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Dave Robinson, executive driector of Pax Christi USA, is on a religious leaders' delegation to Iran the week of February 17-25. Below is his first dispatch.
Dear Friends,
Greetings of peace from Tehran! As you know, last May I was privileged to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran at a time when tensions were rising over their nuclear power program. For the past 28 years, the United States and Iran have been locked in a virtual state of cold war with no diplomatic relations and very limited contact between Iranians and people from the United States. At that time, our delegation traveled to Iran in an attempt to thaw relations, deepen our understanding of Islam, and learn what we could of the hopes, fears and aspirations of the Iranian people. Ours was a nongovernmental delegation and our visits, meetings and purpose were focused on the people, religious community and grassroots organizations.
Since that time relations between our two nations have worsened. On September 20, 2006, some 45 U.S. religious leaders met with Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in New York City to discuss the role that religious communities can play in reversing the deepening crisis between Iran and the United States. At the end of that 75-minute conversation, President Ahmadinejad invited the group to come to Tehran for further conversations. It is that invitation that yielded this current delegation which I have joined representing Pax Christi USA.
Following the meeting in New York, a smaller delegation of those present spent a day on Capital Hill briefing the chief aides of both Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate. The reception was overwhelmingly positive with all involved asking to meet with the group again and expressing thanks for keeping this “track two” type of diplomacy alive.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), which has a 15-year history of working in Iran, and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Nobel Peace Prize recipient on behalf of Quakers with a long history of peacemaking, are co-sponsoring this delegation of 16 U.S. religious leaders to Iran, February 17-25.
The primary purpose for our trip is to continue dialogue with religious and political leaders in Iran and pursue issues first raised with President Ahmadinejad in New York City. Specifically, the delegation plans to highlight and draw attention to the source of each nation’s pain and mistrust and to understand what divides us historically.
While in Iran we are discussing how people of faith can help lead our nations in a process of reconciliation and healing. Our group also plans to explore concerns that each of us have, to correct misunderstandings and to deepen our comprehension of each other’s points of view. We welcome the opportunity to dialogue with the President of Iran and other Muslim religious leaders, so that this process gains the attention of leaders in both Iran and the United States.
Additionally, our delegation will meet with Christian leaders in Iran for fellowship and to strengthen friendships developed with Iranians on prior visits and at international conferences. Finally, upon returning from the trip, we anticipate a media and grassroots education campaign and meetings with U.S. government officials, all aimed at strengthening U.S.-Iranian relations.
Many questions arise from our visit, both here in Iran and back home in the United States. I would like to share with you the thinking and perspective which our group brings to some of these basic questions.
Much concern has been voiced over the recent two-day conference in Tehran in which President Ahmadinejad again raised questions about the reality of the Holocaust and the State of Israel. Our delegation members were disappointed by reports of the conference and statements made by President Ahmadinejad. The delegation recognizes the Holocaust as historical fact and one of the great tragedies in human history. We also advocate for a peaceful and just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and believe that any solution should provide peace with justice for all people.
(Click here to read the second part of this dispatch.)
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