Concern Elevates That Israel Will Strike Iran

{
  "authors": [
    "Karim Sadjadpour"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
    "Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "MEP",
  "programs": [
    "Middle East"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Middle East",
    "Iran",
    "Gulf",
    "Levant"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Security",
    "Political Reform",
    "Nuclear Policy"
  ]
}

In The Media

Concern Elevates That Israel Will Strike Iran

As speculation increases that Iran is inching closer to acquiring nuclear weapons, rhetoric regarding war may just be an effort to strengthen diplomacy.

By Karim Sadjadpour

Published on Feb 8, 2012

Source: NPR's Morning Edition

As speculation that Iran is inching closer to acquiring nuclear weapons increases, talks of Israeli airstrikes continue to ratchet up. Speaking on NPR’s Morning Edition, Carnegie's Karim Sadjadpour asserted that Israel worries that Iran is moving close to reaching the threshold of a “zone of immunity” where airstrikes would be ineffective at setting the nuclear weapons program back. While the Obama administration worries about Iran actually having a nuclear weapon, Sadjadpour said that “in Israel, the redline is even more stringent. They don’t even want the Iranians to have the capability.” Much of the chatter regarding war may just be an effort to strengthen diplomacy, Sadjadpour added. While the Chinese view the sanctions against Iran as inimical to their energy interests, a war against Iran would affect their energy interests much more dramatically.

This interview was originally aired on NPR's Morning Edition.

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
Iran Wanted to Survive the War. Now What?
- Suzanne Maloney, Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour
Q&A
What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for Now
- Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright

Security Political Reform Nuclear Policy Middle East Iran Gulf Levant

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

Commentary
Diwan
Filling the Void as Syria’s Transitional Justice Stalls
Reconciliation councils are emerging throughout the country to mediate in intracommunal disputes, many from the war years.
Natacha Danon
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Stalled at the Front, Russia Seeks to Undermine Ukraine’s Economic Capacity
Russian strikes are weakening the economy sustaining Ukraine’s war effort. Closing the growing funding gap will require more European support and politically contentious reforms in Kyiv.
Balázs Jarábik
Article
Jordan’s Border Economy: Even Amid Transformation, the Drug Trade Endures
The civil war in Syria may have ended, but the country continues to serve as a source for the trafficking of illegal substances into and via Jordanian territory.
Armenak Tokmajyan, Laith Qerbaa
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Turkmenistan’s Ruling Duo Is Having a Family Feud. Will Their Regime Survive It?
Ex-president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov remains interested in politics, but his son Serdar, Turkmenistan’s current president, is becoming increasingly independent and willing to break with his father’s legacy. If their covert rivalry goes too far, both risk losing power.
Galiya Ibragimova
Book
The Scramble for Europe. Russia, China, and Turkey Challenging Regional Order
Europe is facing rising populism internally as well as external pressures from Russia, China, Turkey, and the United States.
Dimitar Bechev

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Commentary

Diwan

Filling the Void as Syria’s Transitional Justice Stalls

Reconciliation councils are emerging throughout the country to mediate in intracommunal disputes, many from the war years.

Natacha Danon

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Stalled at the Front, Russia Seeks to Undermine Ukraine’s Economic Capacity

Russian strikes are weakening the economy sustaining Ukraine’s war effort. Closing the growing funding gap will require more European support and politically contentious reforms in Kyiv.

Balázs Jarábik

Article

Jordan’s Border Economy: Even Amid Transformation, the Drug Trade Endures

The civil war in Syria may have ended, but the country continues to serve as a source for the trafficking of illegal substances into and via Jordanian territory.

Armenak Tokmajyan, Laith Qerbaa

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Turkmenistan’s Ruling Duo Is Having a Family Feud. Will Their Regime Survive It?

Ex-president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov remains interested in politics, but his son Serdar, Turkmenistan’s current president, is becoming increasingly independent and willing to break with his father’s legacy. If their covert rivalry goes too far, both risk losing power.

Galiya Ibragimova

Book

The Scramble for Europe. Russia, China, and Turkey Challenging Regional Order

Europe is facing rising populism internally as well as external pressures from Russia, China, Turkey, and the United States.

Dimitar Bechev