![U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) is pictured in this combo image meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) at the Iran nuclear talks in Geneva, November 9, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Reed (SWITZERLAND - Tags: POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX156JC](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/01/RTX156JC.jpg/RTX156JC.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=7r-C4351)
John Limbert is Class of 1955 Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy. During a 34-year diplomatic career, he served in Tehran (where he was a hostage at the U.S. Embassy in 1979-81) and, in 2009-2010, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern (Iranian) Affairs.
![U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) is pictured in this combo image meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) at the Iran nuclear talks in Geneva, November 9, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Reed (SWITZERLAND - Tags: POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX156JC](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/01/RTX156JC.jpg/RTX156JC.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=7r-C4351)