The countries that make up the P5+1 (United States, Russia, France, Britain, China and Germany) consider Iran a major threat to non-proliferation and international peace and security. At the same time, these countries, which collectively possess more than 98% of the world’s nuclear weapons, admit that Iran neither possesses a single nuclear bomb nor has made the decision to make one.
“US Should Ease Sanctions, Recognize Iran Enrichment Rights,” Al Monitor, June 14, 2012.
Unfortunately, the newly built trust between Iran and the 5+1 powers is in danger of collapse because of the unreasonable insistence by hawkish politicians and pundits in the West who echo Tel Aviv’s demands that Iran halt all enrichment activities and shut down the underground Fordo facility, even though the I.A.E.A. inspects it regularly.
“Critical Threshold in the Iran Crisis,” co-written with Kaveh Afrasiabi, New York Times, May 12, 2012.
The Obama administration has done more to undermine Iran over the past three years than any U.S. presidency in the 33 years since the Iranian revolution. Under the shadow of a policy of “engagement,” the United States and Israel have led a campaign of economic, cyber, and covert war against Iran. Yet this coercive approach, conducted along with sporadic negotiations on nuclear issues between Iran and the P5+1 group of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States has failed to resolve the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
“Backed Into a Corner,” Foreign Policy, April 13, 2012.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, two major schools of thought have influenced Iran’s foreign policy toward the United States. The first maintains that Iran and the United States can reach a compromise based on mutual respect, noninterference in domestic affairs, and the advancement of shared interests.
“How to Engage Iran,” Foreign Affairs, February 9, 2012.
“Mousavian in dialogue with Entekhab,” Entekhab, December 15, 2012 (Farsi).
“Iran’s nuclear program” (video), Siamak Dehghan Pour, VOA, December 11, 2012.
“Interview with former official in the Iranian nuclear file: Iran is capable of building a nuclear weapon,” Ayman Al Hammad, Al Riyadh, September 28, 2012 (Arabic).
“Former Iranian government insider Seyed Mousavian” (audio), Michael Krasny, KQED Radio, September 5, 2012.
“Western sanctions on Iran are not the answer to the nuclear standoff” (video), Douglas Herbert, France 24, July 5, 2012.
