Washington: The United States and Iran are renewing direct diplomatic contact after nearly 35 years. Responding to Iranian overtures, President Barack Obama asked his secretary of state John Kerry to have talks with his Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. There are expectations that Obama himself may exchange at least handshakes with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani later in the day in what may be seen as one of the watershed moments in 21t century geopolitics.
President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that Iran's diplomatic overture in recent weeks could provide a foundation for an agreement on its nuclear program, but he warned that "conciliatory words will have to be matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable." Speaking to the General Assembly, Obama sounded a cautiously optimistic tone about the prospects for diplomacy, saying he had instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to pursue face-to-face negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program. "The roadblocks may prove to be too great," he added, "but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested."
President Obama devoted part of his 45-minute explanatory discourse on US foreign policy to Iran, saying he was encouraged by the moderate course chosen by the new Iranian President, and Teheran's forswearing of nuclear weapons, including a fatwa against them by the clerical leadership. On its part, the United States was not seeking regime change in Iran and respected the right of the Iranian people to access peaceful nuclear energy.
These mutual commitments, he said, offered the basis for resolution of a complex issue in which the US would recognise Iran's right to access nuclear energy if Teheran gave up pursuit of nuclear weapons in a transparent, verifiable manner. "I don't believe this difficult history can be overcome overnight. The suspicions run too deep. But I do believe that if we can resolve the issue of Iran's nuclear program, that can serve as a major step down a long road toward a different relationship, one based on mutual interests and mutual respect," Obama said, underscoring the hard task ahead given decades of mistrust from both sides. "The roadblocks may prove to be great, but diplomatic roads must be tested," he added.
US officials indicated that Kerry, along with his counterparts from the other P-5 nations, would be meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif within a day or two. At the time of writing, US officials were awaiting Rouhani's speech before the general assembly. Depending on its tone and content, it is possible that Obama may meet and greet him even before the delegations meet.
