After Obama videotaped a Persian New Year’s message for the Iranian people, reiterating his offer of unconditional talks, most Western commentators interpreted Khamenei’s lengthy and defiant response as a slap in the face. But what would have been most significant to any Iranian listening was a passage at the very end of the speech, when Khamenei said, “If you change, our behavior will also change.” Iran’s supreme authority had never before used the word “change” in such a context, for up until now the Islamic Republic’s position has been that there is nothing objectionable about its behavior. If the Obama administration truly wants to forge a new relationship with Iran, it will have to learn to hear the things Iranians are saying to them, whether it be the Supreme Leader or the rifle-toting Sadoughi.
