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How to negotiate with the Islamic Republic of Iran
2/7/08
By Beth Hearn
Development of negotiation skills, and an awareness of the negotiation techniques of others nations, are vital in improving international relationships, according to the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). According to a special report, entitled Negotiating with the Islamic Republic of Iran, talking to Iran is “worth doing and may help both sides to find common interests lurking behind walls of hostility and distrust.”
The report is just one in a series, and has been released as part of a wider project by USIP to raise awareness of how to negotiate with foreign governments. According to Richard Solomon, President of USIP, negotiation is “the primary tool of any diplomat,” but in the past Americans have tended to lack the necessary cultural knowledge.
The report’s author, Ambassador John Limbert, who experienced the difficulties of negotiating in Iran directly during the 1979-1981 hostage crisis, produced ‘fifteen points to remember,’ which were discussed by a panel of experts at a USIP forum on February 7.
One of the most important of these points is the extent to which history matters to Iran. This, according to Ellen Laipson, President and CEO of the Stimson Center, is a “truth that Americans have to learn about the whole world.” Iran’s history has, according to the report, “created a profound sense of national victimization and grievance that can still pollute the Iranian political atmosphere,” meaning that the historical lesson Iranians often draw is “one of us alone against a hostile world.”
It is also important to recognize a performance element to negotiations with Iran. Limbert asserts that grand gestures and political theater should be expected, and that Iranian political discourse tends to feature extremely strong-worded slogans like “to the death” and “not one inch.” Laipson pointed out that there is a performance element to both sides of negotiations with Iran, and the importance to both the U.S. and Iran of “talking tough.” Neither wants to be seen as the weaker party.
Mohebat Ahdiyyih, Senior Iran Analyst at the Open Source Center, emphasized the importance of distinguishing between the Iranian people and the Iranian government. “We must consider the interests of the people- of women, of minorities, particularly the Baha’i.”
The report’s resounding message is one of cultural sensitivity, and it makes some important points about Iranian negotiating style.
It also raises some points about the skills of those negotiating with Iran. The fact that Limbert feels diplomats need some of these recommendations, notably “give your Iranian counterparts credit for intelligence” and “be wary of seeing (yourself) as the only logical side at the table and of dismissing the Iranian as the illogical and emotional party,” emphasizes the importance of this project. |
