Obama’s foreign policy is evolving

TEHRAN,Nov.20(MNA)--The U.S. presidential election finally came to the finish line, and Barack Obama managed to defeat Mitt Romney in one of the closest races in U.S. history. However, the Democrats’ win in the election has raised many questions about what direction Obama will take in his foreign policy, especially in his approach to the Middle East and Iran. Many say that the United States’ foreign policy on the Middle East will be significantly revised, while others believe that Obama will stick with the current position on Iran and political developments in the region. During his reelection campaign and also in the televised debates with Romney, Obama kept insisting on peaceful rather than military solutions for dealing with the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Republicans and the Democrats have adopted similar strategies for the confrontation with Iran. The only slight difference can be seen in the method and manner of the confrontation, with the Republicans always beating the drums of war and the Democrats preferring a softer approach. Thus, Obama is expected to follow the same path in the next four years, and he may even put more emphasis on his peaceful notions since he will be facing less pressure from the powerful Zionist lobby and will not be concerned about reelection. This can pave the way for the adoption of more refined policies in dealing with countries in the Middle East, and Obama will be more inclined to hold direct negotiations with governments in the region. The issue of direct talks between the United States and Iran, which is being extensively discussed in the media and political circles, will be a great test of wills for both sides. But the success or failure of such talks depends on how much the two sides are willing to revise their old stances. In light of the decline in pressure from the Zionist lobby, the ground is prepared for the Obama administration to more actively engage with Iran. Iran’s degree of determination is also of great importance, and the Iranian government should come to the conclusion that the old hostilities can be settled through direct face-to-face negotiations. Mahmoud Vaezi is the director of the International Studies Department of the Research Center of Iran’s Expediency Council. (By Mahmoud Vaezi )