Last night, President Obama said he will be looking for “openings” in coming months that could lead to “face-to-face” talks with Tehran. “I think that there’s the possibility, at least, of a relationship of mutual respect and progress”.
But despite Obama’s repeated offers of a new kind of relationship, Iran has usually responded with the same clenched fist that it has waved at successive US administrations. For the Tehran regime, anti-Americanism is a cornerstone of their survival strategy.
If they unclench their fists, the Iranian government will no longer be able to blame foreigners for the country’s dire economic condition. With the oil price tumbling, Iran’s economy is going to collapse still further making it essential for the regime to be able to blame the problem on outside forces; the importance of this is heightened by the looming presidential poll.
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