Historical relations between the U.S. and Iran can be described as ambivalent before World War I as the U.S. had little interest in Persian affairs. Post World War II and through the Cold War, U.S. and Iranian relations were mostly supportive as Iran focused on modernizing its economy while helping the U.S. contain Soviet interests in the Middle East. Iran was once America's staunchest Middle Eastern ally until the overthrow of the Shah during the Iranian Revolution more than thirty years ago. Current relations are confrontational with an atmosphere of animosity, mistrust, and misunderstanding. While opinions may differ as to what actually caused the poor relations, most American's see the Iranian Hostage crisis, where fifty-two Americans were taken from the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held for four hundred and forty-four days, as the inception of the battle against radical Islam. However, since 2009 the Obama administration's dual-track policy, which includes engagement and pressure, combining the hard and soft power elements of smart power, provide a breakthrough in relations between Iran and the U.S. This application of smart power, synchronized effects, and sustainable application of collective strengths of all the instruments of national power (diplomatic, informational, military, and economic) is critical to the administration's dual-track policy and is the key factor in achieving a nuclear deal with Iran. Most estimates assess Iran will be able to produce a crude nuclear weapon within a one year, but the current six-month deal, negotiated on 24 November 2013 in Geneva, provides an opportunity that has not existed in thirty years. If negotiations are to succeed, concessions must be made from both sides, but more importantly, Iran must live up to its international obligations. If not, Iran faces increased international isolation or the potential for military strikes against its nuclear program. The application of U.S. smart power provides a structure to have a dialogue built on verification, good faith, and even trust. Therefore, it allows the current negotiations the ability to test the possibility and feasibility of the current nuclear deal along with the potential for a comprehensive long-term deal. The alternative is to engage in conflict, which has many unintended consequences. Avoiding such an outcome is precisely why it is so important for the Obama administration to continue to use every available tool through its application of smart power towards Iran.

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