AIC POLICY SYMPOSIUM & NOWRUZ EVENT SUMMARY

EVENT PHOTOS

March 28, 2009

Capitol Hill: Hart Senate Office Building, Room 902

The Policy Symposium and Nowruz Reception (25 March) was a tremendous success. In one of the most successful conferences the AIC has ever had, over 150 participants from the United States and Iran came together to discuss the US-Iran relationship.  The Policy Symposium brought in a variety of distinguished speakers, including Ambassador James Dobbins and Mr. Roger Cohen, and audience participants, including the H.E. Meret Bayramovich Orazov, the Ambassador of Turkmenistan, representatives from the U.S. Department of State, and distinguished guests from Iran and Iranian-American communities in the U.S.  The Nowruz Reception helped to bring a better understanding of Persian culture, cuisine and art to all those present.  Nowruz, literally meaning “new day,” is a time for celebrating more than the beginning of the New Year, it is a time for celebrating hope, renewal, and a coming together through peace and love.

The Policy Symposium involved excellent speakers with dynamic audience participation.  The first and keynote speaker was Mr. Roger Cohen of the New York Times.  Mr. Cohen, who had just returned from the Middle East and who has made numerous and extensive trips to Iran, introduced the basic idea of Americans working to achieve an “updated” understanding of Iran.  Mr. Cohen began with describing the Iran that is normally portrayed in the media, an Iran bent on acquiring nuclear weapons, a totalitarian state bent on regional domination and global involvement, a monolithic nation under the control of mullahs bent on destroying Israel at all costs.  Mr. Cohen then proceeded to explain why this view of Iran is not only incorrect factually but also quite dangerous.  He explained that while there might be some political utility in seeking to link today’s Iran with Nazi Germany, the comparison is bad, harmful and disrespectful.  He explained that such a comparison was, indeed, “disrespectful” to victims and survivors of the Holocaust.  Mr. Cohen ended by counseling the audience to seek an improved understanding of Iran and not simply accept the standard caricature and biased or misstated facts.

Senator Bennett Johnston, the Chairman of the AIC, introduced the idea of the importance of commercial relations between the two countries.  Senator Johnston, a former senator from Louisiana who is an expert in U.S. energy policy, explained the benefits that would come to the U.S. through improved trade.  A wide variety of U.S. products, not simply petrochemical and agriculture would have a large new market.  He noted that while the benefits to the U.S. would be large, the same would also be true for Iran.  With the U.S. economy in such difficulties, any added help through improved trade relations, would be a benefit to American businesses and workers. Senator Johnston recommeneded to the audience that it is important to reflect upon the common interests between the countries. These interest are more than commerical, extending into regional and global issues.

Dr. Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, a former representative in the Iranian Parliament, introduced the issues of how the reformist had sought to move forward toward an improved relationship with the U.S., and how those attempts involved numerous difficulties and setbacks.  She helped the audience to understand the great interest of the Iranian people in improving relations with the U.S.  She also helped the audience understand that both sides must work harder to improve that needed relationship.  She recommended that the Obama Administration not wait until after the elections to move forward, but that it should seize the moment and seek an immediate improvement with Iran now. (SPEECH)

Dr. Hooshang Amirahmadi, the President of the AIC, introduced the AIC Whitepaper, “Toward an Obama Policy for Better U.S.-Iran Relations.”  This paper argues that Iran will continue the status quo relationship with the U.S., i.e., the relationship of “no peace/no war” until it is made to choose another option.  The benefits of neither being “at peace” with the U.S. nor being “at war” with the U.S. are numerous and strong for the regime.  The Obama Administration needs to take this middle solution off the table and convince both the key governmental decision makers as well as the Iranian population that “peace” is the best option.  Dr. Amirahmadi argued that through the presentation of a serious and respectful proposal clarifying the benefits of peace, the Iranian government and population would opt for peace. (PAPER)

Ambassador James Dobbins of the Rand Corporation introduced the idea of Iran being the central key to many puzzles, both in the Middle East and globally.  By working with Iran and bringing it into a dialog with the U.S., numerous problems that could not be solved without its help could, in fact, be resolved with it.  Ambassador Dobbins noted the example of Afghanistan.  He told the audience of a meeting in which the Pashtuns of Afghanistan would not move in the issue of giving up the control of ministries in the to-be formed post-Taliban Afghanistani government when the Iranians stepped in, whispered a few minutes into the ears of the Pashtun representatives, and 4 ministries were immediately thereafter identified as being available to be headed by non-Pashtun groups. Ambassador Dobbins said that had this not happened, the talks would have ended in failure.  The U.S. needs to learn to work with Iran, a country with which the U.S. shares many interests.

The Nowruz Reception was the first Nowruz celebration ever to be held on Capitol Hill. Nowruz means "new day" and marks the Spring Equinox and start of the Persian New Year (March 21st). It is an occasion to celebrate renewal and reunion. Norouz is widely celebrated by Iranians of all ideological and religious persuasions including Muslims, Jews, Christians and Baha’is. Nowruz is rooted in the traditions of Zoroastrian belief system, the pre-Islamic religion of the Iranian people, and it has been celebrated by Iranians and all the major cultures of ancient Mesopotamia for over 3000 years.  Mrs. Cleopatra Broumand-Birrenbach introduced the Nowruz Reception with an introduction of Dr. Masood Khatamee and Ms. Laurie Blum. Mrs. Broumand-Birrenbach made certain that the Persian cuisine was served to the audience as soon as possible. When Dr. Amirahmadi initiated a question and answer session that began to go a little long, from the perspective of the cuisine, Mrs. Broumand-Birrenbach invited the guest to first try the cuisine and then return to the Nowruz discussions.

Dr. Masood Khatamee spoke on the history and meaning of Nowruz.  Nowruz, Dr. Khatamee said, is a time for honoring peace, love and coming together.  His description encouraged listeners to think of Nowruzsomewhat like the American Thanksgiving holiday.  He spoke of his own work to get Laura Bush to host a Nowruz tea at the Whitehouse in 2008. The literal meaning of Nowruz, he continued, is "new day," and that it is a concept identified with peace, love and rebirth. He went on to talk about what each of the 7 items in the Haft Seen symbolize. The seven items are: sabza (wheat), sepand (seeds of wild rue), sib (apples), sekka (a few newly minted coins), serka (vinegar), samanu (a sweet dish). Nowruz is a festival that reaffirms out ties to nature and humankind; Nowruz is a celebration of an ancient culture from the time of Jamshid that herals the vernal equinox and continues for 13 days; Nowruz is a secular celebration of spring, renewal, rebirth and new life, a joyous reawakening.

Nowruz art was presented by Ms. Laurie Blum. Ms. Blum discussed her many trips to Iran as well as her hopes that art might help to bridge the distance between the two countries and their peoples.  Ms. Blum discussed the importance of “feeling with the heart” to help different peoples learn to come together.  The 16 paintings she brought to the Nowruz Reception were all painted in gardens in Iran.  She stated, "We should embrace Iran's Culture and ancient Civilization which is our own ancient heritage in order to fully know ourselves since we are all parts of the whole." One of these paintings in particular, "Peacocks- Surrenderance," was viewed by the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Sept. 23, 2008), and pronounced to be of exceptional beauty and took a photo of the painting back to Iran.  It was suggested by Mrs. Cleopatra Broumand-Birrenbach that Ms. Blum present this painting to President Obama and his wife to further the cause of peace.

The AIC would again like to thank all those who spoke, asked questions and participated in this conference. The AIC would like to thank the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Open Society Institute, and InterMarine Inc. for helping to fund this event. Most importantly, the AIC would like to thank all those individuals who donated to the event to help make it possible. It is through the generous contributions of people -- who understand the importance of events like these in helping to increase the understanding of Iran, the U.S. and what the relationship could mean for both countries -- that makes events such as these possible. Please DONATE to the AIC.

The AIC would also like to thank Sherwin Salar, Elaine Gorman, Kimberly El-Sadek, Suzanne Levi-Sanchez and Mohammad Khorassanizadeh for their efforts in making this Policy Symposium and Nowruz Reception one of the most successful AIC events ever. The next event is already being planned. We look foward to seeing you at one of them. Please contact the AIC office in order to find out further details. You may reach Dr. Brent Lollis, the Executive Director, at 609-252-9099 or b.lollis@us-iran.org.