An Iranian demonstrator holds a portrait of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the other one shows her hand with a slogan in support of him, while two others take photos during an annual rally in front of the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, marking 36th anniversary of the seizure of the embassy by militant Iranian students, Iran, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2015. The annual state-organized rally Wednesday drawing greater attention this year, as Iranian hardliners are intensifying a campaign to undermine President Hassan Rouhani’s outreach to the West following a landmark nuclear deal reached with world powers in July. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Natasha Bertrand:
The Iran nuclear deal, the optimism went, could help open up the country to the West. It could soften the influence of hardliners in the country. And it could start to open Iran’s doors to outside businesses, including from the US.
But in the months since the nuclear deal was signed in July, that optimism seems to be unfounded — and experts say that was predictable.
Reports that Iran has become more aggressive in its anti-Western rhetoric and policies have raised questions about why the deal appears to have had little effect on moderating hardliners and improving US-Iranian relations.
The I-told-you-sos from all corners of the MSM ought to be deafening, given that this is a strategic failure with potential consequences far worse than anything out of the Bush-Cheney days.
But mostly what I hear are crickets.
