"The U.S. should seize the opportunity presented by the Iraq crisis to reach out and engage Iran. The threat posed by ISIS and radical jihadism as well as the potential for further regional instability represent important areas of mutual strategic concern for both countries. By engaging the Iranians, the U.S. will gain the critical ability to shape the course of events without getting bogged down in the conflict. It will also help the U.S. build a working relationship with Iran that could ease the current nuclear negotiations forward and lay the groundwork for future cooperation when a successful deal is reached."

The interim agreement on Iran’s nuclear program holds important implications not only for international security and global affairs but for domestic Iranian politics as well.  The deal has preserved and broadened the support base of President Hassan Rouhani’s administration—one that was already the most plural and cross-factional in the history of the revolution.  It has also furthered the rebalancing of the Iranian elite toward moderate political forces and kept open the door for the possibility of meaningful economic and political reforms in the future.  How this transformative process unfolds though will largely depend on both the developments that occur regarding a final nuclear deal as well as the political fissures and interplay among the elite and the populace.  The domestic implications of a final comprehensive settlement, however, would be tremendous.

"...[S]anctions played a part in changing Iran's behavior, but not because they forced Iran to return to the negotiation table out of fear of economic collapse. Rather, sanctions contributed to a transformation of the balance of power within the Iranian political system that had been already underway since 2009 — prior to the enactment of the current sanctions regime. Sanctions helped pave the way for a Rouhani victory in the 2013 presidential elections..."