The situation in Iran is like a vicious circle, the government will not change unless the people change and the people will not change unless the government changes! So what is the solution? We all know the consequences of forcing democracy onto a country such as what happened in Iraq. So being obvious that change can only be successful on a gradual process how do you think the circle can be broken?
Iarn is in a sorry state. Nah but seriously we can all offer solutions but the region’s circumstances, history and culture make real ideological change hard. People tote education as a cure but its the most educated people there continjing a huge cycle of violence. I don’t know the more I learn about humans the less solvable such situations seem. Not completely impossible but the more you study peace, the more you realize peace making is frought with endless perils making lasting peace a super rare commodity and imagining any nation/peoples successfully walking/encourging the minefield of peace negotiations with 2/4/6 etc groups with such insanely conflicting/hostile ideas. Well theres hardly a sure fire solution, let alone one we could type out shortly.
What I said applies to the peoples of iran vs their own govt too.
What’s happening in Iraq has been nothing but great for Iran’s government. The only reason any of these places even matter is because of their oil, their poppies, and their proximity to Israel. If we stopped caring about those three things, we could stop asking unanswerable questions like “What should we do about Iran” (as if we COULD do anything). If the US wants to “deal” with Iran (and, by extension, with Iraq, Afghanistan, Hamas, Hizbullah and the Taliban) the most effective things to do would be abandon Israel, find alternative energy sources and legalize drugs. Short of those things (only the second and most difficult of which is even remotely politically viable), we’re going to be forever locked in a cold war with China and Russia over that big, shitty peice of desert, and forever worrying ineffectually about what to do with places like Iran.
Y’know, I’d be pissed too if people kept spelling my country’s name wrong.
Especially if it was only a four-letter countryname.
I mean shit - try spelling “autopoiesis” or “An·thro·po·mor·phic·al·ly” in a hurry - those are real buggers.
I said “Iarn” jokingly/mockingly. Hence the “nah in all seriousness” part. 
So solly.
So you think that there is no solution? But a government can’t simply just be. It has to 1.reform, 2.revolution or 3.removed by the intervention of other nations. The third is not sensible. As I mentioned, regardless of America’s motives in occupying Iraq, they did overthrow Saddam Hussein and tried to advocate democracy. But, the Arab people were just not ready for it! How can you change the mentality of a nation overnight? So the same solution cannot be applied to Iran. And revolution is not really a solution, also evident by the fact that the current government is as a result of a revolution by the majority. The first solution is also not practical sine the government is showing themselves incapable to grant reform. So, what is going to happen?
I think that with Obama now being the president, the government of Iran is in a way threatened. It is true that they keep power by means of controlling the media, banning opposition and uniting people by portraying America and Israel (to smaller extent Britain) as enemies. Iranians are very patriotic and thus can be easily united against an enemy. However, now, Obama announcing that he is prepared to negotiate, the government will have a harder job of portraying America as an enemy, and thus their power threatened, since their people will start to question the authority.
I think Iran is going to keep doing what it’s doing regardless, for as long as it can get away with it. I’m not saying there’s no solution, just that there’s no expedient politically viable one. I think America is in for a rude awakening and a cold war to kick off the century with.
I’m a little more skeptical of Obama’s powers than you are. The man has other shit to worry about and devote his time to - but hey, maybe you’re right - he’s got a Muslim-sounding name at least. George Bush couldn’t be any less congenial as a Muslim archetype, Obama might win the hearts and minds, moreso than McCain wouldve certainly, but i don’t think he’ll inspire them to overthrow their government.