“Point of No Return: Top Iran Negotiator Says Nuke Deal Will Happen,” interview with Hossein Mousavian, John Hockenberry, WNYC Radio, March 31, 2015.
Tag: Iran
Deadline for Iran nuclear deal extended (Audio)
“Deadline for Iran nuclear deal extended,” interview with Hossein Mousavian, Michael Vincent, ABC Radio, April 1, 2015. (Audio)
Iran will stick to any deal: World Powers push to hit a breakthrough
“Iran will stick to any deal: World Powers push to hit a breakthrough,” interview with Hossein Mousavian, Anissa Naouai, RT, March 31, 2015. (Video)
Officials ‘working on joint statement’ on Iran progress
“Officials ‘working on joint statement’ on Iran progress,” interview with Hossein Mousavian, Christiane Amanpour, CNN, March 31, 2015. (Video)
Slow economy could prompt Iran to take nuclear deal
“Slow economy could prompt Iran to take nuclear deal,” interview with Hossein Mousavian, Steven Mufson, Washington Post, March 29, 2015.
Hope and fear prevent a deal with Iran (Dutch) (Video)
“Hope and fear prevent a deal with Iran,” interview with Hossein Mousavian, Netherlands News Broadcasting, Wouter Zwart, NOS, March 23, 2015. (Dutch) (Video)
How to Fix the Syrian Mess
The bloody conflict in Syria since early 2011—whether we call it a civil war or by any other name—has brought in its wake actual disaster with vast destruction of the country and its infrastructure and over 200,000 dead, 6.7 million internally displaced, 3.8 million refugees and 13 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
Staffan de Mistura, the third in a series of United Nations envoys tasked to find a solution for the Syrian conflict, has introduced an “action plan” aimed to make 2015 the year in which movement toward a political settlement of the conflict takes place.
As things stand, and given the factors that pushed the previous efforts and initiatives, including Geneva I and II, to failure, success of the new plan proposed by UN special envoy depends on a much larger political orchestration. As I see it, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (P5) and the five relevant regional players—Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia/ GCC and Egypt (R5)—should adopt a fresh look and approach to the Syrian crisis. Overall, agreement on the following steps could pave the way for an exit from the current deadly impasse.
There are six steps that must be taken.
“How to Fix the Syrian Mess,” Hossein Mousavian, The National Interest, March 24, 2015
It is crucial that Iran and the US cooperate
“It is crucial that Iran and the US cooperate,” Hossein Mousavian, El Pais, March 17, 2015. (Spanish)
English version: “The nuclear talks and the cost of sanctioning Iran,” Hossein Mousavian, IRNA, March 18, 2015.
To Defeat ISIS, Iraq Forced to Accept Iran’s ‘Suffocating Embrace’
“To Defeat ISIS, Iraq Forced to Accept Iran’s ‘Suffocating Embrace’,” interview with Hossein Mousavian, Paul D. Shinkman, US News, March 17, 2015.
Seventeen points to know about Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s histrionics in the US Congress on March 3 was an implicit effort to overturn US foreign policy and goad Washington into a disastrous war with Iran. Riddled with misinformation and outright conspiracies about Iran’s nuclear programme and Iranian foreign policy, his attempt at undermining the Obama administration has thus far only served to reveal to the world how little he cares for the best interests of the US in the Middle East. “I was near tears during Netanyahu’s speech to Congress — saddened by the insult to the intelligence of the United States as part of the P5 +1 nations,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said after the speech.
The New York Times said of Netanyahu on March 5: “Netanyahu has always been an abrasive and unhelpful figure. In the George H.W. Bush presidency, James Baker was so fed up with Bibi that he banned him from the State Department building.” After Netanyahu’s address to Congress, President Barack Obama also stated that “there was nothing new” presented and that the Israeli PM “didn’t offer any viable alternative” to a peaceful diplomatic settlement with Iran.
The truth is there are many benefits to a US-Iran rapprochement. As US Secretary of State John Kerry has said, Iran and the US have ‘mutual interest’ in fighting Daesh a group that is clearly the biggest threat to international peace and security today. Iran is in fact now a leading force in helping Iraq defend its territorial integrity against the onslaught by the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” terrorist group. A nuclear deal will help the US and the world powers start exploring other possibilities for cooperation with Iran such as in preventing Iraq and Syria from completely falling apart, and even in efforts to stabilise Afghanistan. And these would only be for starters. The US and the world powers should not let Netanyahu to kill this chance.
Here are 17 points to understand about Netanyahu.
“Seventeen points to know about Netanyahu,” Hossein Mousavian, Gulf News, March 16, 2015.
