Tag: US-Iran

Articles, Publications

How to kick-start Iran-US regional cooperation

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The solution is to not fall for this psychological ploy. International banks and companies should rest assured that nuclear-related sanctions on Iran are gone for good and that there is nothing the United States can do — neither now nor in the future — to reimpose them without destroying its credibility at the same time. Iranian officials, meanwhile, should be careful to not play into the hands of the deal’s American opponents and increase uncertainty about the future of the JCPOA.

“How to kick-start Iran-US regional cooperation,” Seyed Hossein Mousavian, Al Monitor, August 3, 2016.

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Interviews

Obama Administration Will Hand Off Iran Portfolio To An Uncertain Future

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“The relationship between Kerry and Zarif was hugely impactful in terms of reaching the [nuclear deal] and continuing cooperation afterwards. However, because it is more a personal relationship and not institutionalized, it is hard to imagine how this level of dialogue can continue once Obama leaves office,” Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former nuclear negotiator for Iran, wrote in an email. “The channels of communication need to be formalized,” Mousavian continued.

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“Obama Administration Will Hand Off Iran Portfolio To An Uncertain Future,” Jessica Schulberg, The Huffington Post, July 14, 2016.

Articles, Publications

Obama Needs to Protect the Iran Deal

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The United States, along with France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia, reached a historic deal with Iran last July that lifts most sanctions in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear program. The deal, codified in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and endorsed by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, specifically includes allowing non-American banks to operate in Iran.

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“Obama Needs to Protect the Iran Deal,” Seyed Hossein Mousavian and Reza Nasri, The New York Times, June 20, 2016.

Articles, Publications

U.S. Torpedoing the Nuclear Deal Will Reaffirm Iran’s Distrust

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The nuclear deal reached between Iran and the P5+1 world powers last summer, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was predicated on a basic give-and-take. In exchange for Iran agreeing to intrusive international inspections and monitoring and limits on its enrichment and heavy water capacity for a confidence-building period, the P5+1 would respect Iran’s right to nuclear enrichment and remove all nuclear-related sanctions. Today, the future of this quid pro quo is under threat — and not from the Iranian side.

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“U.S. Torpedoing the Nuclear Deal Will Reaffirm Iran’s Distrust,” Hossein Mousavian and Sina Toossi, The Huffington Post, April 29, 2016.

Articles, Publications

How Obama can push the Saudis to talk to Iran

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Following the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action last year, the United States has been attempting to assure its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) allies that this will not open the way to Iranian-US rapprochement. “My view has never been that we should throw our traditional allies overboard in favor of Iran,” President Barack Obama has publicly declared. In this vein, Obama is scheduled to soon arrive in Saudi Arabia, which is set to host a GCC summit, gathering the organization’s other member states, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

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“How Obama can push the Saudis to talk to Iran,” Hossein Mousavian, Al Monitor, April 19, 2016.

 

Articles, Publications

Dealing With Iran: The Key Word Is ‘Respect’

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In “Talk to Tehran, but Talk Tough” (Op-Ed, Jan. 19), Nicholas Burns, a former under secretary of state, calls for President Obama and whoever succeeds him to find a “right balance” on Iran that straddles “between cooperation on nuclear issues and containment of Iranian aggression.” The surefire way to ensure that Iran abandons its obligations under the deal is to return to a policy of coercion.

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“Dealing With Iran: The Key Word Is ‘Respect,” Hossein Mousavian, New York Times, January 26, 2016.