Middle East Notes and Comment: "Taming" Tehran | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Most interesting Out look ... a month Old but a good Opinion Piece...

..."... Ultimately, though, escaping the spiral will require an Iranian decision. President Rouhani suggested more than a decade ago that “Our skill, I would say our art, will be to choose the best time” to improve relations with the United States. Implicit in Rouhani’s assessment is not only that ties can be improved, but also that Iran will be able to shape the manner and the timing of improving them. As the new U.S. administration takes office, that assumption seems more tenuous than before. Perhaps Iran will conclude that U.S. resolve is unshakeable, and cease its threatening behavior. Perhaps Iran will test the resolve of the new administration. Or perhaps Iran will seek to prompt the new administration to act in ways that shake the rest of the world’s confidence in U.S. leadership, seeking to escape its own isolation by sowing doubt about the United States. Only the first is desirable for the new administration. It should have plans in place early to confront the other possibilities. ..."...