IIE Deputy Vice President Daniel Obst writes in University World News about new opportunities for academic partnerships in Iran as diplomatic relations with the United States begin to thaw. Obst participated in an IIE-led delegation of U.S. higher education leaders to Iran, meeting with counterparts from Iranian universities and research institutes. "Universities in both countries are looking to form partnerships to enable the exchange of students and faculty and advance joint research," writes Obst. "We hope our efforts will serve as a catalyst for sustained higher education partnerships that will encourage cooperation and understanding between the United States and Iran."