In the coming decade, Iran’s politics will be defined by a slow, agonizing struggle waged through, rather than against, the institutions of the Islamic Republic. If we indulge in the seductive dream of a sudden democratic revolution — whether delivered by bombs from above or by popular resistance from below — we will destroy the seeds of a political change in Iran. But if we push for a process of engagement that moves Iran and the U.S. from conflict to diplomatic coexistence, we can help nurture Iran’s own capacity to change and transform from within.

Read the full piece here: https://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/12/14/strategic_engagement_with_iran