As a young Iranian-American journalist, the case of Roxana Saberi has hit particularly close to home.

Many believe that because Iran caved to international pressures when they released Saberi, they are now ready to engage in dialogue and compromise with the United States. The problem with this assertion is that it assumes Iran released Saberi as a result of pressure from the international community.

From what I’ve read so far, many are failing to realize that the Iranian government knew exactly what they were getting into when they arrested Saberi. The regime knew that by arresting an American citizen, they would damage their reputation and increase their political and economic isolation. They knew that by doing so, they would diminish the prospects of any diplomacy with the United States. The Iranian regime was aware of the consequences and still chose to arrest an American journalist and charge her with espionage.

It was not George W. Bush’s name-calling that has caused Iran to reject American attempts at diplomacy. These isolationist policies are central to the identity of the Islamic republic, and more openness would completely undermine the political power the regime currently enjoys. Being stigmatized as part of the “axis of evil” only helped their cause. It allowed them to convince their population that the United States doesn’t have their best interests in mind.

While their hostility toward the United States is masked with appeals to ideological purity, these actors are driven by power and greed. They recognize that improved ties with Washington would lead to greater openness, which would undermine the political and economic monopolies they enjoy in isolation.

We must remember that the Iranian regime is in constant fear of another revolution. In 1979, the populace, destitute and fed up, came together to drive out the Shah’s monarchy. My feelings about the subsequent leadership aside, unhappy people came together in a sort of coup d’etat. Today in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the people are once again unhappy. Unemployment is unbelievably high, the costs of bread and milk have skyrocketed and even gas is rationed. Revolutionary guardsmen don’t allow large groups of people to come together without a license. If they can keep the people preoccupied with anti-Americanism and convince them that nuclear armament is the solution to their troubles, the mullahs can keep their power.

Hard-line factions in Tehran have a history of provoking international incidents to advance their domestic political agendas. This arrest is just another provocation in the series that began with the 1979 hostage crisis. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has attempted to gain the sympathy of the Iranian people in relation to the United States. The ploy worked, and now that the Iranian people believe the United States is committing espionage against them, the job is done. After four months, the costs of holding onto Saberi outweighed any continued benefits, but it doesn’t mean Iran is ready to let the United States in.

Reach opinion editor Natalie Sikavi at opinion@dailyuw.com.