Q&A
Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright
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Source: Getty
In The Media
Iran is ‘Years Away’ from a Nuclear Weapon
Concern over Iran’s nuclear program often ignores the fact that Iran is still a significant amount of time from actually acquiring a nuclear weapon. This leaves policymakers with ample time to engage in diplomacy and develop coercive sanctions.
Published on Mar 9, 2012
Source: MSNBC's Morning Joe
Speaking on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Carnegie's Karim Sadjadpour stated that, as tensions between the Obama administration and Israel over Iran’s nuclear program continue, much discussion has focused on whether or not Iran can be counted on as a rational actor in international politics. Sadjadpour explained that “Iran is a rational actor in the sense that staying in power is paramount. The regime is homicidal but it is not suicidal.” However, it will ultimately prove extremely difficult to reach a modus vivendi with a regime that relies on anti-Americanism as an inextricable component of its ideology, Sadjadpour added.
One of the chief points of contention between the Obama administration and the Israelis centers on how far away Iran is from developing the capacity to weaponize its nuclear program. Sadjadpour said that the Iranians are at a minimum of two years before they will be able to have the bomb. “The reality is we often talk ourselves into hyperventilation on this issue, but there is still a significant amount of time to engage in diplomacy,” he concluded.
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.
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