani and other important leaders of the 1979 Islamic Revolution have questioned the legitimacy of the June 12th presidential elections. Despite these high profile denunciations the opposition movement still appears to be disparate and inchoate.
According to Karim Sadjapour, “The problem the opposition faces at the moment is that the bulk of their brain trust, their top minds, are either in prison, under house arrest or have no methods of communicating. So you have this tremendous popular outrage, but you don’t really have a concrete political channel to express that outrage”.
As the popular outrage has continued, Supreme Leader Khamenei has doubled down, viewing compromise and conciliation as a sign of weakness, “Post-election, sacred red lines have been crossed. People are out in the streets shouting ‘death to the dictator, death to Khamenei’ and they are challenging the very institution of the supreme leadership.”
In regards to U.S. policy, Sadjapour observes, “Post-election, the Obama administration’s approach has been the correct one. If the administration now comes out with a policy of engagement before the dust has settled, that is essentially an implicit endorsement of the elections results which could tip the balance in favor of the hardliners. The U.S. and EU should not acknowledge the results of the elections until the dust is settled because I think this fight is far from over.”
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.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- The Diverging U.S. and Israeli Goals in Iran Are Making the Endgame Even MurkierCommentary
The cracks between Trump and Netanyahu have become more pronounced, particularly over energy and leadership targets.
Eric Lob
- How the Hormuz Closure Is Testing the Korean President’s Progressive AgendaCommentary
The crisis is not just a story of energy vulnerability. It’s also a complex, high-stakes political challenge.
Darcie Draudt-Véjares
- What Does the Strait of Hormuz’s Closure Mean?Commentary
In an interview, Roger Diwan discusses where the global economy may be going in the third week of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Nur Arafeh
- Russia’s Imperial Retreat Is Europe’s Strategic OpportunityCommentary
The war in Ukraine is costing Russia its leverage overseas. Across the South Caucasus and Middle East, this presents an opportunity for Europe to pick up the pieces and claim its own sphere of influence.
William Dixon, Maksym Beznosiuk
- Tokayev’s New Constitution Is a Bet on Stability—At Freedom’s ExpenseCommentary
Kazakhstan’s new constitution is an embodiment of the ruling elite’s fears and a self-serving attempt to preserve the status quo while they still can.
Serik Beysembaev
