Hillary Mann Leverett has more than 20 years of academic, legal, business, diplomatic, and policy experience working on Middle Eastern issues. In the Bush Administration, Ms. Leverett worked as the Director for Iran, Afghanistan and Persian Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council, Middle East specialist on the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff, and as Political Advisor for Middle East and Central Asian issues for the US Mission to the United Nations. From 2001-2003, she was one of a small number of US diplomats authorized to negotiate with the Iranians over Afghanistan, al-Qa’ida, and Iraq. In September 2009, Ms. Leverett launched the web site RaceForIran.com that offers perspectives on Iran and its geopolitics. We talk with Ms. Leverett about Iran and the future of American power.