Re-establishing a U.S. Diplomatic Presence in Iran: Advancing U.S. National Security and Serving American Citizens

Ramin AsgardFebruary 2014

Historical Background

1856US and Iran

establish bilateral ties

1944Full

diplomatic relations

1944-1979 Close

ties/Alliance period

1978-1979 Islamic

Revolution

1979US

Embassy Tehran seized,

hostages taken

1980 Bilateral relations severed

2013 First

direct bilateral contacts

in 34 years

Loss of U.S. Diplomatic Presence in Iran and its Impact on U.S. National Security

Ability to understand and successfully impact events in Iran, Middle East

Lack of Locus of Policy Discipline

Foreign policy formulation and execution through/with Ambassador/Country Team

On the Ground

The State of Nature

LOST REPLACED WITH

The American Foreign Policy Process

Embassy or other

Diplomatic Post

Ambassador/ Principal Officer

Post Sections

Country Team

National Security Policy

Foreign Affairs Agencies

National Security Staff Interest

Groups

Thinktanks

MediaCongressWhite House

Intermediaries

Senate

House

Committees

OVERSEE INFLUENCEFORMULATEINFORM & EXECUTE

Allies

LOCUS OF POLICY

DISCIPLINE

Experts & Pundits

The Legacy of 1979 and the Iranian American community

• Iranian Americans feel U.S.-Iran estrangement most acutely

• No U.S. diplomatic presence in Iran makes their travel to Iran much more difficult and sometimes dangerous

• Family members of Iranian Americans struggle to obtain visas to visit their family in U.S., even for major life events or emergencies

• PAAIA polling indicates a strong majority of Iranian Americans favor re-establishing a US diplomatic presence in Iran, especially for consular services

Arguments for Reestablishing U.S. Diplomatic Presence In Iran

NATIONAL SECURITY & SERVING AMERICAN CITIZENS

• Engagement with Iranian Government on Bilateral Issues

• Greatly Enhanced American Citizen Services

• Immigrant & Nonimmigrant Visa Services

• Public Affairs Activities

• Political/Economic Reporting & Analysis

Arguments Against Re-establishing a U.S. Diplomatic Presence in Iran

• “Rewarding Bad Behavior”

• “Iranian Government Will Refuse”

• “Unacceptable Security Risk”

• “Betrayal of Iranian Opposition”

Have these positions led to achieving US national security goals? Then perhaps time to change from State of Nature

The Current Context Offers a Historic Opportunity

• Unprecedented Presidential and Foreign Minister/Secretary of State level engagement

• Interim P5+1 agreement November 2013, implementation started in January 2014

• Negotiations, while difficult, continue to make progress

• Re-established diplomatic presence would not set back, and in fact would bolster progress on nuclear negotiations and other bilateral and regional issues

Nuts & Bolts of Re-establishing U.S. Diplomatic Presence in Iran

The Current Context:

• U.S. Interests Section in Tehran administered through Swiss Embassy (very limited ACS and visa functions)

• Iranian Interests Section in Washington administered through Pakistani Embassy (citizen services and visa functions)

• Iranian Permanent Representative to United Nations in NY (can not travel beyond UN environs without DOS permission)

• Iranians apply for US visas at US diplomatic posts in 3rd countries (UAE, Turkey, and Armenia)

• State’s Virtual Embassy Tehran provides information, including consular information, online

A Tehran U.S. Interests Section with American Diplomats

BASED UPON: US policy, State Department policy & procedures, Congressional oversight, and Iranian government policy

STEPS REQUIRED:1) Site visit to existing US Interests Section – security 2) Use and/or upgrade, or secure new facility3) Foreign Service Officers, FS Specialists on TDY rotations4) FS Officers & Specialists on PCS assignment, prob. unaccomp.5) Security a paramount issue given legacy of 1979

- Iran must reaffirm adherence to Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations

LATER, If conditions permit: US Liaison Office, US Embassy

Staffing Priorities for an Initial U.S. Diplomatic Presence in Iran

• A Principal Officer to direct operations and serve as primary liaison with the Iranian

government. • One or more Consular Officers to perform American Citizen Services and at least some visa

services. • One or more Regional Security Officers to ensure security of the facilities and staff. • One or more Public Affairs Officers to support U.S.-Iran exchange programs and respond to

media inquiries. • One or more Information Management Specialists to establish and maintain information

networks. • One or more Management Officers to establish and maintain housing, shipping, property

allocation, travel, and personnel functions. • One or more Political/Economic Officers to follow on the ground developments in Iran.

Lessons from U.S. Diplomatic History

• History offers insights into process and reasons for re-establishing U.S. diplomatic presence in Iran.

• Cuba• Libya• USSR• Vietnam• China

• All these changes based upon same primary question:Was changing/maintaining diplomatic relations in the long-term national security interest of the United States?

The Legacy of the Hostage Crisis

• Islamic Republic still commemorates the embassy seizure every November 4th.

• Embassy seizure considered by many a foundational event of the Islamic Revolution, and the Islamic Republic.

• This narrative, and reality on the ground must change to make U.S. diplomatic presence possible.

How?:1) Iran should end the annual commemoration on Nov. 42) Iranian government should quietly offer some form of

compensation to individual hostages and their families3) Iran must explicitly reaffirm Vienna Conventions to ensure

these events never recur

Conclusion

• Moving beyond past and re-establishing U.S. diplomatic presence in Iran at first limited, incremental, and reversible, is in the national security interest of the United States

• This step enjoys the strong support of those American citizens most acutely impacted, the Iranian American community

• If legacy of 1979 is addressed through concrete actions and agreements, even most American hostages would support

• Based upon all points presented, would this step help achieve key national security goals and serve American citizens more effectively than past approaches?