By Doug Bennett
This is a response to our question of the week. You can read all of the responses here.
This fall there are glimmers of hope for better relations with Iran. There has even been a recent telephone exchange between the Presidents of the two countries. Are these glimmers just fool’s gold, or might there be real possibilities?
In recent years, a key issue in contention between the U.S. and Iran has been the prospect of Iran’s becoming a nuclear power. The next round of the negotiations over this issue are scheduled to begin on November 7. Those at the table will be diplomats from the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain, and Germany – the so-called P5+1. Iran now has the capability to refine uranium into weapons grade material. The U.S. has been staunchly opposed to Iran’s development of nuclear weapons; the Iranians contend that their envisioned uses of nuclear power are entirely peaceful. The United States has imposed economic sanctions against Iran and persuaded most other countries to join it in imposing these sanctions, which have pinched hard. Continue reading
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