US should normalise low-level diplomatic relations with Iran

CFR Experts argued
20 December 08

As the Obama administration prepares to confront the challenges presented by Iran’s nuclear program, a new report co-authored by Council on Foreign Relations scholar Ray Takeyh and Brookings’ Suzanne Maloney advocates setting a new course for U.S.-Iranian relations. The report, titled “A New U.S. Policy toward Iran,” argues:

“The Obama administration may be tempted to take the easy way out by offering merely new rhetoric and modest refinements to the carrot-and-stick approach that has failed its five predecessors. This would be a mistake. Today, to deal effectively with a rising Iran, the United States must embark on a far deeper reevaluation of its strategy and launch a comprehensive diplomatic initiative to attempt to engage its most enduring Middle Eastern foe.”

The authors recommend “normalizing low-level diplomatic relations so that the U.S. government can gain familiarity with Iranian officials and achieve a better understanding of Iranian political dynamics. American officials are currently forbidden from direct contact with their Iranian counterparts, a stipulation that further degrades the already limited capacity of the U.S. government to interpret Iran.”

This report is part of the recently-published Saban Center at Brookings and Council on Foreign Relations book titled Restoring the Balance: A Middle East Strategy for the Next President. More information about the book can be found here: www.cfr.org/restoring_the_balance.

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