Q&A
Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright
{
"authors": [
"Karim Sadjadpour"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"Middle East",
"Iran"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform",
"Foreign Policy",
"Nuclear Policy"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
Iran's Protest and the Anniversary of the Islamic Republic
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.
Published on Feb 10, 2010
Source: The Diane Rehm Show
In spite of the restrictions the regime is placing on gatherings during the anniversary, the opposition is believed to be planning to protest on February 11. One of the problems the opposition faces is the generational and worldview gap between the leaders of the opposition and the young foot soldiers. The leadership figures, such as Mir Hussein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, have stated explicitly that they aim to work within the limits of the current constitution. They want to see reform. In contrast, the younger generation has begun to question the legitimacy of the system and the Supreme Leader, seeing him as a “king that wears a turban,” according to Sadjadpour.
The United States can play a role in aiding the opposition. It can offer “moral support and solidarity with the opposition, it can talk about universal principles of human rights and democracy, and let the Iranian people know they are on the right side of history,” notes Sadjadpour. Yet the U.S. government is limited, because it must also engage with the regime in regards to its nuclear program and other national security challenges, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. One area in which the United States has already changed its rhetoric in response to the opposition is discussions of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. Over the course of the last year, the Obama administration has reoriented its framing of sanctions, from “crippling” to “targeted.” This effort is meant to focus the repercussions of sanctions on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is responsible for much of Iran’s unpopular domestic and regional activities.
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.
- What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for Now
- 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 Russia Eurasia Center
- Is Opposition to Online Restrictions an Inflection Point for the Russian Regime?Commentary
After four years of war, there is no one who can stand up to the security establishment, and President Vladimir Putin is increasingly passive.
Tatiana Stanovaya
- What’s Having More Impact on Russian Oil Export Revenues: Ukrainian Strikes or Rising Prices?Commentary
Although Ukrainian strikes have led to a noticeable decline in the physical volume of Russian oil exports, the rise in prices has more than made up for it.
Sergey Vakulenko
- Russia Is Meddling for Meddling’s Sake in the Middle EastCommentary
The Russian leadership wants to avoid a dangerous precedent in which it is squeezed out of Iran by the United States and Israel—and left powerless to respond in any meaningful way.
Nikita Smagin
- Is Frustration With Armenia’s Pashinyan Enough to Bring the Pro-Russia Opposition to Power?Commentary
It’s true that many Armenians would vote for anyone just to be rid of Pashinyan, whom they blame for the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, but the pro-Russia opposition is unlikely to be able to channel that frustration into an electoral victory.
Mikayel Zolyan
- Will Hungary’s New Leader Really Change EU Policy on Russia and Ukraine?Commentary
Orbán created an image for himself as virtually the only opponent of aid to Ukraine in the entire EU. But in reality, he was simply willing to use his veto to absorb all the backlash, allowing other opponents to remain in the shadows.
Maksim Samorukov
