Hassan Rouhani's remarkably bold and unexpected overtures to Washington may pave way for the end of four decades of animosity between Iran and the United States.
WASHINGTON: More than four decades of animosity between Iran and the United States appears to be drawing to a close — much to India's delight — following remarkably bold and unexpected overtures to Washington from the newly elected Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani. "We told you so," might well be the relieved aside in New Delhi, as the timeless wisdom that there are no permanent friends or eternal enemies in politics and diplomacy, only permanent interests, is being proved yet again.
That the rapprochement is coming on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US, with whom he has had to manage a delicate balancing act vis-a-vis India's ties with Iran, will come as a huge relief for New Delhi. It is the second piece of good news this week after the Federal Reserve stayed on the stimulus course.
Both developments offer respite to the much-stressed Indian economy, which is greatly affected by energy imports. US sanctions on Teheran put the squeeze on India's buying from Iran, and for years New Delhi has had to suffer Washington's hectoring because of its close ties with a neighbour that pre-dates nation-states.
The potential breakthrough between the two adversaries, whose hostility goes back to the Iranian revolution and the 1979 hostage crisis, came after the moderate Rouhani forswore pursuit of nuclear weapons in an interview to an American TV network, and followed it up with an Op-Ed in the Washington Post in which he told Americans that both sides ''must work together to end the unhealthy rivalries and interferences that fuel violence and drive us apart." He also offered to help mediate talks between the Syrian regime and the opposition.
''As I depart for New York for the opening of the UN General Assembly, I urge my counterparts to seize the opportunity presented by Iran's recent election,'' Rouhani wrote, suggesting his victory was a sign that the Iranian people wanted to end the confrontation with the US ''I urge them to make the most of the mandate for prudent engagement that my people have given me and to respond genuinely to my government's efforts to engage in constructive dialogue.''
On Thursday, he tweeted excerpts from his op-ed, heralding a dramatic change in atmosphere, if not a policy reversal.
A vituperative anti-US speech followed by a US and Israeli walkout has part of the UNGA routine for years. That bit of diplomatic thereafter may not happen this year, the Post itself predicted, saying the new Iranian president has ''alternately pleased, intrigued and startled American observers'' ahead of debut trip to the US.
The White House was quick to seize the moment, and signalled that President Obama will be happy to extend a hand of friendship.
''It's possible, but it has always been possible," White House spokesman Jay Carney said, and in an indication that Obama does not suffer from a reflexive anti-Iranian sentiment, added, "The extended hand has been there from the moment the president was sworn in.''
If they do shake hands — and it could happen as early as Tuesday, when both leaders are scheduled to address the UN — it will be the first time the presidents of the two countries would be meeting since 1979 - when Iranian students supporting the revolution took 52 Americans hostage, triggering off a diplomatic crisis that lasted 444 days. The students wanted Washington to return the Shah, the American stooge overthrown by the revolution who had fled to US ostensibly for medical treatment.
The US instead gave him asylum. The incident scarred ties for generations.
Of course, it's too early to say a single conciliatory interview or op-ed is enough to repair decades of damage and mistrust, exacerbated by hostile interests on both sides. Already, there are suspicious voices in Washington, and even more so in Tel Aviv, advising caution, even though Rouhani has included Iran's only Jewish lawmaker in his delegation to signal a fresh approach. American hardliners are suggesting the overtures are because of the effectiveness of sanctions, and want the screws to be tightened further.
But whether or not it leads to an immediate breakthrough, the developments hold promise — and offers New Delhi some relief. Prime Minister Singh may not mind at all if his White House visit is overshadowed by developments on the US-Iran front.
That the rapprochement is coming on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US, with whom he has had to manage a delicate balancing act vis-a-vis India's ties with Iran, will come as a huge relief for New Delhi. It is the second piece of good news this week after the Federal Reserve stayed on the stimulus course.
Both developments offer respite to the much-stressed Indian economy, which is greatly affected by energy imports. US sanctions on Teheran put the squeeze on India's buying from Iran, and for years New Delhi has had to suffer Washington's hectoring because of its close ties with a neighbour that pre-dates nation-states.
The potential breakthrough between the two adversaries, whose hostility goes back to the Iranian revolution and the 1979 hostage crisis, came after the moderate Rouhani forswore pursuit of nuclear weapons in an interview to an American TV network, and followed it up with an Op-Ed in the Washington Post in which he told Americans that both sides ''must work together to end the unhealthy rivalries and interferences that fuel violence and drive us apart." He also offered to help mediate talks between the Syrian regime and the opposition.
''As I depart for New York for the opening of the UN General Assembly, I urge my counterparts to seize the opportunity presented by Iran's recent election,'' Rouhani wrote, suggesting his victory was a sign that the Iranian people wanted to end the confrontation with the US ''I urge them to make the most of the mandate for prudent engagement that my people have given me and to respond genuinely to my government's efforts to engage in constructive dialogue.''
On Thursday, he tweeted excerpts from his op-ed, heralding a dramatic change in atmosphere, if not a policy reversal.
A vituperative anti-US speech followed by a US and Israeli walkout has part of the UNGA routine for years. That bit of diplomatic thereafter may not happen this year, the Post itself predicted, saying the new Iranian president has ''alternately pleased, intrigued and startled American observers'' ahead of debut trip to the US.
The White House was quick to seize the moment, and signalled that President Obama will be happy to extend a hand of friendship.
''It's possible, but it has always been possible," White House spokesman Jay Carney said, and in an indication that Obama does not suffer from a reflexive anti-Iranian sentiment, added, "The extended hand has been there from the moment the president was sworn in.''
If they do shake hands — and it could happen as early as Tuesday, when both leaders are scheduled to address the UN — it will be the first time the presidents of the two countries would be meeting since 1979 - when Iranian students supporting the revolution took 52 Americans hostage, triggering off a diplomatic crisis that lasted 444 days. The students wanted Washington to return the Shah, the American stooge overthrown by the revolution who had fled to US ostensibly for medical treatment.
The US instead gave him asylum. The incident scarred ties for generations.
Of course, it's too early to say a single conciliatory interview or op-ed is enough to repair decades of damage and mistrust, exacerbated by hostile interests on both sides. Already, there are suspicious voices in Washington, and even more so in Tel Aviv, advising caution, even though Rouhani has included Iran's only Jewish lawmaker in his delegation to signal a fresh approach. American hardliners are suggesting the overtures are because of the effectiveness of sanctions, and want the screws to be tightened further.
But whether or not it leads to an immediate breakthrough, the developments hold promise — and offers New Delhi some relief. Prime Minister Singh may not mind at all if his White House visit is overshadowed by developments on the US-Iran front.
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