Enough Reasons Why Iran & US Should Start Talks!

 

US efforts to open an interest section office in Iran can be regarded a sufficient and necessary reason for the two sides to start negotiations and break the ice which has frozen the relations between the two sides for three decades, even if this effort would not lead to creation of the interest section in Tehran.

The Iranian and US governments have maintained their unequivocal stance and none is ready to change the rules of the game to reestablish ties. But Garry Sick, a former national security advisor to US presidents has told IRNA in an interview that reopening of the US interest section in Tehran could take place even before the end of George Bush’s tenure.

As to what would happen between Tehran and Washington before the US presidential elections in November and whether there would be any high-level contacts between the two countries remains a secret behind the scene. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the inevitable problems faced by both governments there too yielded no results except for some transient talks about a third party. Those who thought by arranging a new date between the divorced couple they would be able to pave the way for negotiations and a possible reunion were perhaps unaware that both parties were so inflexible and easily wasted opportunities.

Although Garry Sick in his interview with Iran’s state news agency considers the proposal to open an interest section in Tehran staffed by American diplomats the clearest message from Washington and a first step to restart diplomatic ties, nevertheless Iran is also thinking of getting some rental fee for the office and would not overlook concessions the US would have to offer to level the road.

If the Republicans win the US elections, Tehran-Washington relations would become even worse and further complicated. Although Garry Sick believes the new US president would not close down the interest section because it would be a big opportunity for him to play a part in continuation of the course and its fulfillment.

However, Iran is fully aware that a US physical presence in Tehran would have positive consequences for Washington. Therefore, until before mutual confidence building and certain guarantees over disputable issues, Iran would not grant the US administration such a concession. 

In addition to a thorough investigation of the ideals of McCain and Obama, what seems to be important at present is to decide what the Iranian society is finally going to do with the American cowboy taboo! Keeping the question of relations with the US a taboo and forbidden fruit has inflicted huge losses on our country and brought huge benefits to Iran’s neighbors and regional allies and this seems to an ongoing story.

The Iranian government should definitely and transparently announce its preconditions for any negotiations or agreement over opening of a US interest section office. In other words, it must bring the issue from the air to the ground. Speaking about “mutual respect” and “justice” is so general and open to interpretation that automatically shuts the door of negotiations and practically leads to procrastination or closure of diplomacy.

The remarks by Garry Sick are an example of a practical and executive proposal not made before so openly. Iran too can talk about applicable instances and like what was proposed by (former president) Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani before, demand release of frozen Iranian assets in US banks and put some appropriate conditions that can be fulfilled. Obviously, in a cold war that has been going on for 30 years, there is no room for extraterrestrial demands and instead current and short-term needs too could remove big hurdles in the way of the two governments.

It is not hidden to anyone that the idea of direct talks with the US as proposed by the IRI president at the United Nations (even though in very general terms) reveals that Iran too is serious about this decision. Anyway, this is an ice made 30 years ago with its thickness growing every day.

This taboo-type look at Iran-US relations also exists in America. Recalling the tone of John McCain and remarks of George Bush about Iran we will realize how they give us the same attitude about Tehran that we have towards Tel Aviv. They say sitting at the negotiation table with Iran is tantamount to legitimizing a country that supports terrorism, seeks A-bomb and wants Israel to be eliminated from the geographical map.

Garry Sick believes that a major part of these outlooks originate from the two countries’ domestic policies. He says Iran’s internal problems like those of America stand as a hurdle to holding direct talks. In Iran too, he says, direct talks with the US could cause domestic suspicion and concern.

Reminding that Tehran and Washington have held no direct talks after the 1979 Islamic Revolution he said they have a long road ahead. About the Iranian nuclear issue and its impact on resumption of Iran-US diplomatic ties, Sick says Tehran and Washington have no answer to this question because they have not talked to each other so far.

The former US national security advisor believes the United States and Europe must offer practical and realistic proposals to Iran, such as lifting the sanctions, foreign investment in and granting loans to Iran to encourage Tehran to step forward. In return, Iran can express its desire to hold negotiations through applicable examples and clarify what exactly it means by “execution of justice”.