Q&A
Suzanne Maloney, Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour
{
"authors": [
"Karim Sadjadpour"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
],
"collections": [
"Iranian Proliferation"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"North America",
"United States",
"Middle East",
"Iran"
],
"topics": [
"Foreign Policy"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
Iran’s New President Mounts A Charm Offensive
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani may be interested in a détente with the United States, but thorny issues remain. Nonetheless, the United States should seize the opportunity.
Published on Sep 20, 2013
Source: NPR's Morning Edition
Launching “one of the greatest charm offensives since Iran’s 1979 revolution,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has set a tone vis-à-vis the United States that sharply contrasts with that of his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Describing Rouhani’s election and his actions since then as a “surprise,” Carnegie’s Karim Sadjadpour believes that the Iranian president is interested in a détente between the United States and Iran, and that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei supports Rouhani’s conciliatory stance.
“The goal of sanctions was … to subject Iran to enough economic pressure in order to compel it to make meaningful nuclear compromises,” Sadjadpour explained. “And now if Iran is showing signs that it’s interested in commencing a diplomatic process, which would culminate in them making meaningful nuclear compromises, I think we have to test that.” However, Sadjadpour argues that the issues of Iran’s support for Hezbollah, its backing the Assad regime in Syria, and its rejection of Israel’s existence will be harder for Rouhani to change and will continue to present a great challenge for U.S.-Iranian relations.
This interview was originally broadcast 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.
- Iran Wanted to Survive the War. Now What?
- What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for NowQ&A
Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright
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
- Simmering U.S.-Iran Conflict Is Moscow’s Ideal OutcomeCommentary
Ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East allows Moscow to both increase its influence in Tehran and continue to enjoy the financial windfall of higher oil prices.
Nikita Smagin
- A Kenya Technology Prosperity Deal Could Help Washington Secure Durable AI Partnerships with AfricaArticle
To carry out its global AI agenda, Washington will need strategic relationships with emerging markets in Africa, starting with Kenya.
Jane Munga
- A Grand Strategy for Europe’s Clean Industrial FuturePaper
Europe’s industrial supply chains leave it vulnerable to global shocks. The EU needs a pragmatic green industrial strategy that balances durable partnerships and bolsters homegrown clean tech without sacrificing low-carbon ambition.
Milo McBride, Pauline Gerard
- Europe Needs a Strategy for its Turn to New Defense TechCommentary
Defense tech innovations will be at the heart of Europe’s new security strategy. But so far, Brussels has been making moves without a broader plan, undermining readiness and credibility.
Raluca Csernatoni
- President Lee Jae Myung: A Year in PowerCommentary
President Lee marked his first year in office after one of the most tumultuous periods in South Korean politics. Though Lee has enjoyed a high approval rating, a large majority in the National Assembly, and foreign policy victories, Lee and his party’s political fortunes depend on generating economic growth, learning the right lessons from the recent local elections, and managing contentious factional strife within his political base.
Chung Min Lee
