The Problem With Talking to Iran

From Amir Taheri at the Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Taheri point out why talking to Iran is futile. He points out every president has tried to talk to Iran as has fellow Arab states. All talks have failed. Why?

The reason is that Iran is gripped by a typical crisis of identity that afflicts most nations that pass through a revolutionary experience. The Islamic Republic does not know how to behave: as a nation-state, or as the embodiment of a revolution with universal messianic pretensions. Is it a country or a cause? A nation-state wants concrete things such as demarcated borders, markets, access to natural resources, security, influence, and, of course, stability – all things that could be negotiated with other nation-states. A revolution, on the other hand, doesn't want anything in particular because it wants everything.

Another interesting read. For a full read, click here.