Future prospects

President Rouhani came to office in August 2013 pledging to return “rationality and moderation” to Iran, telling a reformist newspaper that, “What I truly wish is for moderation to return to the country. This is my only wish. Extremism pains me greatly. We have suffered many blows as a result of extremism.”1 Although Rouhani’s election victory endowed him with the popular mandate to change Iran’s foreign policy, Iran’s new president faced no shortage of obstacles in the first two years of his presidency. He quickly discovered both internal and external obstacles in bringing Iran out of international isolation.