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.
As the UN Security Council grapples with getting control of Syria’s chemical weapons, two meetings in New York will draw considerable attention in the subcontinent and around the world.
Iran has launched a significant charm offensive, but whether this is merely a tactical compromise in order to stave off economic pressure and reduce sanctions, or is this a strategic shift by Iran to alter its relationship with the outside world, remains to be seen.
Given everything that’s taking place in the Middle East, Iran may be one of the few sources of hope for the Obama administration to reach some kind of diplomatic accommodation.
The Obama administration’s ambitions of reducing America’s role in the Middle East are contingent upon a better relationship with Iran.
As current events demonstrate, the security challenges of the Middle East cannot be permanently solved solely through the use of American military power. On Iran and other regional challenges, the only lasting solutions will be diplomatic ones.
Despite undergoing some delays, Iran’s construction of a new heavy water reactor to the northwest of the city of Arak could eventually match the proliferation risk posed by the country’s uranium enrichment program.
In Iran’s three-decade history as an Islamic republic, no religious or ethnic minority has endured more persecution than members of the Baha’i faith.
The recent election of Hassan Rouhani as president of Iran provides a new and important opening for the United States and its P5+1 partners to secure an agreement that limits Iran's nuclear capabilities in exchange for easing tough international sanctions.
As long as Iran sees itself embroiled in a zero-sum game in Syria, a half-way meeting point, however desirable, will likely remain elusive.
















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