Since September 11, 2001, the US has consistently outmaneuvered Iran on the nuclear issue, incrementally making it an international issue that could soon involve the United Nations. Yet, it is not clear if the US would ultimately benefit from its “success,” unless it stops at an advantageous point. The logical progression of the US advances against Iran would lead to a disastrous conflict that would be antithetical to its interests and prestige.

In recent history, the US has “won” battles that have not produced positive results for the Americans because it was not able to locate the right stop- point: The Cold War and the war against Saddam Hussein. In the former case, the US lost control over its Western “allies;” in the latter case, the conqueror was wounded and plundered! The Iranian case could prove even more damaging, to American interests and prestige.

The turning point in the American advances against Iran came with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that followed September 11. The initial American victories became a source of serious concern for the Islamic Republic who has, from its inception in 1979, suspected an American design to destroy the Islamic system. “Iran is next” had become the universal call of the neoconservatives in the first few months after Baghdad fell.

Tehran trembled and in a rush, it agreed to intrusive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its nuclear sites. Iran also began negotiations with the EU trio (Britain, France, and Germany) even if most leaders in Tehran were aware that the EU was largely irrelevant to the US-Iran nuclear dispute. Tehran was seeking a wall to hide behind, and it thought the IAEA/EU deals would provide the protection.

The deals surely delayed an American war against Iran. However, what has thus far saved Iran is the fact that a series of misfortunes has plagued the Bush Administration at home and abroad, including the problems in Iraq. Notwithstanding these bad lucks, as I have argued in my previous articles in the AIC Update, the US and Iran might still clash if current trends continue while we remain complacent.

Here lay the danger facing the current American successful diplomatic games against the Islamic Republic. It is very possible that the US would again fail to.....

Our Honorary Board member, Professor R. k. Ramazani, provided a guest commentary to The Daily Progress for Nov. 13, 2005, headlined 'Iranian Rhetoric Harmful.' With the permission of The Daily Progress, AIC is making the opinion piece available to its readership."

The election campaign of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised social justice at home and moderation abroad, raising hopes that he would follow his two predecessors in reaching out to the rest of the world.

But in a recent speech to the United Nations, Ahmadinejad charged that "nuclear apartheid" dominates international relations. He may have calculated that his rhetoric would appeal to non- nuclear states and win their support for Iran's resistance to pressure from the United States to stop enriching uranium. While the International Atomic Energy Agency Board stopped short of referring the Iran case to the United Nations Security Council, its resolution recalled "Iran's failures...to meet its obligations under the [Non-Proliferation Treaty] Safeguards Agreement." Ahmadinejad's harsh rhetoric did not go over well, even among Iran's well- wishers.

President Ahmadinejad's recent verbal attack on Israel was a throwback to the early days of the Islamic revolution. In 1981, Ayatollah Khomeini told Iranians that he "regarded Israel as equal to the United States in oppression." By repeating Khomeini's call to wipe Israel off the map, Ahmadinejad echoed the passionate rhetoric of the early revolutionary days when Israel was depicted as the "illegitimate offspring of America, the godfather of the twin evils of Zionism and American imperialism."

Such rhetoric will not help Iran's standing in the world today....

AIC President Dr. Hooshang Amirahmadi will speak during a Paltalk session of the Union of Iranian Republicans this Saturday, November 19, 2005. The session focuses on “Iran’s Nuclear Crisis and the Responsibility of Democratic Forces.” The responding speaker is Mr. Ramin Safizadeh. Specifics about this Paltalk session follows:

The American Iranian Council congratulates Dr. David Rahni, Dean Marzie Jafari, Attorney Johanna Sterbin, and hundreds of Iranian-Americans who joined them in forcing Scholastic to reinstate the chapter on Persia in its Encyclopedic Books. We believe that working together is the key to making advances on causes that serve Iranian-American heritage and community. One such cause is the peace between the United States and Iran. We invite all Iranian- Americans to join forces in realizing this noble cause as well. Normal US-Iran relations will truly transform our community in the US and its relations to the homeland. If the United States and Iran had normal relations, Scholastic would not have eliminated Persia from its books, nor would have others tried to change the name of the Persian Gulf.

The American Iranian Council extends its congratulations to Governor-Elect Jon Corzine, who won the election for Governor of New Jersey in a tough campaign. We wish him good luck in accomplishing the promises he has made to the people of the State.

The Council also extends its helping-hands to the Governor-Elect on matters directly relating to its mission, which focuses on improving understanding between the peoples and governments of the United States and Iran, including the Middle East region.

New Jersey is one of the most internationalized states in the union with a large and growing population of Iranian-Americans, Arab-Americans, Turkish-Americans, Muslim-Americans, and other expatriate communities.

The American Iranian Council is a non-profit and non- partisan tax-exempt educational think tank. The Council takes no position on political elections, local or federal. It was incorporated in the State of New Jersey in 1997 and is headquartered in Princeton.

Professor Hooshang Amirahmadi of Rutgers University, and President of the Council, met Senator Corzine at an election campaign gathering last May. They exchanged views on US-Iran relations and the Presidential elections in Iran that took place last June.

This is a reminder that the Music event, “A Night of Mystical Music," co-sponsored by the American Iranian Council, will take place on Saturday, November 19, 2005. AIC urges your participation.

BBC News on-line (November 17, 2005) has reported that the American basketball players have arrived in Tehran for Iran's pro-league games. It is good to hear that the governments have allowed this to happen. Unfortunately, the American media has remained silent and the Iranian media has not yet made a big deal of the American players in Tehran.

Basketball in the 'axis of evil'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/44450 30.stm