IRAN NUCLEAR ISSUE: STICK AND CARROT POLICY BEARS NO FRUIT

    The Bush administration continued to block Iran's nuclear process through both negotiations and sanctions in 2008. While stating that it focused on diplomacy to try to resolve the issue, it also proclaimed many times that it will take "no option off the table."

    During the year, pushed by the United States, the U.N. Security Council adopted two resolutions against Iran. The United States also unilaterally tightened sanctions against the Iranian governmental institutions, military, banks and even individuals, and pushed the European Union (EU) to tighten economic sanctions against Iran.

    Meanwhile, the United States, along with Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany launched negotiations with Iran. In June, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana presented to Iran a new package of incentives suggesting that Iran get a temporary reprieve from economic and financial sanctions in exchange for freezing its enrichment activities.

    But Iran failed to respond to the new package in a way expected by the West. Instead, it has been using its idiomatic dual tactics to cope with the pressure over its nuclear issue.

    On the one hand, Iran uncompromisingly refused to stop uranium enrichment. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran would not make any concession in the country's nuclear rights. On the other hand, Iran has kept negotiations with six major countries and the IAEA.

    In response to threats from the United States, Iran said it would deliver its intruders "destructive" counterattacks and launch retaliatory military actions against the U.S. bases in the region, while warning of a closure of the Hormuz Strait, a narrow waterway in the Gulf through which roughly 40 percent of the worldoil is transported, if attacked.

    Now all eyes have turned to U.S. president-elect Obama, who had said in the early stages of his election campaign that he favored unconditional direct talks with Tehran. But Obama has since hardened his position. Now it is still too early to say if there would be fundamental changes in the U.S. policy on the Iranian nuclear issue.