U.S. Closer to Diplomatic Ties with Iran

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright November 19, 2013
All Rights Reserved.                                      

            Led by 52-year-old U.S.-educated Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran and the U.S. edge ever closer to a nuclear deal and, more importantly, restoring diplomatic relations after a 34-year deep freeze.  Broken after the Iranian militants seized the U.S. embassy during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the U.S. inches closer to re-establishing diplomatic relations.  When Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took power Aug. 3, it was only a matter of time before he reset U.S.-Iranian relations.  Under his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran defied U.S. and U.N. concerns over its controversial nuclear program.  While Iran insisted its nuclear program was for “peaceful purposes,” Ahamadinejad’s rhetoric was anything but, especially against Israel.  Threatening to “wipe Israel off the map,” whether metaphorical or not, Ahmadinejad set the wrong tone, leading to harsh U.N. sanctions.

             Ahmadinejad’s defiance prompted the U.N. to implement several rounds of economic sanctions, eventually paralyzing the Iranian economy.  U.N. sanction served as a rallying cry to the firebrand Ahmandinejad, while ordinary Iranians suffered under the weight of punitive sanctions.  It took a change of leadership with Rouhani and his pro-Western foreign minister to change directions.  While 74-year-old conservative Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei tolerated Ahmadinejad’s hothead rhetoric, Iran’s economy hemorrhaged into recession.  Calling talks with the U.N.’s 5P+1, namely, U.S., U.K., France, Russia, China and Germany an “historic opportunity,” Zarif sees the finish line of nuclear deal.  Meeting Wed., Nov. 20 for a third time, Zarif believes he’s close to a deal with the 5P+1, against the strong objections from 64-year-old Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

             Netanyahu hasn’t yet come to grips with Iran’s changing paradigm under Rouhani and Zarif.  No longer choked by Ahmadinejad’s hostile talk, Netanyahu needs to heed Secretary of State John Kerry’s firm belief that any deal strengthens Israeli national security.  Whatever Ahmadinejad said in the past, it’s no longer relevant today, where more reasonable voices control Iranian politics.  Zarif believes Iran now goes forward on an “equal footing,” no longer bullied by Western powers seeking to strip Iran of its rights under the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, giving Iran the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.  If Iran gets the nuclear catastrophe at Japan’s Dahaitsu Fukushima power plant, it might have second thoughts about pursuing nuclear power as a safe alternative to fossil fuels.  Since the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi pursued nuclear power in the ‘50s, it’s been a coveted national goal.

             Among the more technologically advanced nations in the Mideast and South Asia, Iran watched intently while Pakistan got the bomb in 1998, over objections from the U.S. and U.N.  Since then, Pakistan and its archrival India have kept border disputes and regional conflicts to a minimum.  Israel’s Netanyahu has called Iran’s nuclear program and “existential threat,” primarily because of Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric.  While Iran insists it seeks enrichment only for electric power and medical isotopes, there’s no factual evidence that Iran, with or without a bomb, would threaten Israel.  Netanyahu needs to heed Kerry’s wisdom that any P5+1 deal will only strengthen Israel’s national security.  “This past summer, our people chose constructive engagement through the ballot box, and through this, they gave the world a historic opportunity to change course,” said Zarif, confirming the change at the top.

             Zarif set a different tone in Geneva dealing with the P5+1, asking only for mutual respect of Iran’s nuclear program.  “To seize this unique opportunity, we need to accept an equal footing and choose a path base on mutual respect,” said Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Zarif, proving that style trumped substance.  Bringing Iran into the family of U.N.-monitored nuclear powers is preferable to further alienation.  Whatever fears remain about Iran’s ultimate nuclear goals, including enriching uranium beyond 20% to weapons-grade fuel, signing a nuclear pact with Iran helps all parties, especially Israel.  “The government is obliged to protect the nuclear rights of Iran in the forthcoming negotiations,” said Iran’s Mehr News Agency, quoting parliament member Fatemeh Alla.  Subjecting Iran’s nuclear program to the U.N.’s Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency would be a good thing. 

             Getting a deal with Iran requires Kerry to keep reassuring Tel Aviv that a deal with Iran helps Israel’s national security.  Exaggerating Iran’s nuclear threat, Netanyahu hurts the P5+1 as they try to return Iran’s nuclear program back under IAEA control.  “We advise the president of France to comment on the basis of facts, not assumptions, and beyond that, not to be the executor of the Zionist’s regime’s [Israel’s] plan,” said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the assembly’s national security and foreign affairs committee.  Overreacting to Israeli concerns, Iran’s officials need to focus on the P5+1, letting the U.S. and its allies deal with Israel.  More belligerent rhetoric throws a monkey wrench into Zarif’s negotiations aimed at resetting Iran’s foreign relations.  All P5+1 nations need to keep their eye on the ball of getting a nuclear deal to begin normalizing diplomatic relations with Iran. 

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.