As was anticipated, the November 24 meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) “delayed” taking any action on Iran’s nuclear program to allow for reopening of negotiations with Europe, mediated by the Russian Federation, based on an unpublished “Russian proposal” that first surfaced early in November 2005. Anticipated to begin in early December, the negotiations are expected to conclude by the next IAEA Board meeting in March 2006. Iran has indicated that it would welcome negotiations based on the Russian proposal, but would not accept its preconditions.

According to scattered reports on the proposal....

U.S. Policy Toward Iran
R. Nicholas Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs
Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Washington, DC
November 30, 2005

I would like to thank my friend, Dean Jessica Einhorn, and the faculty and students here at The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies for welcoming me back to my alma mater. I can think of no better place to discuss one of the United States’ most critical foreign policy challenges than here at SAIS, the home of an academic program Foreign Policy Magazine recently named number one in the study of international relations. We are all proud of this well-deserved honor. Not that we ever had a doubt! SAIS’ educational mission to train young men and women for diplomacy and business in the modern world continues to be essential for our nation’s future, especially on issues as challenging as the one I wish to discuss today – the future of U.S. relations with Iran.

U.S. Policy Toward Iran
R. Nicholas Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs
http://www.state.gov/p/us/rm/2005/57473.htm

The American Iranian Council congratulates Dr. Hamid Shirvani for becoming the President of the California State University, Stanislaus, this last July 2005. The University was recently ranked one of the best public comprehensive Master’s universities in the westcoast by U.S. News & World Report.

Dr. Shirvani was born in Tehran, Iran. He moved to England as a youngster and earned college degrees in architecture. He continued his education by earning a second master’s degree at Harvard University and then his PhD at Princeton University.

He started his career in teaching and research at Penn State University. He worked as a faculty member and administrator at six other universities prior to being named to the CSU Stanislaus Presidency. Most recently he served as Provost and Vise President for Academic at Chapman University in Southern California.

Dr. Shirvani is one the three Iranian-Americans who have become university presidents. He is a distinguished example of the many success stories of Iranian-Americans in a wide variety of fields ranging from business to technology to medicine and to university professorship. The American Iranian Council wishes Dr. Shirvani the best in his new position.

Read more about the President of the California State University, Stanislaus http://www.calstate.edu/PA/bios/prezbio/sh irvani.shtml

To listen to the interview, please click on the link below
http://www.american-iranian.org/audio/HA- InterviewRadionAustralia11-02-05.cda

This November, Iran lost two of its greatest literary and art figures: Manouchehr Atashi, the poet and translator, and Morteza Momayez, the graphic artist. The American Iranian Council sends its condolences to the families of the late Atashi and the late Momayez, and to all their friends and admirers in Iran and throughout the world.

The Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City ran a .paid editorial in the New York Times this November that offers Tehran’s perspective on Iran’s nuclear crisis. Because the editorial offers many details not readily available elsewhere, AIC is making it available for the benefit of its readers.