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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