Ex-Officials Urge Obama: Run, Don't Walk to Iran Diplomacy
Former US officials urge Obama administration to open a bilateral channel to Tehran and discuss Syria and other regional issues, as well as Iran’s nuclear program.
With multinational nuclear talks with Iran seemingly stalled, the reflex reaction in Washington is to wait for sanctions to bite even harder and for Iran’s leadership to get past presidential elections in June. However, a prestigious group of former US ambassadors and other senior officials and Iran experts are recommending a bigger commitment to diplomacy and urging President Barack Obama to take personal ownership of the issue.
“It is time for the administration to make the sweat equity investment in negotiations equal to” the effort put into sanctions and the military option, said Thomas Pickering, a veteran former US ambassador. “The president has to make the decision he wants a deal and instruct his people that he wants a deal.”
