Former US Pres. Consultant Asks For Iran-US Diplomatic Contact

Berlin, Nov 26, IRNA – Consultant of three US presidents, including President Barack Obama in Mideast and South Asia affairs, asked for establishment of Iran-US diplomatic contacts aimed at problem solving. Bruce Riddle who was speaking with IRNA, in an exclusive interview on Friday, on the sidelines of the Berlin Conference on Afghanistan, added that the "only and best way for both countries for trust building and elimination of misconceptions is the establishment of direct and face-to-face diplomatic contacts." Pointing out that the outbreak of another war in the Middle East would serve no one's benefit, Riddle added that "Iran has a broad potential for responding to military threats and the West must not move towards the military confrontation in efforts aimed at solving the country's nuclear problem." The Brookings Research Center researcher in response to a question, how come the west does not try to build trust in its relations with Iran, said, "Trust building between two countries, like Iran and the US, which have kept each other in blank information vacuum for over thirty years and have no diplomatic relations is a very tough task." Riddle added that the "US has had no kind of presence in Iran after 1979 and its diplomats have left this country under very unfavorable conditions; therefore, moving towards a political solution and establishment of diplomatic contacts is the best solution between the two countries." In response to IRNA reporter's question whether it seems rationalistic keeping in mind US antagonistic stands for that country to sit at the two sides of a negotiation table with Iran, Riddle replied : "I believe the Iranian government can put forth a proposal for the opening of a diplomatic channel with Washington; this proposal must be aimed at direct and face to face talks." Such a move will not mean immediate expansion of commercial or political ties, but merely contacts aimed at thawing the ices of mutual mistrust, which can serve as a foundation for establishment of mutual understanding of each other, Riddle said. "In Iran-US relations, it is not possible to return to the zero point, which is why direct diplomatic contacts can lead to the establishment of mutual understanding,"' he said. In reply to another query whether, keeping in mind the usefulness of the sanctions imposed on Iran, the west does once again insist paving the same defeated path?", Riddle replied, 'I do not know whether the newly imposed sanctions would be more effective or not, but the west intends to increase the cost of defiant for Tehran.' Riddle concluded by emphasizing that the only solution in Iran-US problems is direct talks, adding that "through dialog both sides must do away with mutual misconceptions and deep distrust. We do not know each other because we have been away from each other for over thirty years and the best way for compensating for that deficiency is getting involved in direct talks as a beginning."/end