Various opinion polls show that, despite persistent enmity and cold relations between governments in Washington and Tehran, the majority of the Iranian people desire for firm steps to be taken in normalizing political, economic, social, cultural and sports relations between the two countries.
The latest poll of Iranian-Americans reflects a similar attitude among Iranians. According to the new poll conducted by the Zogby polling agency, which was released last week by the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), 85 percent of Iranian-Americans desire increased understanding between Iranians and Americans.
Although plans to open an American public interests section in Iran were widely publicized after remarks by the Bush administration’s Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and widespread support of American senators, so much so that many mistakenly interpreted the move as a serious step in normalizing relations between Tehran and Washington, the reality is that a similar request was voiced by American officials during the first term of the Seyed Mohammad Khatami administration, but pressures from the authoritarian camp in opposition to Khatami’s plan to lower the “wall of distrust,” which was first presented during his interview with the American CNN network rendered such attempts ineffective.
The Clinton administration voiced that view on the premise that the existence of an Iranian interests section office in Washington gives America the right to have a similar office in Tehran, so that instead of processing cases through the Swiss embassy or consulates in other regions such as Dubai, Cyprus, Istanbul, etc., such cases could be processed in Tehran. At that time, attempts were made to purchase the “Ararat Club” for this purpose that were rendered ineffective in light of serious pressures facing this development. At that time, the logic was that the establishment of such an office in Tehran and the long lines of people seeking to obtain American visas that would form in front of it would reveal the deep rift between the views of the Iranian people and the wishes of the leadership regarding normalizing relations between the two country, such that it could tarnish the reputation of Iranian leaders.
Ahmadinejad’s repeated visits to New York and request for visas and meetings with American officials on various levels that have taken place, unlike the reform era, have not raised negative reactions but have actually aroused the encouragement of the country’s highest officials.
It is for this reason that political analysts believe that such attempts will likely intensify in the coming months ahead of the presidential election in Iran so that, if successful, it could improve the position of the autocrats. Though they have this undeniable desire, they also seriously worry that the “door of negotiations that is opened cannot be closed easily” and that, unlike the time of Khatami’s eight-year tenure, they would not be able to create obstacles on the path of improving relations between Tehran and Washington and form a dam against the public’s desire to reestablish political, economic, social, cultural and sports ties with the United States.
It is rare that one would be able to find a political party or group or figure among the vast reformist spectrum that would oppose “direct, open and face-to-face political talks” between Tehran and Washington and not see the end of the 29-year political-economic disconnect between the two countries as beneficial for national interest and in line with the desire of majority of Iranians, whether residing in the United States or Iran, and even during Ahmadinejad’s presidency. Improving relations can in turn open the deadlock in negotiations between the group known as 6+1 over Iran’s nuclear plans, which would open up a path toward resolving other regional conflicts and issues and the Middle East peace process.
The opening of a United States interests section in Tehran seems as the easiest and most accessible step toward establishing such relations by way of allowing America to conduct consulate activities in Iran and issue visas. However, perhaps a prerequisite for that are other actions such as establishing direct flights between Tehran and New York and the establishment of airline travel offices by America and Iran in capitals and other majors cities of the two countries. That may alleviate the obstacles facing Iranian-Americans and even Americans seeking to travel to Iran until an American interest section is established in Tehran.
