Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran, and the Triumph of Diplomacy

In this exceptionally well-written piece of reportage, Parsi (A Single Roll of the Dice), president of the National Iranian American Council and adviser to President Obama during the negotiations that resulted in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, gives his own account of this diplomatic breakthrough. There are both heroes and villains in Parsi’s telling. Without presidents Obama and Hassan Rouhani at the helm of their countries, Parsi writes, this historic deal would likely not have been made. Likewise, Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, skillfully kept both sides on board despite numerous setbacks. (The crucial compromise on the U.S. side was agreeing to Iran’s right to enrich uranium.) Credit also goes to the government of Oman for providing a secret channel for negotiations. As Parsi reminds readers, there was no dearth of opponents who sought to derail the deal: Saudi Arabia, Israel, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and congressional Republicans. Obama receives credit for marshaling a diverse group of supporters to block congressional rejection of the deal. The book’s strength derives from Parsi’s high level of access to key players on both sides. Parsi brings his unique vantage point to what will undoubtedly be the definitive account of Obama’s signature foreign policy achievement. [em](Aug.) [/em]