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ASIA TIMES


June 7, 2010

[Re Washington feels heat over Iran fuel deal Jun 1, and Attack complicates new sanctions on Iran, Jun 2] Washington rightly deserves to "feel the heat" for what Brazil and Turkey were able to achieve. The concentration of stupidity in Washington foreign policy circles about Iran is breathtaking. Brazil and Turkey should be thanked for putting Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's "smart diplomacy" to work. The enormity of such a feat can only be understood by viewing it through the prism of the bitter history of the past 30 years between the United States and Iran. Diplomacy is the art of the possible and Brazil/Turkey, by their patient and relentless diplomacy, have proven that. It would be a tragic mistake for the United States if it did not seize the moment and build on that opening.
The question that needs an answer is why is the ghost of the Bush/Cheney administration policy towards Iran still rattling around? President Barack Obama, much to his credit, has said on numerous occasions (the most recent in March, on the occasion of the Iranian New Year) "Our offer of comprehensive contact and dialogue stands," Yet actions that only perpetuate mistrust and hatred and are designed to punish rather than to engage continue unabated. Whose interest does it serve? Certainly not America's. In 2003, Iran sent the United States a demarche outlining and asking for negotiations on all outstanding issues. The Bush/Cheney Administration ignored them. Seven years later, Brazil and Turkey have given America another opportunity to engage. It is in America's national security and economic interest to take advantage of that opportunity, notwithstanding the Israel can-do-no-wrong crowd and their apologists in the US Congress.
The United States and Iran have many interests in common in the region. Both want a stable Iraq and Afghanistan. And, with business people from America's European allies and the Russian and Chinese all over Iran, buying and selling everything, America's business people could profit from an opening of that market. Sanctions and attempts at isolating Iran have done nothing but to leave the US bereft of any knowledge about Iran. It is not in America's national security interest to be in permanent confrontation with Iran.
Independent analysts inside Iran and others with connection to the government are saying that the Iranian government is now confident enough internally to want to engage with the United States. Common sense and the urgency of now demand that the Obama administration must begin that promised dialogue based on mutual respect and bring an end to the hostility separating the United States and Iran. No more words, but real deeds.
Fariborz S Fatemi
United States (Jun 7, '10