- 23 March 2012
- 0 Comments
- Congress, US-Iran War

Here is one of those policies that makes you scratch your head and wonder how its taken this long for things to get this bad between the U.S. and Iran: American and Iranian diplomats are actually BANNED from making ANY contact with one another without prior authorization.
That’s right–while the entire foreign policy establishment in Washington is running around in circles trying to figure out the magic solution to crack the U.S.-Iran riddle–Is it sanctions? Is it more war threats? Is it strikes? Dare we enter negotiations?–the two governments aren’t even talking to each other at the most basic levels.
Thankfully, a commonsense and long overdue proposal has been introduced in Congress by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and nine other Representatives to dispense with the absurd “no contact” policy on the U.S. side. The bill, the Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons and Stop War Through Diplomacy Act (H.R.4173) would finally lift the ban on talking to Iran. Not only would eliminating this policy put us in a much better position to resolve the standoff, it will put the onus on the Iranians to take the necessary steps to end their own restrictions on contact with the U.S.
While the silent treatment may be a good tool for passive aggressive teenagers to resolve tiffs with their siblings, it’s utility as a tool of statecraft on the world stage is pretty dubious. When you’re trying to prevent war, nuclear proliferation, and human rights abuses, it can help to have diplomats who are allowed to do their job rather than a policy of righteous indignation.