Obama and Iran's Rouhani Must Seize the Moment In Spite of Hardliners

HUFFINGTON POST

Jamal Abdi and Ryan Costello

The election of Hassan Rouhani to be the next President of Iran presents a major potential opportunity for progress on human rights in Iran and nuclear diplomacy with the U.S. Rouhani, a former nuclear negotiator and political insider, promised to "pursue a policy of reconciliation and peace," and pledged to create a "non-securitized environment" in which political prisoners detained in 2009 would be released. With the backing of moderates and reformists, Rouhani cruised to a surprise first-round victory over his divided conservative opponents. Actions will speak louder than words, but the fact that the Iranian people have given a mandate to Rouhani to attempt to resolve the nuclear impasse and improve human rights creates an opening that the United States can't afford to miss or dismiss.

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