AIC to Open First and Only U.S. Based Office in Iran Dedicated to Conflict Resolution

By Brent Lollis

AIC, October 4, 2008 Princeton, NJ

 

The AIC was granted permission by the U.S. government to open an office in Iran. The AIC will be the only U.S. based peace and conflict resolution Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) operating in Iran. We look forward to helping governmental officials, NGO officials, and especially common citizens in working with us to promote respectful, rational and direct dialog between the United States and Iran.

The relationship between the U.S and Iran was severely damaged by the "Hostage Crisis" in 1979. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were formally severed as a result of the taking of the U.S. embassy and 52 embassy personnel on November 4th, 1979. This lasted for 444 days. Now, for the first time since this highly problematic event, new and more hopeful expectations and understandings are beginning to form. This AIC office is a first step on the path to the institutionalization of a normalized relationship.

This extraordinary decision by the U.S. Government's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) comes at a time of political and economic change in both countries. The next U.S. President, along with the new 111th Congress, will need to consider the best mechanisms to be used in encouraging Iran to meet U.S. interests and expectations.

Of special importance is our role in helping to discourage inaccurate portrayals of either nation's government, culture or population. The history of the relationship is complex, filled with unfortunate misrepresentations, mischaracterizations, and misperceptions. Whether conscious or unconscious, these inaccuracies do not help improve the relationship. The AIC holds that both countries have numerous areas of mutual interests, but that these areas are not always well understood and given sufficient opportunity to develop.

Thus, although past events on both sides have been significant and deeply unfortunate, at a certain point, there simply must come a time to accept differences and mistakes, to reach an understanding on what is in common, to achieve a form of forgiveness, and to agree with one another that forward movement is both best and most rational.

The political and economic changes currently underway in both the United States and Iran point to this being the time for both nations to finally begin this process. Our offices will greatly enhance the capacity of all those concerned to make a difference. Our Tehran office will nicely compliment the services we provide from our Princeton office.

First, the AIC can now more effectively help executive and legislative leaders in both governments talk to one another. Officials interested in meeting officials in the other country should contact us so that they can learn more and achieve an improved understanding of governmental policies, expectations, institutions, and behaviors.

Second, the AIC can now more effectively function to promote a wide variety of non-governmental and civil society relationships. While governmental engagement is important, it may well be that civil society engagement is just as important if not more important. NGOs make a business of developing relationships across a broad spectrum of issues. Doctors Without Borders is but one excellent example of how an NGO can make a crucial difference. Any NGO officer interested in reaching out should contact us.

Finally, the AIC can now more effectively give improved opportunities to any citizen interested in making a difference and promoting the cause of peace. Your contributions are especially critical in helping us to develop our operations.

The AIC does not accept contributions from either the government of the United States or that of Iran. Our administrative and operational independence is crucial to our abilities to serve as honest, objective and fair moderators of this relationship. The importance of increasing communication between state and civil society actors must not be underestimated.

There is no good substitute to open, direct and well-intentioned dialog in helping people to develop solutions to difficult problems. Good communication depends upon the parties being genuinely interested in knowing and learning. It is not enough to talk past one another. It is important to grow from the engagement with the other.

If you are interested in further information or in contributing to our efforts in bringing the United States and Iran together as respectful partners, please contact our Executive Director, Dr. Brent Lollis. Should you make a donation, please understand that it will make a very real and immediate difference in this developing relationship. Conditions are, for the first time in many years, beginning to allow for genuine hope. Please act now to support the AIC and our new office. As a non-profit 501c(3) organization, your contribution is tax-deductible. Contributions can be made to AIC and may be specifically earmarked for our Iran Office.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Brent Lollis, Ph.D. Executive Director American Iranian Council Princeton, NJ 08540

Office: (609) 252-9099 Cell: (405) 496-5494 Email: bdlollis@us-iran.org

AIC President Returns from a Second "Shuttle Diplomacy" Trip to Iran

The President of the American Iranian Council, Dr. Hooshang Amirahmadi, has just returned from his second trip to Iran within the last four months, during which he has been engaging in extensive shuttle diplomacy with American, Iranian and British officials, law makers and civil society leaders. His month-long tour of Iran this July enabled Dr. Amirahmadi to closely examine the domestic circumstances of Iran, especially with respect to a possible normalization of relations with the United States.

He told AIC Update that "Iran is gradually readying itself to embrace a more normal relationship with the United States. However, Tehran has little hope that it could resolve its nuclear enrichment issue within the multilateral channel of the UN Security Council. In sharp contrast, Iran is increasingly interested in engaging the United States bilaterally, which it now thinks is a better channel to resolving its disputes with both the United States and the UNSC."

Iran's positive reaction to the idea that the United States might wish to establish an Interests Section in Iran is a reflection of this new Iranian perspective. Dr. Amirahmadi told the AIC Update that "Iran seems even prepared to have the office staffed with American diplomats in return for a similar upgrade of the Iranian Interest Section in Washington, DC. Iran recently agreed to a meeting of law makers of the two nations, a development that was torpedoed by the US side."

Prior to his departure for Iran, Dr. Amirahmadi met with several US Congressmen and officials, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel, Shaul Mofaz, and several British MPs, in order to discuss his trip, and he plans on re-briefing them and others promptly. While in Iran, he received extensive media coverage from prominent Iranian news outlets, wishing to learn and publicize any positive development in the relationship.

In the last 20 years, Professor Amirahmadi has played a pivotal role in US-Iran relations. In the past, Dr. Amirahmadi has predicted some of the most important trends in Iran and US-Iran relations long before they came to fruition. These have included the worsening tension between the United States and Iran beginning in the early 1990's, and the emergence of Iranian civil society in the mid 1990's.

Dr. Amirahmadi is available for interviews and lectures regarding recent political and socio-economic developments in Iran, as well as current efforts to restore diplomatic relations with the United States. To arrange for an appointment, please contact the American Iranian Council at 609- 252-9099, or email him directly at hooshang@amirahmadi.com. For more information on Professor Amirahmadi, please consult his personal website at www.amirahmadi.com.

 

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