ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the US policy shift toward Iran is based on the realist 'balance-of-threats theory' and marks a stark departure from the Iranian 'myth' mindset. It was in the US national interest for Iran to be denied a nuclear weapon as well as even a breakout scenario in which Iran could acquire nuclear weapons because of a sufficient stockpile of HEU in a relatively short period of time. The Joint Plan of Action in 2013 and the Comprehensive Joint Plan of Action implemented after July 2015 essentially broke the stalemate and opened up genuine diplomatic channels between Iran and the USA–the most important variable in multilateral engagement. During the period between 2003–when the EU shifted its policy of constructive engagement with Iran to deal solely with the nuclear issue–and 2012 when talks reached an impasse because of the Obama's administration limited engagement efforts, successive US administrations embraced coercive diplomacy.
