On Tuesday, June 4, 2013, Dr. Hossein Mousavian, Research Scholar at Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs, spoke on the topic, “The Shared Interests of the U.S. and the Islamic Republic of Iran”. The intent in this event was to emphasize shared interests. Current sanctions and focus on nuclear issues distracts from and obscures shared interests. Pursuit of shared interests would reduce hostilities in the region.
Here is a brief summary of Dr. Mousavian’s presentation.
Background: The 157 years of U.S.-Iranian relations can be divided into three periods:
- Good relations from 1800 till 1953 when Kermit Roosevelt led a CIA coup against democratically elected Mohammad Mossaddegh
- Domination from 1953-1979 through the Shah
- Hostility
Up to 1953, the U.S. made a strong American contribution to Iran’s development. In 1879, for example the U.S. established the College of Medicine in Tehran.
Today there is mutual distrust caused by a long series of incidents:
- The U.S. provided safe haven for the Shah after he was overthrown. In response, Iranian students overtook the American Embassy.
- The U.S. armed Iraq against Iran in the 10 year Iraq-Iran war, 1979-1987. A million Iranians were killed in that war and Americans knew that Iraq used chemical weapons against Iran. People in Iran are still dying from chemical effects of that war.
- Iran has made a number of overtures toward negotiation which have been rejected by the U.S., believing that the Iranian overtures are not made in good faith.
