US Elections Untangled – EP 4: Iran - the elephant in the room (with Mariette Hägglund)

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Is the American democracy itself at stake in the 2020 elections? Will foreign powers try to interfere with the elections again? What is the significance of these elections to climate change, NATO or the American relationship with Russia, China and Iran?

FIIA Podcast US Elections Untangled dives deep into the big questions surrounding the 2020 elections. Drawing on the expertise of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), the series looks mainly at the international relations implications of the elections.

The series is hosted by Visiting Research Fellow Maria Annala from The Center on US Politics and Power (CUSPP) at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs who is an expert in present day American politics. Joining her in the studio will be a wide array of international relations experts from FIIA. This podcast was made possible in part through support provided by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.

Episode 4 – Iran – the elephant in the room (with Mariette Hägglund)

In 2016, Donald Trump criticized the sitting president’s choices concerning Iran, and now Joe Biden is doing the same in his presidential campaign. The future of the US-Iranian relationship hinges on the outcome of the November elections.

Last January, many feared the two countries were on the brink of war, but since then tensions have decreased.

”I think [the Iranians] are keeping their options open,” says Research Fellow Mariette Hägglund from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, “until they find out the results of the presidential elections.”

“By escalating the situation they would close the door for negotiations or dialogue.”

Hägglund believes Iran is open to negotiating with the United States if the country elects a new president who takes a different approach. But what will the Iranians do if Trump gets a second term?

“I honestly don’t think they themselves know.”

You can also listen to the series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. Listen to the previous episodes here.