Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Follow Carnegie
- Search
- Global Resources
Global Centers
Languages
The Obama administration must carefully balance its attempts to engage Iran on its nuclear program, Iraq, and Afghanistan with its need to support the Iranian opposition.
The United States faces a range of challenges, with Iran at the forefront. Finding a solution for Iran’s nuclear ambitions and other international challenges requires a new, more realistic foreign policy that includes increased engagement with global powers like China and Russia.
Over the past decade, the political and economic influence of the Revolutionary Guard has eclipsed that of the clergy. The Obama administration’s call for new, targeted sanctions would target the Revolutionary Guard without undermining Iran’s opposition movement.
The government’s successful crackdown on protestors on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution may have dampened the opposition’s morale, but popular discontent in Iran has not diminished and the anniversary did not mark a significant change for either the regime or the opposition.
While the Iranian regime succeeded in preventing large scale demonstrations on February 11 by shutting down many of the mechanisms used by the opposition to communicate and mobilize, the movement remains vibrant and robust.
On February 11, Iran will mark the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution with a resilient opposition movement, its population divided, and the threat of international sanctions.
The 31st anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic will provide another opportunity for demonstrations by the Iranian opposition movement, which must overcome not only the violent repression of the regime, but also divisions within its own ranks, if it is to achieve significant change in Iran.
As the Iranian regime continues to crackdown on the opposition movement, the Obama administration must consider how to deal with the looming Iranian nuclear threat without turning its back on the Iranian opposition.
President Obama has the opportunity to make the world a dramatically safer place by helping the Iranian people achieve a new form of government. A regime change in Tehran would be the best nonproliferation policy.
The Obama administration’s deadline for Iran to enter discussions on the nuclear issue has passed. In spite of claims from Washington that “all options are on the table,” the economic crisis makes a military response to Iran infeasible.
Stay connected to the Global Think Tank with Carnegie's smartphone app for Android and iOS devices