(New York Times) Vali R. Nasr - America would be naive to assume that Iran is negotiating from a position of weakness. Iran's diplomatic flexibility is serious, but should not be mistaken for willingness to surrender. Iran does not see itself as vanquished. Iranian support for Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, has been effective. Hope that Turkey and America's Arab allies would form an alliance that would isolate Iran has not come to pass. America's withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, and its strategic "pivot" toward Asia, have been welcome news in Tehran. America's reduced credibility in the Middle East, because of its waffling over Syria, is an equally important dynamic in the equation. The writer is dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
2013-10-03 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive