The Results of Barack Obama`s Policy on Iran`s Nuclear Program

The issue of Iran’s nuclear problem is one of the main factors, which determines American-Iranian relations after the Islamic revolution in Iran. The policy, conducted by presidents W. Clinton and G. W. Bush, mainly consisted of employing sanctions and threatening Teheran with the possibility of using military power, did not lead to desirable results. Positive changes in this issue began to occur after Barack Obama took his office. Obama stated his intention to change American strategy and to deal with the problem of Iran through diplomatic measures. The combination of American “soft” and “hard” power instruments, international cooperation and the readiness of Iran’s leaders to compromise led to the conclusion of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the final agreement on Iran’s nuclear problem. Although Barack Obama has succeeded in settling the issue of Iranian nuclear program, in the United States the policy of the president is widely criticized. Opponents of Obama’s strategy state that the terms of JCPOA are unacceptable for the Unites States as they lead to the strengthening of Iran’s positions and, moreover, the attitude of Barack Obama towards Iran has a negative impact on relations of the United States with regional partners.