Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian Diplomat who has negotiated with Hezbollah and is now a Middle East specialist at Princeton University, tells Al Jazeera why Hezbollah is a positive force and should be backed by the West in the fight against ISIL.
Full Video
“Ex-Iranian diplomat: ‘US position on Hezbollah is wrong,’” Al Jazeera English, October 11, 2017.
Donald Trump calls it “The worst deal ever”. The question is why is he so hell-bent on decertifying a 2015 Iran nuclear agreement when even his own cabinet seems to support it? The move consistent with the US president’s bid to unwind any and all the policies of his predecessor and on the day when Washington’s announced it’s pulling out of Unesco for being too anti-Israel, how far will he go? Few expect the US to walk away from the deal but Trump could stiffen sanctions.
Guests:
Ilan GOLDENBERG Director, Middle East Security Program at CNAS
Seyed Hossein MOUSAVIAN Nuclear policy specialist, Princeton University
Michael PREGENT Former US Intelligence Officer
“Trumps takes on Tehran: What future for Iran nuclear deal?” France 24, October 12, 2017.
“How would Iran react? Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian official who stays in close touch with his ex-colleagues, told me recently that if Trump doesn’t certify, but Congress doesn’t re-impose sanctions, and the other P5+1 negotiators assure full implementation, then Iran may continue to adhere to the agreement. But he cautioned that this line is opposed by some political factions in Iran that argue for suspending the pact if Trump challenges Iranian compliance.
As for the administration’s hope of forcing Iran to renegotiate the ‘sunset’ provisions and other details of the agreement, Mousavian says that’s a nonstarter in Tehran.”
“The nuclear issue isn’t the real Iranian challenge,” David Ignatius, The Washington Post, October 5, 2017.
“There is 24-hour surveillance, and we don’t have more than 24 hours in a day,” said Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian nuclear negotiator, now a scholar at Princeton University. “If the IAEA needs something more, they would raise it with Iran.”
“’World’s most robust’ nuclear inspection program under fire as Trump tries to rewrite the Iran deal,” Shashank Bengali, Los Angeles Times, October 4, 2017.
“As Iranian President Hassan Rouhani responds to Trump at the UN, former Iranian diplomat Seyed Hossein Mousavian says that an American withdrawal from the nuclear deal would lead Iranians to no longer trust the U.S.”
“Trump is Threatening More than Just the Iran Deal,” The Real News, September 20, 2017.
“Trump’s apparent hope that Iran will offer unilateral concessions is questioned by Iran experts. ‘I don’t believe Tehran would be ready at all to renegotiate the deal,’ said Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian official who now teaches at Princeton University but remains in touch with his ex-colleagues. He called the idea a ‘nonstarter.’”
“The right question to ask about the Iran nuclear deal,” David Ignatius, The Washington Post, September 14, 2017.
War and military aggression would not lead to establishing security, Mousavian said in a televised forum hosted by CGTN (China Global Television Network). Diplomacy should have been put on Saudis’ agenda from the very beginning of the conflict in order to reach peace through dialogue, according to Mousavian.
“War not bringing security for S.Arabia: Former Iranian diplomat,” IRNA, July 29, 2017.
Tonight’s panel has the latest on the crisis and its symptoms:
Sama’a Al-Hamdani, a Yemeni political affairs commentator
Abdulateef Al-Mulhim, He is a columnist for the Saudi daily newspaper, AlYaum and The Arab News
Seyed Hossein Mousavian, former Iranian diplomat is a Middle East expert at Princeton University
Radhya Almutawakel, president of the Mwatana Organization for Human Rights that monitors events in Yemen
“The Heat: Yemen crisis,” CGTN, July 27, 2017.
Tonight’s panel has the latest on the crisis and its symptoms:
Sama’a Al-Hamdani, a Yemeni political affairs commentator
Abdulateef Al-Mulhim, He is a columnist for the Saudi daily newspaper, AlYaum and The Arab News
Seyed Hossein Mousavian, former Iranian diplomat is a Middle East expert at Princeton University
Radhya Almutawakel, president of the Mwatana Organization for Human Rights that monitors events in Yemen
“The Heat: Yemen crisis,” CGTN, July 27, 2017.
There is no effective and determining lobby and “track II diplomacy” between Iran and the United States, or at least, if such lobby exists, it is weaker and less efficient than ever. Even those Iranians with dual citizenship, who on their own discretion make efforts to counter the existing sanctions and pressures against Iran and modify the US public opinion, are not supported and are even under mounting pressure from lobby groups affiliated with Israel, Saudi Arabia and some other Arab countries that are active against Iran.
“The State of Public Diplomacy in Iran’s Foreign Policy,” Interview with Seyed Hossein Mousavian, Iran Review, June 10, 2017.
