Energy

Energy is however still a sticking point simply because it is an area where US sanctions can do real damage that hurts the Iranian regime. Obama is unlikely to give up this weapon in any attempts to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear bomb.

One area where Obama has shifted is on the piping of Gas. The USA no longer opposes cooperation between Iran and Turkey on piping gas through the existing pipelines between the two nations. The USA now also sees Iran as a potential gas supplier for the Nabucco pipeline, which George Bush's administration was totally against. Richard Morningstar, special envoy for Eurasian energy admitted "Obviously, right now, gas from Iran creates some difficulties for the United States as well as for other countries involved," but "We [US] reached out to Iran, we want to engage with Iran, but it also takes two to go to the dance and we are hoping that there will be positive responses from Iran." This represents a change from an ideological to a pragmatic approach towards Iran[[M K Bhadrakumar, US promotes Iran in the Energy Market, Asia Times Online, April 28th 2009, http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KD28Ak01.html]]