Iranian presidents serve four-year terms and are responsible for managing day-to-day governance and representing the country in international diplomacy. However, power rests with the Supreme Leader, who holds authority over the military, judiciary, and key aspects of foreign. Iran's geographic position, straddling several different regions—Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and South Asia—has always made it a crossroads of civilizations and a buffer between major powers. But more than that, Iran's natural topography is one of the main reasons it has proven so. But the internal political balance in Iran may prove even more decisive, as it will help determine whether the regime's remaining leadership can maintain its grip on power. Doing so is clearly preoccupying the new powers-that-be in Tehran. United States President Donald Trump has said that Washington is engaged in “productive” talks with Iran. “They have been able to push Trump back to negotiating.
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