After almost 35 years with claws and talons drawn and rhetoric heated, senior United States and Iranian diplomats have embarked on a journey to reach agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.
While the road to agreement is meandering, the distance already covered is noteworthy. As dialogue continues beyond last week’s initial agreement, and legislators debate what constitutes a reasonable deal, there remains an underlying appreciation, as articulated by Maine Sen. Susan Collins, that an “effective, verifiable diplomatic solution would be the best possible outcome.”
And as the hope of a mutually beneficial agreement on the nuclear issue is pursued, perhaps there can be a broader improvement of engagement over time.
It is premature to be overly enthusiastic of formal and cordial diplomatic relations between the two countries. And certainly having sat at the same table with Iranian officials for the better part of two years as co-members of the Contact Group of Guarantor States to the negotiated peace agreement in Tajikistan, I am not blindly Pollyanna about the prospects. The road will be difficult and lengthy.
I do, however, believe the moment is ripe to nurture the seeds that are slowly sprouting. And Maine can and should play an important role in opening another front on peace.
As a state known for its reasonable attitudes and moderate perspectives, Maine has a reputation that conveys the very essence of diplomatic engagement. Regardless of your allegiances, political figures from both sides of the aisle such as Margaret Chase Smith, George Mitchell, Collins and William Cohen are part of an important national and international brand for us: Mainers are hardworking, pragmatic problem solvers.
The forward progress on bilateral negotiations presents a moment for Maine to double down on its own brand and take the lead on people-to-people diplomacy between the United States and Iran. Opportunities for student and technical exchanges, shared academic research agendas, journalist learning tours, and video dialogue are but a few examples of engagement at the citizen level. As history has shown repeatedly, confidence-building measures through exchanges or humanitarian action can provide a positive backdrop on which officials come together to tackle the trickier main negotiation.
Just in advance of the September United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, where Secretary of State John Kerry first met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control quietly eased restrictions on certain services in support of nongovernmental organizations’ activities in Iran. This was clearly designed as a move to crack open the window for more deliberate people-to-people contact, precisely as a way to build social capital between the countries.
Maine’s universities are particularly well-positioned to capitalize on this moment to catalyze their resources and networks in pursuit of fruitful engagement. Now is the moment to take the state motto to heart.
And while I believe that the possibility of furthering peace and fruitful relations between nations is, in and of itself, a sufficient condition for Maine’s involvement, pragmatism is also important. Despite years of sanctions, Iran is still a large, strategically located economy — 18th largest in purchasing power parity — presumably with the potential for significant growth. Whether semiconductors, veterinary medicines, wind generators, seafood, blueberries or boots, an investment in people-to-people diplomacy now, led by Maine, can help open markets to us down the road.
William Farrell serves as vice president for corporate and foundation relations at Mercy Corps, a leading relief and development organization with ongoing operations in 43 countries, nearly 4,500 staff, and an annual operating budget of more than $300 million. He lives near Bangor with his wife and five children and is adjunct faculty at the University of Maine.