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Establishing U.S. Levers of Pressure on Iran

[Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University] Emily B. Landau - The Obama administration is attempting to fine-tune its strategy on Iran, and quietly put in place different levers for pressuring Iran if no diplomatic movement is in sight. While Obama has made it clear that he remains committed to negotiations, Iran has still not responded to the U.S. offer of engagement. Moreover, Ahmadinejad has promised to take an even more determined stance against the West in response to their recent "meddling" in Iran's internal affairs, even though Obama took every possible precaution in order not to be perceived as interfering in this way. The lesson is that Iran's attitude toward the U.S. is driven by what Iran seeks to achieve, and not perceptions of U.S. accommodation. In fact, accommodation can be interpreted as a weakness to be exploited. To succeed on the Iranian nuclear issue, the U.S. will ultimately have to embrace its own interests and follow through with determination.
2009-07-14 06:00:00
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