by David Birchall

Created on: June 19, 2008

US policy towards Iran has been one of isolationism ever since the 1979 revolution. With the development of nuclear power, and thus the possibility of weapons, Bush has taken a belligerent tone, overtly stating on many occasions that this can not be allowed to happen.

Are a pro-western youth going to be able to help the US affect more friendly relations? I fear that they may have only a very limited role in future policy discussions.

It is a complex situation. The US media love to vilify Iran. It is, apparently, ruled by 'mad mullahs', executing homosexuals and flogging women for listening to walkmans. Iran describes the US as imperialists, intent on wiping out Islam and controlling an international system that persecutes them.

While both sides publicly describe the other in these terms, there seems little chance for improved relations. However there is real glimmer of hope in the form of upcoming presidential elections in both states. With 60% of the Iranian population below 25 there is a strong chance for a more moderate president. Unfortunately, even if they do, the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, will still exercise pivotal control over matters of morality and freedom. It is also questionable how reformist a new President will be, with Ahmadinejad a good bet for re-election and the nuclear negotiator Larijani, another conservative, a strong contender.

The US, for their part, need to immediately distance themselves from Bush's aggressive pre-emptive attack threats. If McCain wins, this may not happen. Quotes such as "I think the president's comment that we won't take anything off the table was entirely appropriate"*, while fair in theory, carry an implicit threat. Obama has said he believes speaking their leaders is essential to peace, a statement that angered the UK's foreign secretary.

While cries of appeasement! may ring out among neo-cons, Iran are not the Nazis. Even a nuclear-armed Iran could be destroyed before they threatened the US, though not Israel. By engaging with Iranian leaders the Iranian youth will see that not only are western freedoms desirable, but their politics can be too. This could, in turn lead to a rebellion against not just the excessive morality of the state, but their foreign policy too.

This is, I believe, how the US should take advantage of the Iranian youth. By waging a new battle for 'hearts and minds', the US will be able to show themselves to be human, and show US citizens the same is true of Iranians. They must negotiate, they must welcome Iran into the international system. Most importantly, and most impossibly, the next President might have to push for peace between Israel and it's neighbours, at the expense favouritism. The restricted freedoms of Iranians will, of course, make this a hard battle to win. It must at least be attempted, otherwise this burgeoning clash of civilisations will only become more entrenched.

Democracy is healthy in Iran. Elections are free and fair, though the most powerful figure is unelected. However years of Bush's belligerence have led to clear divide between enjoyable western products and hateful US politics. For young Iranians to be heard, it is the US that need policies worth listening too.

Quotes
*Yahoo News

Other references
www.UNHCR.org
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/ tol/news/world/middle_east/article3994513.ece
http:// www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-03/2008-03-13-v oa1.cfm

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