Talking with Iran

Iran has to take a decision whether it wants to be a nation or a cause, says Henry Kissinger, the man who prepared the opening to China in the early 70s. David Ignatius, op-ed columnist at Washington Post asked Dr. Kissinger about his opinion regarding the best way to deal with Iran. The answer was a conditional. If Iran wants to be a nation, then US should seek the common strategic interests and stress them in the negotiations. If Iran goes on in pursuing a cause, then nothing much can be done. What to do in the second alternative? Should US pursue a military solution? Many would consider any other solution better. However, warned Sen. John McCain, there is something worse than the military solution, a nuclear Iran.

Any solution should consider the Russian and Chinese reactions. The world was very close to a nuclear war during the missile crisis in Cuba. Wisdom prevailed at that moment. But we should not forget that in 1914 there was another moment of this kind - and wisdom did not prevail - the First World War followed and something was irremediably destroyed in the Western civilization.