LEAP students had the unusual opportunity to hear from a former high-ranking Iranian official while the US is at war with the country it believes to be an active supporter of worldwide terrorism. Thanks to the World Affairs Council, LEAP students were able to hear divergent views–sometimes sharply so–on Iran’s support of terror, nuclear energy program, and other activities that affect international relations.
Following an introduction by WAC CEO Maryanne Maldonado…
…Ronan O’Malley began a moderated discussion with Mousavian. The former Ambassador is working on a book about the United States’ policy toward Iran from the perspective of Presidents Obama (negotiations), Trump (America First), Biden (benign neglect), and Trump (War).
In addition to having served in high-ranking government positions, Mousavian’s credentials also include an MA in International Relations from the University of Tehran and a PhD in International Relations from the University of Kent. He currently teaches at Princeton University.
Mousavian made several assertions, and at times, he made them forcefully:
- Iran has been the most inspected country in the world, and these inspections, at least since 2015, have not uncovered any evidence that Iran has made an effort to make nuclear weapons;
- Israel is the “elephant in the room,” and unless discussions about Israel are included in Iran-US discussions, no real or permanent progress will be made;
- He, Seyed Mousavian, is not guilty of any crimes, nor does he support terrorism.
At least one person in the room objected to the latter point forcefully. In fact, he stood up and scolded the former Ambassador before he was removed by WAC staff and security.
For his part, O’Malley did his due diligence in digging a bit deeper into some of Mousavian’s claims–particularly about the brutality of Iran’s regime–but Mousavian gave no ground. Indeed, at times his claims were sweeping, as when he suggested that the UN always gave clean marks on its inspections of Iran (see, for example, this article).
In the end, such questions are not likely to be answered in an hour-long discussion, but for the open-minded, the discussion led to new facts to be considered, even as it may have reinforced some preexisting beliefs.
Although all of us took away different thoughts about the Iran-US War, we all agreed that this type of event is what the university experience should be: exposure to new ideas by informed speakers on provocative topics.
Mary’z Mediterranean Cuisine
We discussed some of these topics at dinner following the event. In LEAP fashion, we chose a restaurant that specialized in mediterranean cuisine, allowing us to further explore Iranian culture. We chose Mary’z, which turned out to be a wise choice.
Beginning with a sampler appetizer, we were able to explore dolmades (excellent), kibbi, sfeeha (very good), and falafel (also excellent).
For dinner, we had various dishes, including beef shwarma, chicken kebab, kafta kebab, and beef kebab, and a felafel plate. In typical LEAP fashion, we sampled from each other’s plates, and there was general consensus that the kafta and the chicken kebabs were the best among an excellent sampling of dishes.
For many students, it was their first time having Mediterranean food, and even if they had enjoyed this culinary tradition, they were able to sample a new dish.
The excellent food capped off an evening of education, exploration, lively debate, and good company, all LEAP hallmarks!
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 