US Negotiations with Iran

The United States should negotiate with Iran

The subject of US involvement in Iranian affairs is something which has been in existence for quite a while now. The intriguing thing is that in as much as this is a topic I discussed so much, very little is known about the very facts that come into perspective when looking at this issue (Parsi, 25). In as much as the United States is one of the most powerful and influential nations in the world, there are some aspects that are associated with Iran which cannot just be overlooked. The following are some of the issues which are pointed out by the US Department of State:

The Iranian Nuclear Challenge

The nuclear activities which are associated with Iran are some of the things which have become significant concerns which the world is having to face in the modern age. At the moment, the country is capable of producing nuclear weapons. This is something very dangerous considering over the past the nation has been having very rogue leaders. Some of the activities associated with these leaders can lead to the emergence of an arms race in a region which is already lit up with violence. At the same time, there is unrivalled hatred between Iran and Israel, one of the United States’ greatest allies. Having the leaders of such nation have such weapons at their disposal could spell doom in the region (Bahgat, 150).

Time and time again it has always been the policy of the United States to ensure that Iran does not come to be in possession of nuclear weapons. In this same regard, the United States is willing to do anything within its power for the purpose of ensuring that indeed Iran does not own nuclear weapons. There are several reason why this is the case. However, the one which stands out significantly is the fact that Iran tends to keep its nuclear activities so secret (Parsi, 67). The country has become so secretive to the extent that it has even concealed these happenings from the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The ultimatums which have been given to Iran by the US seem not to be having any impact on the position which the country takes with regard to its nuclear activities. The main idea in this case was to compel Iran to own up to its nuclear responsibilities and become a full member of countries associated with nuclear activities or risk being further isolated or having sanctions imposed against it. It has become rather clear that the country has opted for isolation.

Supporting Terrorism-related activities

Away from the nuclear activities in Iraq, it has also become rather clear that Iran is in support of Bashad Asad of Syria. In this same regard it should be understood that it is Asad who has been responsible for some of the destabilizing activities which have been witnessed in the Middle East. Some of these activities have led to widespread suffering of many innocent civilians in the world. These Iranian terrorism-related activities are not only seen with the Iranian government. There are some other instances where the citizens of the country come into view. For example, in the year 2012, there are Kenyan authorities who arrested Iranian nationals who had explosives and they were targeting the Western and Israeli spots. In this same regard, the Iranian government continues to fund terrorist groups both in and around Iran.

Outreach to the Iranian People

It is without a doubt that the Iranian people are indeed suffering. This is majorly because of the regime which is in their country. In this same regard, there are various ways which the United States seeks to communicate to the Iranian citizens in a bid to keep them informed and empowered. These are through online platforms and even social media. There is one outstanding feedback which comes out from these interactions. The people of the country are going through significant detriment as a result of misplaced priorities by the government, corruption and mismanagement.

The leadership of the country has opted to spend huge sums of money in arming its terrorist and military proxies all over the world at the expense of local development in the country (Bahgat, 145). It is of importance to let these citizens know of the many opportuinities which they have outside their entrapments. At the same time, they should be made aware of the significant potential which they have. There are very many examples of Iranian Americans who have made very significant developments in the country.

Need for Negotiation

From the discussions, it can be seen that Iran is indeed a nation that has a lot of potential which when not well handled, there may be a lot of repercussions not only on the United States but all over the world. Some of the influence which this country has is already being felt in the country itself and also in regions where affiliates of Iran operate, more specifically ISIS. Most of the dealings with the country has been to do with the rule of thumb. So far, these have proved not to work as the country has proved not to be shaken. It would be advisable to try and look at aspects to do with negotiation. This is an option which has not been tried and it is actually unknown whether the results may be any different if indeed this option gets to be considered (Parsi, 23).

One of the probable reasons why the Iranian authorities have become so defiant is because they have been isolated by a significant section of the world. For this reason, they may be of the opinion that proving defiant may be a way of showing these other nations that indeed the Iranians can take care of themselves. However, this action is something that may boost the egos of the leaders but will have severe repercussions for the people of the country. It is also on such grounds that indeed there is need for negotiations. The reason for this is because the hardliner stand which the United States may be taking may be for the purpose of punishing the leaders or sending some kind of message but ultimately the people who end up suffering are the citizens of the country. The United Nations has for a long time been a nation that influences almost all the activities that go on in the world. It will indeed be in order if the country can also be on the forefront of championing for the liberation of the people of Iran. In as much as there may be involvement of Iranian nationals on some terrorist activities, it should be understood that these opinions shared by these individuals do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire population of the people in the country. In this same regard, it should be noted that the cooperation of the country itself when it comes to matters to do with negotiation will mean that the neighboring allies of the United States will have peace and tranquility. The United States will also not incur expenses for the purpose of ensuring that the region is stable. These expenses majorly come about as a result of military deployment in the area not forgetting matters to do with humanitarian aid.

Works Cited

A Single Roll of the Dice Obama’s Diplomacy with Iran. Yale UP, 2012. Print.

Bahgat, Gawdat. “Iran and the United States: Reconcilable Differences?” Iranian Studies: 139-54. Print.

Parsi, Trita. Treacherous Alliance the Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States. New Haven: Yale UP, 2007. Print.

Bahgat, Gawdat. “Iran And The United States: Reconcilable Differences?.” Iranian Studies 41.2 (2008): 139-154. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Apr. 2015.

SASLEY, BRENT E. “A Single Roll Of The Dice: Obama’s Diplomacy With Iran.” Political Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell) 128.1 (2013): 175-176. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Apr. 2015.