--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having turned a deaf ear to the Iranian…" description: "\"“Having turned a deaf ear to the Iranian people in 2009 when they were being crushed while attempting to rise up against their totalitarian regime—the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/andrew-mccarthy-4162_israel_having-turned-a-deaf-ear-to-the-iranian_2444404.jpg" --- # Having turned a deaf ear to the Iranian people in 2009… ![“Having turned a deaf ear to the Iranian people in 2009 when they were being crushed while attempting to rise up against their totalitarian regime—the leading state sponsor of jihadist terror52—President Obama reached out in 2013 to the Iranian regime’s new front man, President Hassan Rouhani.53” quote by Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/andrew-mccarthy-4162_israel_having-turned-a-deaf-ear-to-the-iranian_2444404.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/andrew-mccarthy-4162_israel_having-turned-a-deaf-ear-to-the-iranian_2444404.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/andrew-mccarthy-4162_israel_having-turned-a-deaf-ear-to-the-iranian_2444404.jpg) > ““Having turned a deaf ear to the Iranian people in 2009 when they were being crushed while attempting to rise up against their totalitarian regime—the leading state sponsor of jihadist terror52—President Obama reached out in 2013 to the Iranian regime’s new front man, President Hassan Rouhani.53”” [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights a perceived inconsistency in U.S. policy toward Iran, criticizing a shift from supporting protests to engaging with a new regime. **In simple terms:** Criticizes U.S. policy shift toward Iran. Key Takeaway Recognize policy contradictions. Themes politics human rights foreign policy Mood critical analytical Type political historical commentary When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - human rights advocacy - public criticism - policy analysis Key Concepts realism ethical inconsistency Questions to Reflect On - How should leaders balance moral support with diplomatic engagement? - What are the risks of abrupt policy changes? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex geopolitical dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [2013 Iranian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/2013-iranian-516301/) [Iranian Regime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iranian-regime-516302/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Jihadist Terror52](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jihadist-terror52-516305/) [Sponsor Jihadist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sponsor-jihadist-516304/) [Terror52 President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror52-president-516303/) ## Related quotes > [“Despite numerous prior public assurances that the United States, under his leadership, would prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,54 the president and his subordinates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/despite-numerous-prior-public-assurances-that-the-united-states-under/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [Since 1979, the majority of victims of the Iranian regime have been the Iranian people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/since-1979-the-majority-of-victims-of-the-iranian-regime-have-been/) [Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/) > [We are a primary target for the Iranian regime... 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So why do you expect us Iranians to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akbar-ganji/would-americans-accept-if-we-decided-to-come-here-and-decide-who-your/) [Akbar Ganji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akbar-ganji/) > [The Iranian regime should know that we will hold them accountable for any actions that their Shia militias take in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-ortagus/the-iranian-regime-should-know-that-we-will-hold-them-accountable-for/) [Morgan Ortagus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-ortagus/) > [In the past 30 years, officials of the Iranian regime and its apologists have labeled criticism, especially with regard to women's rights, as anti-Islamic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/in-the-past-30-years-officials-of-the-iranian-regime-and-its/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [The Iranian regime, in my mind, is the single most enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/the-iranian-regime-in-my-mind-is-the-single-most-enduring-threat-to/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [The Iranian regime doesn't express the wishes and values of the Iranian people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-katsav/the-iranian-regime-doesn-t-express-the-wishes-and-values-of-the/) [Moshe Katsav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-katsav/) > [The Iranian regime supports violent extremists and challenges us across the region. It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-iranian-regime-supports-violent-extremists-and-challenges-us-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Iranian regime is nothing if not resilient. It fought an eight-year-long war with Iraq to a draw despite losing hundreds of thousands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-iranian-regime-is-nothing-if-not-resilient-it-fought-an-eight/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [The international community is unwilling to accept the policies of the Iranian regime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-katsav/the-international-community-is-unwilling-to-accept-the-policies-of/) [Moshe Katsav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-katsav/) > [The problem with the Iranian regime, of course is, one, its unsettling effects on the Sunnis, particularly Saudi Arabia, and, secondly, its potential threat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/the-problem-with-the-iranian-regime-of-course-is-one-its-unsettling/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [The Iranian regime calls for the annihilation of Israel, it oppresses its own citizens, it's part of the murder going on in Syria and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-regev/the-iranian-regime-calls-for-the-annihilation-of-israel-it-oppresses/) [Mark Regev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-regev/) > [The Iranian regime supports violent extremists and challenges us across the region. It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-iranian-regime-supports-violent-extremists-and-challenges-us/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Iranian regime gives financial support to terrorist organizations all over the world, denies the Holocaust, and calls for the wiping the state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-katsav/the-iranian-regime-gives-financial-support-to-terrorist-organizations/) [Moshe Katsav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-katsav/) ## More by Andrew McCarthy > [“As was easily foreseeable, the unprovoked military adventure empowered anti-American terrorists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/as-was-easily-foreseeable-the-unprovoked-military-adventure-empowered/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Republicans, as well as Democrats committed to our constitutional framework, should fearlessly marshal the administration’s frauds, obstructions, and violations of law. They should demand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/republicans-as-well-as-democrats-committed-to-our-constitutional/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“In addition to involving the nation in an unauthorized war in Libya that empowered jihadist enemies of the United States, he and his subordinates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/in-addition-to-involving-the-nation-in-an-unauthorized-war-in-libya/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“The president and his subordinates willfully defrauded the American people, including investors in the public securities exchanges, in connection with Solyndra, a solar energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-president-and-his-subordinates-willfully-defrauded-the-american/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Rouhani triumphantly boasted in a tweet that the United States had “surrendered to Iranian nation’s will,” while the regime’s chief negotiator bragged that Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/rouhani-triumphantly-boasted-in-a-tweet-that-the-united-states-had/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Passing articles of impeachment against President Obama in the House at this premature point would have the same effect. 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/congressional-democrats-want-the-current-president-to-use-the/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“With the November election looming and the president’s campaign rhetoric about decimating al-Qaeda becoming laughable, the White House endeavored to defraud the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/with-the-november-election-looming-and-the-president-s-campaign/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“He and his subordinates have repeatedly, systematically and willfully withheld from Congress and from the American people information to which they are entitled, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/he-and-his-subordinates-have-repeatedly-systematically-and-willfully/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Despite being briefed about the ongoing terrorist attack at the Benghazi facility very soon after it began, the president took no meaningful action as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/despite-being-briefed-about-the-ongoing-terrorist-attack-at-the/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [The idea that we cause harm by doing what we perceive to be the right thing, that's another theme that interests me. Because most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-idea-that-we-cause-harm-by-doing-what-we-perceive-to-be-the-right/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [It's embarrassing, isn't it? It took me 15 years to make an 18-minute movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/it-s-embarrassing-isn-t-it-it-took-me-15-years-to-make-an-18-minute/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“As a federal district court in Texas recently ruled, federal law “mandates the initiation of immigration removal proceedings whenever an immigration officer encounters an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/as-a-federal-district-court-in-texas-recently-ruled-federal-law/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) [Explore all 115 Andrew McCarthy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) ## More Israel quotes > [Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. 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Everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/in-the-green-zone-in-iraq-you-have-your-radio-you-have-your-food-you/) [Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [“Hitler invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Much to the bafflement of the Allies, however, Pope Pius XII said nothing. 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