Expert (JMD): Lack of confidence on both sides prevent Iran and U.S. from holding talks


Expert: Lack of confidence on both sides prevent Iran and U.S. from holding talks

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 4 /Trend S.Isayev/

Iran and the U.S. both have a deficit confidence towards each other, and this prevents parties from holding talks, Senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, James M. Dorsey told Trend.

The expert was commenting on the recent statement by Expediency Council Chairman, ex president of Iran, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who urged the Islamic Republic to hold direct talks with the United States.

Today, there are no formal diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States. Relations between the two nations began in the mid-to-late nineteenth century, and after an era of close alliance between Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's regime and the American government, the relations between Islamic Republic and the United States have gone downhill after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

During his recent meeting with heads of the International Studies Journal, Rafsanjani underscored that If Iran is able to negotiate with such world powers as China and Russia, it should do the same towards the West.

"Iranians believe not completely without reason that the ultimate U.S. and Israeli goal is regime change," Dorsey said. "Barak Obama for his part is walking a tight rope in an election year trying to avoid military escalation while at the same time keeping Israel and his Republican opponents at bay. He has signalled that regime change is not his goal but there is little in practice to back up his words".

Dorsey added that while Obama has ruled out containment, which is an effective acceptance of Iran's potential as a nuclear power, he has not ruled out military action.

"In many ways, the question is who blinks first with the danger that no one will blink cause neither party can afford to do so for domestic reasons," Dorsey underscored.

Speaking with regard to the sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic, Dorsey said that the U.S. is counting on the sanctions hurting to a degree that they will force a change in Iranian policy, adding that Iran's has a high pain tolerance level.

"The recent stepping up of US sanctions tightens the screws on Iran and complicates its oil sales but by no way cuts them off," he said.

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