🔶 A Debate Between Foad Izadi and Ray Takeyh
Dr. Ray Takeyh is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a scholar of the history of Iran–U.S. relations and U.S. policy toward Iran.
Prof. Foad Izadi is a professor of American Studies at the University of Tehran. His work focuses on U.S.–Iran relations and American foreign policy.
Ray Takeyh: Since the 1979 Revolution, Iran’s senior leaders have not sought normal relations with the United States. Both Iran and the United States have a history of tense relations that has hindered the establishment of peaceful ties between them. Nevertheless, examples such as the Vietnam War should not be overlooked. Three million Vietnamese and 57,000 Americans were killed, yet the United States and Vietnam ultimately managed to reach an agreement. One of the factors that has consistently prevented a “grand bargain” between Iran and the United States is the Iranian political system’s inability to reach a consensus on this issue at the highest levels of decision-making.
Foad Izadi: Negotiations between Iran and the United States have always been conducted with the approval of Iran’s Supreme Leader, yet the history of Iran–U.S. relations shows that the United States has not been seriously interested in improving relations. During the presidency of Hashemi Rafsanjani, an effort was made to develop a mechanism for normalizing relations with the United States. The Iranians decided to invite major American oil companies to invest in Iran and sign contracts with them. However, the Israeli lobby brought about a situation in which not only was the presence of American companies in Iran restricted, but Iranian oil was also sanctioned for the first time.
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