@ForeignAffairs@flipboard.com

Seventeen years ago, while serving as an Iran desk officer in the U.S. State Department, I asked a more veteran colleague about the latest inflammatory statement by Mahmood Ahmadinejad, then the Iranian president. My colleague responded: “Stop paying attention to Ahmadinejad. Only focus on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He makes the important decisions.” He added: “But don’t worry. Change is coming. Khamenei”—who was then 69 and widely believed to have cancer—“could die at any moment.”

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Foreign Affairs Magazine @ForeignAffairs@flipboard.com

· 6mo ago

How America's War on Iran Backfired
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/how-americas-war-iran-backfired?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into IRAN @iran-ForeignAffairs

Foreign Affairs

How America’s War on Iran Backfired

Seventeen years ago, while serving as an Iran desk officer in the U.S. State Department, I asked a more veteran colleague about the latest inflammatory statement by Mahmood Ahmadinejad, then the Iranian president. My colleague responded: “Stop paying attention to Ahmadinejad. Only focus on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He makes the important decisions.” He added: “But don’t worry. Change is coming. Khamenei”—who was then 69 and widely believed to have cancer—“could die at any moment.”

0

Foreign Affairs Magazine @ForeignAffairs@flipboard.com

· 6mo ago

How America's War on Iran Backfired
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/how-americas-war-iran-backfired?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into U.S. Politics @u-s-politics-ForeignAffairs

Foreign Affairs

How America’s War on Iran Backfired

Seventeen years ago, while serving as an Iran desk officer in the U.S. State Department, I asked a more veteran colleague about the latest inflammatory statement by Mahmood Ahmadinejad, then the Iranian president. My colleague responded: “Stop paying attention to Ahmadinejad. Only focus on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He makes the important decisions.” He added: “But don’t worry. Change is coming. Khamenei”—who was then 69 and widely believed to have cancer—“could die at any moment.”

0

Foreign Affairs Magazine @ForeignAffairs@flipboard.com

· 6mo ago

How America's War on Iran Backfired
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/how-americas-war-iran-backfired?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Geopolitics @geopolitics-ForeignAffairs

Foreign Affairs

How America’s War on Iran Backfired

Seventeen years ago, while serving as an Iran desk officer in the U.S. State Department, I asked a more veteran colleague about the latest inflammatory statement by Mahmood Ahmadinejad, then the Iranian president. My colleague responded: “Stop paying attention to Ahmadinejad. Only focus on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He makes the important decisions.” He added: “But don’t worry. Change is coming. Khamenei”—who was then 69 and widely believed to have cancer—“could die at any moment.”

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Foreign Affairs Magazine @ForeignAffairs@flipboard.com

· 2mo ago

The Ambiguity Spiral in Iran https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/ambiguity-spiral-iran?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into Donald trump @donald-trump-ForeignAffairs

Foreign Affairs

The Ambiguity Spiral in Iran

How Trump’s lack of clarity leads to escalation.

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