Tehran’s Balancing Act

To optimists, it may appear that Iran is headed in a new direction. During the past year, Iranian leaders reached a landmark nuclear deal with the P5+1 and moderates emerged victorious in the country’s most recent elections in February. Yet the international community remains wary of Iran’s provocative behavior and skeptical of Iranian policies actually changing for the benefit of global security.

Iran’s lukewarm reception on the international stage can be attributed to its two-pronged strategy spearheaded by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.