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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Seven US Senators Pledge Support for Diplomacy with Iran

These Senators (John Kerry (D-Mass.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today sent a letter to the President in support of limited diplomatic presence in the country.

“We know that a hands-off approach has isolated us and strengthened Iran,” said Sen. Kerry. “The Administration’s decision to reverse course and join direct talks with Tehran is the right one, however late. While the United States has remained on the sidelines and outsourced our diplomacy to Europe, Iran used that time to continue to master the nuclear fuel cycle and get closer to a nuclear weapons capability. Even if direct dialogue fails to reach an agreement, we will be armed with new leverage that strengthens our hand with Europe, Russia, and China to impose tougher sanctions and begin to reverse this dynamic.”

Full text of the letter is below:

President George W. Bush

Dear Mr. President:

We are encouraged by recent revelations that your Administration is actively reviewing the possibility of opening an interests section in Iran, and write to express our support for this limited but strategically significant U.S. diplomatic presence. By establishing direct contact with the people of Iran, facilitating their travel to America, and increasing our understanding of Iran’s complicated domestic politics, this initiative will advance our national interests.

Along with your welcome decision to send Under Secretary of State William Burns to Geneva to join in talks with Iran over its nuclear program, this will send a positive message to the Iranian people and the international community about our intentions and enhance our ability to apply greater pressure on the Iranian government.

As you know, Iranians are among the most pro-American people in the Greater Middle East. Many hold the United States in high regard as a country that cherishes the values of freedom, tolerance, and human dignity. Despite our strong differences with their government over its nuclear ambitions, support for international terrorism, and hateful rhetoric towards Israel, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently said that “[w]e are determined to find ways to reach out to the Iranian people.” Opening an interests section in Iran, as we have done in other countries such as Cuba, is a highly-visible way of accomplishing this important objective.

The United States has not had any diplomatic presence in Iran since the hostage crisis in 1979. As a result, Iranians who are interested in traveling to the United States must go to Dubai to obtain U.S. visas, impeding familial, cultural, and scientific exchanges that over time can begin to transform Iran. The more frequently that ordinary Iranians have an opportunity to interact with Americans, the more likely they are to ignore their government’s propaganda demonizing our country.

At the same time, a limited diplomatic presence in Iran would improve our understanding of the competing political factions that influence Tehran’s decision-making. As Under Secretary Burns recently acknowledged, our knowledge of Iran’s political and policy-making processes is currently rather limited. Iran already operates an active interests section in Washington, DC, ostensibly for these types of reasons, so our own diplomats are at a relative information disadvantage.

While we recognize that this initiative alone will not resolve our profound disagreements with Iran’s leaders, we believe it is a step in the right direction with the Iranian people. If it comes to pass, we look forward to working with your Administration to provide any necessary congressional support.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to your reply.

(information from Senator Kerry's office)

Comments:

Blogger MyAmerica said...

Can we be a mature international leader and establish diplomatic relation with Iran? Yes. Let us do it.

The political ignorance and arrogance of our leadership during the last 30 years has had serious consequences for USA. In recent years, we have called major European nations as “Old Europe”, inconsequential, and irrelevant. We have resorted in politically immature language using names such as “Axis of Evil”. In case of Iran, we may have a chance to do it correctly this time:

"For Iran, respect above all else" by Kaveh L Afrasiabi, posted in Asia Times online,

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JG25Ak01.html

The article provides a good summary for some basic steps toward successful relation with Iran. He states:

"Thus the roots of the US's disrespect toward Iran that continues to bedevil Washington's policy, often reflected in US lawmakers' pejorative use of the term "mullahs" for Iran's ruling clergy. The negative effect of such downgrading and disrespectful semantics plays an important role in the poisonous environment between the US and Iran. (Iran's use of the "Great Satan" in reference to the US is also pejorative, although it keeps a level of awe intact.) “

In addition, majority of us are not even aware of the grievances of Iranian people.

What does Iran Want?

http://straveler-myamerica.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-would-you-do-if-you-were-president.html

I recommend for an effective interaction with Iran, we must not ignore their fears and expectations. Their primary drive is for security after nearly 200 years of struggle with the colonial Europe.

July 24, 2008 9:03 AM  

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