A Victory for Ahmadinejad

09-20-2009 • Faith Freedom Intl

If the proposed round – the first since last fall – occurs, Ahmadinejad could claim a diplomatic victory, for three reasons. 1) For the first time since the nuclear dispute started a decade ago, the agenda would be set by the Islamic Republic – not the big powers. Even before his election, President Obama had promised “direct and unconditional talks” with the Islamic Republic. Yet he’s wound up with conditional talks – with Iran fixing the conditions. Nor did Obama get the one-on-one talks he wanted. America will be “engaged” in a multilateral context, with China and Russia acting as “restraining powers” to prevent undue pressure on Iran. 2) Ahmadinejad has managed to engage the major powers on a range of issues – creating the impression that they acknowledge Iran as a partner in “a new global order.”