Will Iran Change?

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani smiles while replying to a question during a news conference on the sidelines of the 69th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters in New York September 26, 2014. Reuters/Adrees Latif

Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post: Don’t expect Iran to change overnight

In selling the nuclear deal with Iran, the Obama administration has been careful to point out that it is just an agreement on nuclear issues. “[The deal] solves one particular problem,” President Obama explained in his news conference on Wednesday. And supporters and critics alike are quick to suggest that this move is quite different from Richard Nixon’s opening to China, which transformed China and its relations with the world. Iran, after all, is a rogue regime that chants “Death to America” and funds anti-American terror across the Middle East.

But let’s recall what China looked like at the time Henry Kissinger went on his secret trip to Beijing in July 1971. Mao Zedong was, without question, the most radical anti-American leader in the world, supporting violent guerrilla groups across Asia and beyond. And while it didn’t chant “Death to America,” Beijing was the principal supporter of the North Vietnamese, sending them troops, supplies and funds to fight and kill American soldiers every day. China was also in the midst of the Cultural Revolution, one of the most barbaric periods of its modern history.

WNU Editor: Fareed Zakaria is trying to compare President Obama's policy towards Iran to Nixon's foreign policy initiative with China .... but from my viewpoint the two are not alike. China's policy towards the U.S. was pushed as a priority by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai to act as a counterweight to the influence of the Soviet Union ... .and the Americans were more happy to be used in such a matter. Today's Iran is not interested in developing a close relationship with the U.S., their priority has always been the removal of sanctions and to develop business relations with countries other than the U.S. .... and on this point they have succeeded spectacularly. So why change when you are getting everything that you asked for .... nope .... Iran is not going to change. But the ones who should change are the ones who have pushed this U.S. foreign policy in the first place .... starting with John Kerry. But my guess is that in the end .... even this is not going to change.