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.
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“Ex-Iranian diplomat: ‘US position on Hezbollah is wrong,’” Al Jazeera English, October 11, 2017.
Contrary to the Trump administration’s claim that Iran is destabilizing the region and pursuing hegemony, Iran has in fact been a victim of regional instability—which has largely been a legacy of U.S. policies—and has legitimate security threats and needs. As one Iranian military officer has said, roughly 60 percent of Iran’s border are “not controlled by the neighboring country.”
“The Real Security Threats on Iran’s Periphery,” Seyed Hossein Mousavian, LobeLog, June 30, 2017.
“The reality is that the Tehran attacks highlight the common threat faced by nations across the world from groups such as ISIS. Whether in San Bernardino, London, Paris, Baghdad, Kabul or the heart of Iran, innocent people everywhere are in the same boat in the face of this barbarity. Iran, seemingly unbeknownst to Trump, has since its 1979 revolution been a chief victim of both terrorism and state violence.”
“Tehran Terrorist Attacks Risk Unleashing All-Out War Between Iran And Saudi Arabia,” Seyed Hossein Mousavian, The Huffington Post, June 8, 2017.
“US President Donald Trump’s landmark speech in Saudi Arabia May 21 signals a reversal of policy from the Barack Obama administration and will ratchet up tensions with Iran. A day after a record-breaking 42 million Iranians signaled their desire to engage the world by re-electing President Hassan Rouhani, Trump appeared in an autocratic monarchy to call on “nations of conscience” to “isolate” Iran … Given Trump’s apparent strategy, there are at least seven perils the United States could and should avoid.”
“7 perils of Trump’s attempt to isolate Iran,” Al Monitor, Seyed Hossein Mousavian, May 22, 2017.
“On the margins of a Carnegie conference, Nikolay Koshanov and Hossein Mousavian discuss Russia’s and Iran’s role in the Syrian conflict.”
“Syria’s Implacable Vortex: Part 2,” Carnegie Middle East Center, May 12, 2017.
Interview: The effect of a Trump Presidency on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, aka The Iran Nuclear Agreement and the possible fallout of Trump’s Revised Travel Ban on the Agreement and Global Security.
“Interview: Going Global With David Delgado,” Voice It Radio, March 27, 2017.
“On the other hand, European Union has maintained support for the Iran nuclear deal. At a recent Track II held in Beirut, former Iranian diplomat and a close associate of Rouhani, Seyed Hossein Mousavian gave his prognosis on the US’ options: ‘They would let the deal go on, but they would try to undo practically the Iranian nuclear deal through many other sanctions under … the umbrella of terrorism, missiles, human rights and regional issues.’
“Russia-Iran strategic ties keep US guessing,” MK Bhadrakumar, Indian Punchline, March 26, 2017.
“Trump’s instincts on the need to seriously address the ISIS threat are correct. Indeed, the UN Security Council has also referred to ISIS as a leading global threat. However, Trump will face five major challenges in any attempt to destroy ISIS, which his own contradictory aims and positions only serve to exacerbate.”
“Trump’s ISIS challenge: Given the President’s many impulses, some contradictory, it’s far, far easier said than done,” Seyed Hossein Mousavian, NY Daily News, March 16, 2017.
On March 27, the Syrian army liberated Palmyra from the barbarians. No doubt it was a very important day for Syria. Moreover, after nearly two weeks, representatives of the Syrian government and opposition have paused peace talks in Geneva. The negotiations wrapped up at the end of a tumultuous week, revealing how far-reaching the consequences of the Syrian conflict are and the urgent need to find political resolution. The terrorist attack in Brussels, which leftover 30 dead and more than 300 injured, demonstrates the need for a unified Syrian front against the so-called Islamic State.
“How to Resolve the Syrian Crisis and Alleviate the ISIS Threat,” Hossein Mousavian, The Huffington Post, March 29, 2016.
