Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] News Alert: Iran's Leader Says He'll Release 15 Britons (fwd)

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Wed, 4 Apr 2007, Jonathan King wrote:

> More seriously, I would like to point out that this is how you can 
> handle a difficult situation diplomatically. A little-known fact about 
> Iran is that the power structure is (ironically) absolutely Byzantine, 
> so negotiating with Iran is sort of like negotiating with a bunch of 
> people who don't like you but don't always seem to like each other very 
> much AND who all have to agree on some course of action for it to 
> happen.
>
> Now, it remains to be seen whether any of this escapade has any meaning 
> whatsoever.


I think a lot of these kinds of events have more to do with internal 
politics of the nation (Iran in this case) than with international 
relations.  I would think this episode played pretty well with the Iranian 
people -- they can't be pushed around, their values are as good or better 
than Western values, they are a powerful and important country.  By 
raising the self-esteem of his countrymen, the president of Iran gains 
political capital.

For what it's worth, I believe the British boat was not in Iranian waters, 
but I don't think the Iranian people believe that.

Mike

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