Sandra Mackey

Since 1979, when Shi’ite revolutionaries and clerics gained state power in Iran, relations between Iran and the United States have been strained. In 1997, however, Iranians elected a new president, Mohammad Khatami, a political moderate who appears to be tolerant of Western culture. In the following viewpoint, Sandra Mackey contends that the United States should pursue a more open and relaxed relationship with Iran. By taking up Khatami’s call for a cultural dialogue between Iran and the United States, the political relationship between the two nations can improve, Mackey concludes. Mackey is the author of The Iranians: Persia, Islam, and the Soul of a Nation.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Mackey, what are the three identities that comprise Iranian...