The Iranian people, if you look at their demographics and their level of education, could be a strong source for stability in the Middle East. The problem is they're run by an apocalyptic cult of ayatollahs.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The Iranian regime, in my mind, is the single most enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East.
Iran has had a very harmful effect in a variety of ways in the region... fomenting unrest to a degree in Saudi Arabia, undoubtedly in Bahrain, and definitely in Yemen with Hamas, with Lebanese Hezbollah among other activities in locations.
For years, Iran has worked to position itself to dominate the entire Middle East and to impose its version of radical Islam on society. It is actively working to destabilize Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.
Look what's going on: the Iranians are spreading military capabilities throughout the region; look what's going on in Yemen, Hizbollah, their cooperation with Assad, terror activities the world over, undermining regimes and states.
Inside Iran, people are actually quite well-educated about America. There are things they don't understand, particularly in the government, but the people, by and large, know the American sensibility quite well, and the reverse is not true.
There are those who simply want to live their lives, and feel they cannot live the way they want to in Iran. Others are ideologically motivated: They will stay no matter what and try to change things.
Iran poses the most serious long-term threat to regional stability.
The Iranian people, with regards to the policies of various American administrations in the past 30 years, are very worried. They don't trust them.
Anyone who follows the Middle East and Islamic world in general can't deny it is often a very violent place, that a band of instability now stretches from Algeria to Pakistan.
Fortunately, Iranians are politically active worldwide.