IRAN-US TENSIONS

VOICE OF AMERICA (VOA) URDU TV(English Translation)

FEB 02, 2007

IRAN-US TENSIONS

DR. HASAN-ASKARI RIZVI AND DR. FAROOQ HASNAT





Aniqa Usman (Principal Host- Anchor): Recently, the United States repeatedly accused Iran of involvement in the violent acts in Iraq. In the opinion of the independent analysts the US should refrain from issuing harsh statements and rather solve the matters through a dialogue. For a discussion on these issues, let’s go to Kakob Farshouri.


Kakob Farshouri (VOA): Thank you Aniqa. The viewers, for a discussion of the latest American policy towards Iran and future relations between the two countries, we have invited two guests in our studios. Let me introduce them to you. We have Dr. Hasan-Askari, who is now days in Washington as a scholar at SAIS and present is Dr. Farooq Hasnat, a scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. We are thankful for their presence. Dr. Hasnat, how would you like to comment on the American posture towards Iran?

Dr. Farooq Hasnat (MEI): For last few months the Bush administration has exerted tremendous pressure on Iran - militarily, financially and politically. This attitude is against the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group. The Group asked for a dialogue and to settle the affairs of the Middle East. The (US) administration’s policy is also against the wishes of its public opinion, which is against any further confrontation in the region and would like to see the American troops back from Iraq. There exists a contradiction: on one side there is administration and on the other are the Congress and the public opinion.

Kakob Farshouri (VOA): Public opinion is mentioned, which is reflected in the media. In today’s New York Time, Thomas Freedmen writes that the US should engage Iran through its civil society. How would you evaluate this comment?


Dr. Hasan-Askari Rizvi (SAIS): This point-of-view is correct because there are various sectors and opinions in a society. You can put across your point of view if you have a dialogue and establish relations with them. The existing tensions between Iran and the US can be reduced in this way.


Kakob Farshouri (VOA): Dr. Hasnat, how would Iran react if the Americans approach Iran through its civil society, as mentioned in the article, by granting visas to the Iranian students?


Dr. Farooq Hasnat (MEI): In my opinion Iran will not take it positively. What is the hindrance in talking to the Iranian government, directly or indirectly, as the Congress has repeatedly asked for? If they (US administration) make any attempt to approach directly to the Iranian public opinion, like granting of visas, it would be viewed there that President Bush’s agenda of regime change is being unfolded, for which the U.S. administration had allocated millions of dollars. This would create misunderstandings and, instead of gains, there could be negative fallout.


Kakob Farshouri (VOA): Up till now we have talked about the American policy towards Iran. What in your opinion is Iran’s policy towards the United States?


Dr. Hasan-Askari Rizvi (SAIS): At this moment Iran’s policy is similar to that of the Americans, as they have heightened the tempo of verbal confrontation. There is a need for two things. First, the level of confrontation should be lowered. As long as the level of confrontation is not lowered you cannot approach the Iranian society. Secondly, it is important for Iran to avoid getting isolated in the international system. In the present circumstances, if a country gets isolated, it cannot play any role and it becomes easier to impose sanctions (against that country). It is necessary for Iran to pay attention towards this factor.


Kakob Farshouri (VOA): Dr. Hasnat, the Americans are apprehensive about Iran’s support for such groups in Iraq which harm the American troops. How much truth do you find in this allegation?


Dr. Farooq Hasnat (MEI): First, there was a pressure on the nuclear program, now when things are getting bad in Iraq, this allegation has been levelled against Iran. I don’t think that Bush administration has any evidence of Iran’s interference. If Iran interferes in Iraq its negative repercussions would be on Iran, as well. Iran would never like to destabilize Iraq. Secondly, the Iraqi regime has good relations with the Iranians and they would not destabilize this regime in Iraq.


Kakob Farshouri (VOA): Pakistan’s relations with the US are that of an ally while Iran is a brotherly neighboring country. How would the US policy towards Iran affect Pakistan?


Dr. Hasan-Askari Rizvi (SAIS): The confrontation between the Americans and Iran is a cause of worry for Pakistan. If tension increases in the region Pakistan is affected because Pakistan is an ally of the US. If there is any attack on Iran, there will be a strong reaction on the Pakistani society and politics. In this case the extremist forces in Pakistan and other Islamic countries will be further strengthened. Therefore, Pakistan will desire that the tension between Iran and the Americans is reduced.


Kakob Farshouri (VOA): Dr. Askari and Dr. Hasnat, I am thankful to you both for visiting our studios.

Recommendations of the Iraq Study Group

VOA TV
December 06, 2006-12-12
URDU


Aniqa Osman (Principal Host- Anchor): What effects the recommendations of Iraq Study Group can have on the future politics of that country? In this regard Mr. Muhammad Ali will have a discussion with Farooq Hasnat of the Middle East Institute and an analyst Anwar Iqbal.


Mohammad Ali (Host): Mr. Farooq Hasnat, what new recommendations have been presented by the Iraq Study Group? For quite some time the American policy is been criticized by the American newspapers, therefore what is the new aspect in this report?


Farooq Hasnat (Guest): Different points of view are involved in this report; therefore it is a consensus report of all shades of opinion. This is something new as the Republican Party presented a view which is different from the report. Secondly, although a time table has not been given but it is being said that there is a kind of time table when the report says that in the first quarter of 2008 the American forces must come back. This will exert a new kind of pressure on the administration. The third aspect which I have understood is the recommendation that there should be a dialogue with the regional countries. The U.S. refrained from entering into a dialogue with Iran and Syria, while the report says that it is important for the improvement of prevalent conditions. If the American forces have to come back safely then there has to be a dialogue with the regional nations, involving them in the whole process.

Mohammad Ali (Host): Mr. Anwar, which are those recommendations which the Bush administration will take seriously and which are more practical.


Anwar Iqbal: (Host): The important recommendations are different from what the administration has being saying. For example, the recommendation that all combat troops should be withdrawn in 2008 and that the Americans should only give training or that have a dialogue with Iran and Syria. The report has used two key words describing the current affairs. They have said that situation is desperate and grave. In these conditions they have to do something. I was listening to a discussion in which both the chair persons, James Baker and Lee Hamilton were present, later joined by the White House spokes person, Tony Snow. He (Tony Snow) was asked by a journalist that did he agreed that the situation is grave and desperate. First he hesitated and then said that if you were living in Baghdad then the situation is grave as well as desperate. When he was asked that the government in Iraq is unable to do anything, after some hesitation he accepted that the government could not do anything, either. There is a realization therefore the things would move ahead (for a change).

Mohammad Ali (Host): Mr. Farooq, in context to the domestic scene of Iraq what future do you see in Iraq, after the exit of the American forces. Do you feel that the domestic forces in Iraq will develop some reconciliation and consensus?


Farooq Hasnat (Guest): First, the exit will not be sudden – it will be in stages and even after that various training stages will come. Most important of all the report says, which the Bush administration and other people have also being saying, that the Iraqi people should be prepared. The Iraqi security forces and their political institutions must be developed on the premises that they can rely on themselves. Those who oppose this policy said that it will only be possible if a time table is given (to the Iraqi government). If some time table is not given then the Iraqis will rely more and more on the Americans and there will be difficulty in the establishment of the institutions. But now since an indication has been given that the American will come back in 2008, therefore the Iraqis will have to do something in this regard. As far as the central part of your question that whether they will be able to evolve a system or not - it will depend that during this time how much viable they are able to construct their institutions. Moreover, how beneficial do they regard peace to be for their society. It will depend on these factors.

Mohammad Ali (Host): Mr. Anwar, I will ask you the last question that in this report it is said that regional countries should be engaged. What role can the neighbors of Iraq play to stabilize the situation?

Anwar Iqbal: (Host): Iran can play a leading role as it has influence. But it has to be considered that will Iran feel the necessity of helping the Americans, especially keeping the nuclear issue, in view. It is mentioned in this report that there should be talks with Iran, regardless of the nuclear dispute. There is another important aspect (in the report) that I would like to mention. It is said in the report that once the forces are removed from Iraq they should be deployed in Afghanistan. In other words there is a feeling that the situation in Afghanistan has gone worse.

Mohammad Ali (Host): Mr. Farooq and Mr. Anwar, thank you for being with us.