With all the huppa-la surrounding Iran these days it is interesting to note what others are saying about the issue of coping with Iran. To open my discussion on the topic I am referring to a Rand Corporation conference that was held on March 21, 2007 where Coping with Iran: Confrontation, Containment, or Engagement was discussed by high-level experts including Pentagon Officials and Middle East Analysts. This conference hosted by Ambassador Jim Dobbins, featured two high level officials Ambassador R. Nicolas Burns, US Undersecretary for Political Affairs, and Ambassador Javad Zarif, Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations (via videoconference) who shared their national perspectives on the current situation in Iran exposing both the benefits and drawbacks of various policy options.

Within the scope of the conference issues such as Iran’s internal leadership and societal expectations were considered, as well as, the dangerous implications of the Islam based country’s possession of nuclear arms to the world in general and to the region in particular. Furthermore it addressed the instability of Iraq, terrorism in general, and why the imminent threat of force against Iran was undesirable but that some degree of containment was necessary and feasible. Meanwhile Ambassador Burns emphasized that the US had no specific timetable for enforcement and was willing to allow time for economic and diplomatic efforts to bring resolution to the issue. It further appears that sanctions have isolated Iran so that at least in the short-term Iran is changing its behavior and it appears that no one really believes that Iran will continue to seek nuclear weapons capability.

Through the conference it was made known that Iran, according to Ambassador Zarif, desires to strengthen efforts to prevent nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists and suggested that their be an international consortium to provide increased international monitoring of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.  Additionally, it should be noted that despite the high level of mistrust between Iran and the United States cooperation is possible when key levels of mutual interest are at stake and given the current state of Iraq it is obvious that no one is supporting the force option. Besides all of that, most panelists believe that Iran, like Libya, should not be forced into a regime change but rather the existing regime should be encouraged to change their behavior on the issues of nuclear capability and terrorism.   Overall, their answer ended up being that the United States should pursue a containment structure to curtail Iranian nuclear growth and influence in the region while continuing to negotiate with Iran as they did with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.[tags]Coping With Iran, Confrontation with Iran, Containment of Iran, Engagement with Iran, Rand Conference, Nuclear standoff, Iran sanctions, Iran, United States[/tags]