What could a Trump or Harris election victory mean for Iran?
As the United States gears up for its 2024 election, Iran is watching intently, evaluating how either candidate's victory might impact such key issues as sanctions and nuclear diplomacy, as well as its regional politics and hostility toward Israel.
For decades the official stance in Tehran has been that regardless of who wins the US elections, the Islamic Republic will maintain its own polices.
In speeches and public statements, Iranian officials continue to present both parties as one singular, evil entity, referring to both Democrats and Republicans as the "Great Satan" and downplaying the significance of any potential change in American leadership.
Still, the narrative could be more complex below the surface, where officials in Tehran are certainly privately weighing how a victory for either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump may impact their strategic policies.
The ideal outcome for Tehran is a US administration that is not focused on Tehran, leaving it with a free hand to pursue its regional agenda, maintain an unchecked human rights record and ramp up its controversial nuclear and missile production programs. But Tehran appears to be preparing for all scenarios associated with policy shifts in Washington. Whether the White House's next leader is Trump or Harris, Iran's foreign policy will likely have to navigate a complex landscape of diplomacy and regional power dynamics.
