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Iran wants a nuclear deal, not war

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To stop Iran achieving “critical capability” to produce nuclear weapons in the coming months, President Obama must impose “maximal” sanctions – that is the message of a new report issued in Washington by five senior non-proliferation specialists. They call on Obama to implement a de facto international embargo on all investments in, and trade with, Iran, declaring: “A successful outcome in any negotiations with Iran depends on the immediate implementation of these sanctions, along with simultaneously reinforcing the credibility of President Obama’s threat to use military force, if necessary, to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”

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“Iran wants a nuclear deal, not war”, Hossein Mousavian, the Guardian, January 21, 2013.

Articles, Publications

How to talk to Iran

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IF there are any two words in Persian that President Obama should learn, they are “maslahat” and “aberu.” Maslahat is often translated as expediency, or self-interest. Aberu means face — as in, saving face. In the nearly 34 years since the Islamic revolution in Iran, expediency has been a pillar of decision making, but within a framework that has allowed Iranian leaders to save face. If there is to be any resolution of the nuclear standoff, Western leaders must grasp these concepts.

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“How to talk to Iran”,  Hossein Mousavian and Mohammad Ali Shabani, New York Times, January 3, 2013.

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Closing Iran’s Nuclear File

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The next six to 24 months are going to be the most vital period for Iran-US relations on both the nuclear dilemma and US-Iran relations. Eleven years of diplomatic negotiations on the Iranian nuclear dossier have failed. While the world powers and Iran are working on the next meeting to happen soon, the most critical question remains as to whether a feasible deal is plausible? Under President Obama’s leadership, the most comprehensive sanctions and punitive measures have been imposed on Iran, while Iran, in response, has accelerated its nuclear program.

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“Closing Iran’s Nuclear File”, Hossein Mousavian, Al Monitor, January 3, 2013.

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Ten Reasons Iran Doesn’t Want the Bomb

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Since the beginning of Iran’s nuclear crisis, the West has been convinced that one approach offers the best hope of altering Tehran’s nuclear policy and halting its enrichment activities: comprehensive international sanctions and a credible threat of military strike. During the same period, I have repeatedly warned my friends in the West that such punitive pressures, no matter how severe, will not change the Iranian leadership’s mindset, and that a military option would be catastrophic for Iran, the region and beyond.

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“Ten Reasons Iran Doesn’t Want the Bomb,” National Interest, December 4, 2012.

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Obama must offer a ‘grand deal’ with Iran on its nuclear program

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For Iran, the nuclear crisis has become the most important national security and foreign policy challenge since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The country may not be losing hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians to a hot war. But it is enduring the most severe sanctions in its history, foreign assassinations of its scientists, and international pressure that has shaken the foundation of its relations regionally, and with Western and Eastern powers. It would not be unrealistic to conclude that Iran has already paid the price for a nuclear bomb.

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“Obama must offer a ‘grand deal’ with Iran on its nuclear program,” The Christian Science Monitor, November 28, 2012.

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Iran and Hamas Winners In Gaza Conflict

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The eight-day conflict between Hamas and Israel has ended in a cease-fire. Although shorter than Operation Cast Lead in 2008-09, the latest Israeli Operation Pillar of Defense was nevertheless devastating. Israeli naval and air bombardments killed 165 and wounded 1,200 Palestinians, while damage to Gaza’s infrastructure amounted to $1.2 billion. The rockets fired from Gaza resulted in five Israeli deaths and scores wounded.

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“Iran and Hamas Winners In Gaza Conflict,” Al-Monitor, November 27, 2012.

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Red line on Iran: No, here are Netanyahu’s real objectives

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Although US officials do not believe Iran has decided to build a nuclear bomb, Israel has gone into overdrive to convince the world that Iran is on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon and must have all its uranium enrichment activities stopped by all means possible, including the military option. Under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, these efforts thus far have not garnered much support.

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“Red line on Iran: No, here are Netanyahu’s real objectives,” Boston Globe, October 9, 2012

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Iran-U.S. Hostilities Must Stop

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President Obama’s policy of engagement with Iran has failed. Recent steps have led to unprecedented hostilities between the two countries with Washington conducting a full-scale economic, covert, cyber and political war with Iran. Yet these measures have not quenched the thirst of the electorate, as both presidential candidates continue the trend of past election campaigns by competing to see who can deliver a more hostile posture toward Iran.

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“Iran-U.S. Hostilities Must Stop”, National Interest, September 20, 2012.

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Twenty Reasons not to Attack Iran

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Recent news stories have detailed disagreements between Israeli and U.S. assessments of Iran’s nuclear capabilities and intentions. While it would appear that for now the United States does not share the apparent Israeli desire for military action toward Iran, President Obama has done everything possible to prevent the Iranians from having the ability to produce a nuclear weapon at will.

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“Twenty Reasons not to Attack Iran,” Reuters, August 23, 2012.