Geneva Deal: Beginning of a New Era between Iran-Us Relations

AbstractsIn the present era, the Iran-US relations carry greater significance in the world politics. The diplomatic relations between both countries have remained suspended since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. But now after three decades when Iran has elected its new President, a shift has been observed in Iranian policies towards West and both sides are willing to melt the ice through an interim deal in Geneva. Though this deal has its positive aspects yet the prospects and fears along with its pros and cons in the days to come cannot be brushed aside. This paper is an attempt to analyze how this agreement will have its impact on the Middle Eastern region in reshaping the balance of power. The study will also discuss how Iran will have to face the harsh screening safeguards along with the introduction of Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013.Key Words: British Imperialistic Legacy, Truman Doctrine, Balance of Power, World War II, Cold War, Operation Ajax, Anglo-Iranian Oil, Nationalists Governments, Baghdad Pact, Great Satan, Axis of Evil, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Holocaust, Persian Gulf, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Regional Hegemon, P5+1, Non-Proliferation Treaty,IntroductionKeddie and Gasiorowski (1990: 1) write that "Iranian events played an important role both in shaping the hostile relations between the United States and the Soviet Union soon after the World War II and in contributing to a world situation in the late 1980s in which peaceful solutions came to the fore in many parts of the world". Iran-US relations date back to 1933, however both countries had no official relations since 1980 of hostage crisis (Maclean, 2013).The evolution of US policy during the post war years and the process by which the British imperialistic legacy was understood by the US was the enunciation of Truman Doctrine. This constituted a "qualified commitment by the United States to maintain a balance of power in the Near East" (Kuniholm, 1990: 202). Though United States with global economic and strategic interests being the sole superpower on globe, yet Iran, having a strategic location between Middle East and Central Asia is too important- a regional power to be neglected. Despite mutual interests and potentially resolvable points of contention between the world's superpower and a major regional power, Washington and Tehran lack official diplomatic relations, pursuing their strategic futures separate from one another (Bahgat, 2009).Iran-US Relations in Historical ContextThe geopolitical dynamics of South-West Asia have seen the American presence during the 19th century as a countervailing force to balance the Soviet pressures (Ali, 2008: 119). Though US-Iran relations existed in the last quarter of the 19th century yet the "Real American Engagement" with Iran dates only from World War II. Iran had remained neutral during this war, yet Britain attacked it in August 1941 (Bakhash, 2009).Pre-Dominant Considerations in Iranian Attitude towards Major PowersThere have been three predominant considerations throughout the history which infact dominated the Iranian attitude towards the major powers which are;1. Support by Major Powers-The support extended to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Shah (1941-79) by the major powers2. Foreign Policy-Consideration was linked to the internal function of the foreign policy. The necessity of an indefinitable external enemy that could be a means to retain the revolutionary momentum.3. Threat Perception-The third consideration had been the threat-perception which foreign policy -objectives seek to "contain and overcome" (Zabih, 1982: 168).When Iran came under Islamic regime, its perception was clearly changed. After Shah, the Iranian decision makers pursued three discrete foreign policy interests in the Middle- East which were;a. Containment of Soviet Unionb. Security of oil route and later flow of petro dollars to the United States and its alliesc. …