Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

Citizen Diplomacy: Event Highlights Need to Talk to Iran

by Carah Ong [contact information]

June 11, 2008

On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, the Campaign for a New American Policy on Iran (CNAPI), a coalition of organizations including the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and the Enough Fear Campaign, organized an innovative “Time to Talk with Iran” event and press conference on Capitol Hill. The goal of the event was to advocate and show support for a diplomatic solution to the rising tensions between the United States and Iran.

With the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop, Representatives Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey, Ron Paul, Sheila Jackson-Lee and Marcy Kaptur joined the Campaign in a press conference and spoke in support of direct, bilateral and comprehensive talks without preconditions between the governments of the United States and Iran. The members of Congress were then invited to join Campaign members, foreign policy experts and American citizens in using a row of 60’s-era red “hotline” telephones to talk directly to ordinary Iranians, including a 60-year-old petroleum engineer, a software engineer, a French Literature professor and high school student. Watch a video of the event by the Real News Network below.

The “Time to Talk with Iran” event was an innovative exercise in civilian diplomacy, allowing more than 50 Americans and Iranians to speak directly and get to know one another. Most of the conversations focused on general personal questions and addressed how Iranians feel about Americans and how Americans feel about Iranians. The general sense was that despite the rhetoric between the governments of both countries, Americans and Iranians should and are able to communicate and build relationships with each other.

The Campaign believes that a military confrontation between the United States and Iran would have enormous human and financial costs. Furthermore, it would plunge the Middle East, and the global economy, into further violence and chaos. The Campaign advocates direct, sustained and comprehensive talks without preconditions between the governments of the United States and Iran as a realistic way to resolving the long-standing conflicts between the two countries.

Besides members of Congress, a number of representatives from CNAPI also spoke at the press conference, including: Doug Bandow, former Special Advisor to Ronald Reagan; former Congressman Bob Barr (R-GA), 2008 Libertarian Party Presidential Nominee; Marcus Epstein, The American Cause; Phil Giraldi, former CIA Counterterrorism expert; Nick Jehlen, one of the event’s organizers, Enough Fear Campaign; Ed Martin, American Friends Service Committee; Stephen McInerney, Project on Middle East Democracy; Geoffrey Millard, Iraq Veterans Against the War; Rev. Joseph Nangle, OFM, Franciscan priest, Pax Christi USA; Ebrahim Norouzi, Mossadegh Project; Carah Ong, one of the event’s organizers, Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation; Ira Shorr, Physicians for Social Responsibility; and Joe Volk, Friends Committee on National Legislation.

Also on June 10, CNAPI organized a nationwide Call-in to Congress for Diplomacy with Iran for organizations with grassroots constituencies. Nearly 5,000 calls from across the country were made using the 1-800 number set up by the Campaign to Congressional representatives in the House and Senate urging direct diplomacy not war with Iran.

Selected Media Clips from the “Time to Talk with Iran” event:

“Dialing for Diplomacy," Photo of the Week, Roll Call Print Edition, June 11, 2008

"Talks Not War with Iran," by The Real News Network, June 11, 2008

"Are You There, Tehran? It's Me, the Great Satan," By Sharon Weinberger, Wired Magazine Blog – the Danger Room, June 9, 2008.

"Group Forms To Head Off War on Iran: Representatives of Left and Right Seek To Push America Into Talks With Tehran," by Josh Gerstein, New York Sun, June 9. 2008

"Hotline to Iran' Aims to Head Off War,"by Alison Raphael, One World, June 11, 2008

"Stop the War Threats, Emphasize Diplomacy with Iran, Says Bob Barr,” Third Party Watch, June 10, 2008