The relationship between Iran and America has stumbled over decades. This is not simply due to a series of unfortunate events or unforeseen global issues. Throughout history, leaders of both countries have contributed to the mishandling of the potential of this relationship. While many people might believe that this is a broken entity of international diplomacy that will never be resolved, the next generation of American and Iranian progressives see things differently. However, there are some variables about this relationship that need to be understood before moving onto a more peaceful and democratic future.
Unjust Policies and Wars
While it’s difficult to explain the intricacies of each one in a brief article, there are major events that disrupted the potential of this relationship in our recent history. Foreign wars, like the Persian Gulf war and the Iraq war, have placed Iran in a compromising position with the United States. Unfortunately, conflicts like this have taken aggressive turns towards the confusion of ally or enemy. As the famous quote goes from George W. Bush, “You’re either with us or against us.” In addition, the Obama era appeasement policies have shaken the Iranian people by ways of abandonment and disinterest.
Missed Opportunities
Between the United States lack of enthusiasm to help push Iran into a democratic country, and the hostile Iranian regimes, there’s been plenty of missed opportunities to shape this relationship into a peaceful one. While the US boasts about being exceptional advocates of global human rights, they haven’t taken any steps towards helping the Iranian people move towards fair elections, separation of church and state, or free press.
Misinformation
Of course, many struggles throughout history can be connected to large amounts of people who are misinformed or suppressed. Both Iranian and American people have misunderstood the goals, values, and ideologies of each other. Much of this is due to leaders who enforce the spread of misinformation and punish those who wish to share it. The people of Iran, who live there and in the United States, and the next generation of American leaders have very similar goals and aspirations. Hopefully, there will be different avenues to peace and a stronger relationship in the near future.