Clinton Urged to Make Gestures Toward Iran Before Leaving Office
But he suggests that there may be two limited steps he can take before his term ends on January 20, regarding fingerprinting all Iranian citizens entering the U.S. and cooperating in the international arena to combat the drugs trade.
By revising the fingerprinting requirement, U.S. immigration would "not have to subject elderly grandmothers, young children and obviously peaceful visitors to the delays and humiliation," Pelletreau said at a recent Houston conference of the Eurasia Group.
Both nations would have something to gain if the U.S. also established some kind of dialogue and possible cooperation with Iran in trying to deal with international drug trafficking, perhaps under the auspices of the United Nations Drugs Control Program, he said.
The former U.S. assistant secretary also suggested a further opening of trade to include nonsensitive consumer goods and service may be in store, in that successor legislation may be "more balanced" than the Iran-Libya sanctions act when it expires next summer.
"The logic of restoring international trade in both directions and of encouraging Iran to become part of the global economy and the cyber-economy is becoming more compelling," he said, according to extracts of his speech quoted in Middle East Economic Survey.
Pelletreau said that the U.S. and Iran will continue to have differences, "some deadly serious, some trivial, some more psychological than substantive."
"But the realization is growing that these differences can be best addressed in a context of restored diplomatic relations and of respect for each other's history, culture and contributions to human civilization," he said.
"By applying these principles, the next U.S. administration can ensure that America's relations with Iran, after a two-decade interruption, can become correct and in areas where our national interests and values permit, even cooperative and mutually beneficial," the former official suggested.
(IRNA)