1. US: Press Iran’s Leaders about Executions and Human Rights during Nuclear Negotiations
On January27th
, HashemShaabani,anArab-Iranianpoet,wasexecutedby Iranfor crimes
againstGod and endangeringnational security.Shabaani,an ethnicArabfromthe Iranianprovince of
Khuzestanlocatednearthe PersianGulf,wasanoutspokencriticof the regime’streatmentof ethnic
Arabs.Sadly,Shaabani isanothervictiminIran’ssystemof oppressionbeingthe 300th
personputto
deathinthe lastsix months.Itis notable thatthese executionshave escalatedunderthe administration
of HassanRouhani,the newpresidentof Iran.Urging “constructive engagement”withthe worldandthe
West,inparticular,Iran’scontinuedpolicyof massexecutionbeliesatroublingbreakinthe promise of
change and diplomacyfromthe government.The USand P5+1 partnersshouldtake the opportunityto
pressIran to enditssystematicexecutionsof political dissidents andopenabroaderdialogue withIran’s
political oppositionabouthumanrightsinthe nextroundof negotiations.
There is significantprecedentinAmericanforeignrelationsthatshouldencourage the Obama
administrationtoraise these concerns.Especially,inthe midstof complex,lengthynegotiationsover
nucleardisarmament.Duringthe negotiationsinReyjkavik,Icelandof the Intermediate NuclearForces
Treaty,PresidentReaganissuedastatementsayingthathe will pressSovietleaderMikhail Gorbachevto
ease restrictionsagainstSovietJewishcitizensandallow emigrationtoIsrael.Inaddition,this
admonitionwasn’tlimitedtothe presidentalone.Senior Americanofficialsacrossthe political spectrum
fromVice PresidentGeorge H.W.Bush, Secretaryof State George SchultztoSenatorTedKennedy
repeatedthe president’scall forthe Sovietstorespecthumanrights. Some fearedpushingGorbachev
too hard onfree emigrationandreligiousexpressionwouldweakenhiminthe eyesof Soviethardliners
and scuttle the talks.Inspite of these fears,the Reaganadministrationstill wasable tocomplete an
historictreatywithone of the UnitedStates’mostpersistentandpowerfulfoeswithoutsacrificing the
UnitedStates’commitmenttofreedom,dignityandopportunityabroad.

2. The UnitedStateshas a unique opportunitytoresolve one of the mostintractable disputesit
has everfacedwithanothernation.However,the continuationof apolicybyIran that silencesdissent
and terrorizesapeople shouldnotbe allowedtodisappearinthe midstof adiscussionbylarger
interests.AsPresidentRouhani said,“all the people inourcountry…shouldfeel they’rethe citizensof
one countryand enjoyequal rights.”Forall of Iran’s talkof a desire tobe treatedequally,it’sabouttime
someone makesthemfollow theirownadvice.The UnitedStatesshouldnotmissthischance to doit.