Ms Palacio urges the E3+3 to bring Iran in from the cold! In fact mutual efforts to thaw the Cold War atomosphere had been made by Tehran and Washington, even before Hassan Rouhani became president last year. Supreme Leader Khamenei must have endorsed them. The interim deal struck last November in Geneva was a result of months of secret negotiations between US and Iranian officials, at the same time as the nuclear talks went on. In March 2013 a small delegation led by John Kerrys deputy William Burns and Jake Sullivan, Joe Bidens top foreign policy adviser, boarded a military plane for Oman to meet their Iranian counterparts. The first high-level meeting took place in Muskat and the Obama administration began laying the groundwork for the nuclear deal. Since Rouhani took office, he gave new impetus to the US effort The parties had met at least five times, before they took centre stage in Geneva. So far no significant progress been made, as the parties cant agree on some sticky points, which involve technical details. Unfortunately Rouhani is facing criticism from hardliners at home, who claim negotiators are ignoring their national interests and that the West has not shown the same eagerness and sincerity as Iran. They also accuse their government of being duped by the US in a desperate attempt to conclude a deal with the West and end economic sanctions. Rouhani feels the pressure from his people and the ruling elite. Although the Supreme Leader backs the negotiations, he also warns against ignoring Irans right to go nuclear. Its unclear whether the issue will be resolved by the deadline of 20 July, All the while Iraq and Syria, two of Irans close allies are embroiled in their civil wars. Ms Palacio suggests the West should advance cooperation with Iran in other critical areas – beginning with security and stability in the Middle East. It is true that Iran exerts influence over the Shia populations in various countries. Sunni rulers accuse Iran of fomenting unrest. Despite the sectarian strife Iran does have good relations with most Sunni Gulf States. Its only with Saudi Arabia that Tehran has a problem. The Saudis are said to suppress their Shia minority in the oil-rich east. The tiny Sunni ruling elite in Bahrain is ruling over the Shia majority, which complains about discriminations etc. These grievances generate hatred and lead to sectarian violence. When it comes to dealing with these issues, the leadership in Tehran leaves them to the Revolutionary Guard, whose formidable Quds Forces send fighters to Iraq and Syria, which are now battlefields of proxy wars fought between Iran and Saudi Arabia. It is definitely not overstated to involve Iran in resolving the conflicts in the region. Yet it is a wishful thing to believe that in the coming weeks, the US and the EU will have the opportunity to make important strides toward a more stable, secure Middle East – an outcome that would benefit the entire world.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 21:47:08 +0000
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