Many analysts and politicians have responded to Hassan Rouhani's victory in Iran's presidential elections with concern -- that a more moderate Iranian figurehead may reduce international pressure even in the absence of any substantial change in Iranian policy, and that Rouhani may engage in negotiations designed to drag out for eternity, in order to distract from continued nuclear activity on the ground.
Whether or not these fears are justified with respect to Rouhani, they are a precise description of another item dominating the regional agenda: the Middle East peace process.
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