Pending Presidential Pick Probably Won’t Precipitate Persian Policy Pivot

While votes are still being counted in key battleground states and Americans wait to learn who their next president will be, some world leaders seem not to be holding their breaths. On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani gave a televised speech in which he stressed that no matter who is elected, the Islamic Republic is operating with the assumption that no change is imminent. “We have planned based on the assumption that the methods and behaviors of the US will not return to the correct approach,” Rouhani said. “If the Americans come to a realization … that they must choose another way, so much the better. But if not, our decisions are based on how to run the country if conditions are difficult.” Prior to the president’s speech, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, insisted that his country’s policy toward the US would not be affected, whether the next resident of the White House is Democratic nominee Joe Biden or incumbent President Donald Trump. “Some people talk about what will happen if this or that one is elected. Yes, certain events may happen, but they don’t concern us. Our policy is calculated and clear,” Khamenei said.