Iran should negotiate with the new US president

Barack Obama got elected as the 44^th US president. In his victory speech in Chicago Park, he stated that the time of change has come for the US.

Here is Iranian Diplomacy interview with Dr.Ibrahim Yazdi on the issue.

From the viewpoint of American Democracy, what is the message of Barack Obama election for the world?

The message is an experience of practical democracy. Sometimes democracy is taught in a theoretical level in universities but there are also times when democracy is practically recognized. The events unfolding in the US in the past year, the role of media in publication of all the details of those events, and the attention million people have given to them can be very instructive for the nations who are getting their cold feet in the process of democratic changes.

The process of presidential election in the US, first started with a competition of candidates who tested their abilities, logic and mental power. In this process, every major and minor detail on personal, family, moral and economic aspects of candidates’ lives have been known. Even the media went to the Kenyan village where Barack Obama’s grandparents lived, and made interviews on his religious trainings, his parents, the reason of his sojourn in Indonesia, and other things.

So there was nothing left unknown about the presidential candidates. Even when it was known that Sara Palin has been found guilty in Alaska, the media published the whole story and it was not censored under justifications like national security, national interests or things like that. The reason was that the principles of people’s vote and people’s right to choose have been accepted in the US society a long time ago. But in Iran, one can have the highest positions without such researches on his life, and even when the truth about that person is known, it is hard to publish. What we have seen in the process of US election was how public opinion, freedom of speech, and any other element of democracy can work.

What can be Iran’s position regarding Obama being elected?

I believe that the Iranian president should at first send a message of congratulation for Obama. A president is anyhow elected and this is a norm in international politics. Such gesture from Iran’s part can be regarded as very positive. In the same way, Iran can declare its readiness to formally negotiate with the new US government to resolve differences, decrease the Middle East tensions, and paving the way for Iraq and Afghanistan security improvement. In such circumstances, Iran’s action will be very influential in Tehran-Washington relations.

What are the outcomes of Obama’s election on domestic and international levels for Iran?

The presidential election was a symbol of the changes in US society. US relations with European countries, Russia, Far East countries like Japan and China, Middle East countries and Iran will soon be changed. Iran can exploit this situation but it depends on what Iranian decision makers would do. They should have an understanding of the changes in international arena and pay attention to them in their decisions. At the same time, there should be a will to negotiate with other countries like the US. If the Iranian decision makers do not feel this will and need to negotiate, they can not take advantage of the new situation.