Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright
{
"authors": [
"Karim Sadjadpour"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [
"Iranian Proliferation"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"United States",
"Middle East",
"Iran"
],
"topics": [
"Nuclear Policy",
"Foreign Policy"
]
}Source: Getty
Iran Nuclear Deal
Both pressure and diplomacy were essential in pushing Iran to the negotiating table and reaching an interim nuclear deal.
Source: CNN’s Middle East Marketplace
Both pressure and diplomacy were essential in pushing Iran to the negotiating table and reaching an interim nuclear deal, Carnegie’s Karim Sadjadpour explained on CNN’s Middle East Marketplace. In addition, the arrival of President Hassan Rouhani and his Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was a game-changer. In contrast to Rouhani’s predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who united the international community against Iran, Javad Zarif started to create fissures within the international community, placing Iran’s national and economic interest before idealogical interests.
In order for there to really be a U.S.-Iran rapprochement, Sadjadpour said, Iran would have to dramatically halt some of its regional policies, mainly its rejection of Israel’s existence and its support for militant groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic jihad. However, he added that he hasn’t seen signs that Iran is ready to modify its policy towards Israel or cut lose President Assad in Syria.
This interview was originally aired on CNN’s Middle East Marketplace.
About the Author
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 NowQ&A
- 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
- Who Does Azerbaijan Want to See Win Armenia’s Elections?Commentary
By fueling the arguments of both supporters and opponents of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijan wants to ensure he is re-elected with a weaker mandate.
Bashir Kitachaev
- Managing Divergence: India’s BRICS Presidency in 2026Article
This piece argues that India’s central challenge is not managing a single flashpoint but resolving the underlying tension between expansion and institutional coherency of the BRICS grouping.
Vrinda Sahai
- Israel’s Security Means Insecurity in the Middle EastCommentary
As negotiations with Iran and Lebanon continue, chaos is at the heart of the Netanyahu government’s calculations.
Michael Young
- Taking the Pulse: Are Western Democracies Failing Free Speech?Commentary
The battle over free speech has taken center stage since U.S. Vice President JD Vance accused Europe of censorship. From travel bans to social media regulation, especially around the Israel-Palestine conflict, are liberal democratic governments weaponizing free speech?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
- Trump’s AI Order Won’t Stymie U.S. Competition with ChinaCommentary
Beijing regulated AI—and then Chinese AI companies took off.
Matt Sheehan