Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Mehr News Agency last night that, “We are not considering an alternative pick.” Tehran also said it was considering legal options over the dispute with the U.S.
Aboutalebi has acknowledged that he served a limited role as a translator for the students who took the Americans hostage, but was not involved in the embassy takeover.
File photo: Iranian diplomat Hamid Aboutalebi (Getty Images/IRNA)
He must do the honourable thing and resign for the common good of the country, no matter how innocent he may be, no matter whether he was or wasn't directly involved in the hostage taking and no matter how qualified he may be for the job. Even if the country succeed in reversing the decision, he will never be an effective ambassador for the country. It is unfortunate but he has become a distraction from the county's goal of becoming an influential and respectful member of the international community.
ReplyDeleteReader
DeleteDo i correctly understand your thoughts' foundations, that your standards and logic assumes that:
it is honorable thing that if somebody assaults and harrases you, for your (sake) you shoud resign and surrender (your rights).
It would be nteresting to know, why President Rouhani has decided to appoint Mr. Aboutalebi now, but it also has to do with a fact that the Islamic Republic feels stronger in the new geopolitical situation, and that Iran is not satisfied from the Western logic at the nuclear talks...........
fmr political prisoner and refugee
Dear Reader, I think you are absolutely wrong. US has no right under any int'l law to decide who represent any country in UN or any int'l body. What sanction should Iran impose on US for bombing civilian plane. US has proved and continue to prove that its imperialistic agenda is unquenchable and knows no boundary.
DeleteWith respect, this is not about capitulation to bullying and harassment but about expecting a politician to put the national interest above the self. Rouhani made a very poor judgment in appointing him as the UN ambassador and Aboutalebi is the best person to put things right by resigning from the post. As Anon at 5:32 PM said, even if he is allowed to take the post he would probably be sidelined by the other ambassadors fearful of offending US.
DeletereaderApril 13, 2014 at 4:37 AM
DeleteYeah,I guess in future iran should run all of its choices for ambassadorships past the us first,after all we wouldnt want to run the risk of offending the us now would we?,the us tried exactly the same game with arafat back in the late 80s,maybe he should have resigned to avoid offending the us too?.The stink of appeasement is truly nauseating
Probably the easier way is for the Iranian government and the Iranian people to deal, once and for all, with that sad episode of occupying an embassy and taking diplomats hostage. Iran, on behalf of the government which participated in hostage taking, and on behalf of a significant majority of the people who supported that action, should apologize to former hostages, their family and the American people and put one of the ugliest chapters in Iranian diplomacy behind it. A closure is what's needed after nearly 35 years.
DeleteNader UskowiApril 13, 2014 at 10:37 PM
DeleteAnd when the us takes responsibility for and apologizes to the iranian people for the 53 coup and the shooting down of iran air flight 655,then maybe I might be inclined to agree,however until that time iran,like every other sovereign nation should be free to choose whoever they see fit as their ambassador to the un,sadly you seem to think that the us should have a veto over iranian ambassadorships or that iran should appease them in this.When the us tried this same game with arafat in 1988 it faced a 151-2 vote in the General Assembly condemning the US for violating “the international legal obligations of the host country.” Only the US and Israel voted “no.”
655 was an accident. Storming of the US embassy was a calculated sinister move. A grave violation of international law and a declaration of war. Carter had no backbone. Someone like Bush jr would have given those radical whackjobs what they were asking for.
DeletePeople change. He was young and radicalized. By all accounts he has changed and has become a reformist.
ReplyDeleteIt's precisely these type of people that the US should try to understand and engage.
Adults should get over holding grudges in perpetuity be it USA or IRAN.
Both sides are to blame for the bitter past.
And how should we know that? People do change, but they also express regrets for past behavior. Has Mr. Aboutalebi ever made a statement regretting his role, even if he was just a translator, or has he made any statement, directly or indirectly, regretting that the U.S. embassy was overrun by student radicals and especially regretting that American diplomats were taken hostage for more than a year? I haven’t seen it.
DeleteThe embassy takeover and hostage taking is the darkest period in modern Iranian diplomacy, which hurt the country and its people in immeasurable ways. Those associated with that affair should not be surprised at negative reactions toward their actions, even to this day. Best is to express their regrets and to apologize to the former hostages and their families, and indeed to the American people for what they did. Then everyone should forgive them.
But if that sad episode in Iranian history helped them with their careers, as a springboard to high governmental posts, including ambassadorial positions, they should not expect anyone’s respect.
I agree with both reader and Mr Uskowi. This guy has already done enough damage and distraction in an already delicate negotiation stage. Personally I think this is going to be farcical and the whole affair is a storm in a tea cup. BTW Iran has already rejected other countries Ambassadors to Iran with excuses like one British Nomine who was supposed to be a Jew and they made UK propose someone else. You may argue that this post is for UN not US, but in my view short of one or two academic arguments, the guy has got to be acceptable to the peer group. Even if he was allowed in and appointed, probably in all likelihood he would have been kept out of diplomatic circles by the hosts fearful of not offending US. It is like winning one battle but ultimately losing the war or losing one battle but finally winning the war. It does not make sense to be persistent about it. It is like the former UN General Secretary and Austrian President Kurt Waldheim whose past caught with him. These things happen and Governments should be savvy enough to avoid these pitfalls. There are parallels to be made. The recent visit of Irish President to UK and subsequent Northern Ireland minister and former IRA terrorist leader Martin McGuinness joining in a toast to the Queen during a state banquet proves that relations can be mend and past can be forgotten. However, at the current juncture I cannot see Iran has made any move to correct/apologize for the past behaviour. For the hostage takers apologists just remind that under no circumstances storming foreign embassy/land and taking in it over is acceptable.
DeleteIran can either complain and threaten or Iran can nominate a different ambassador.
ReplyDeleteEntirely Iran's choice and it's not as if the rest of the world really gives a shift about whether Iran is formally represented at the UN or not
AnonymousApril 12, 2014 at 10:17 PM
DeleteI think you`ll find that the world does indeed give a "shift" about these things if past precedent is any guide,when the us tried exactly the same game with yasser arafat in 1988 it was condemned in a resolution supported by 151 countries,only the us and israel voted against it,so you can see that a great many nations take these sorts of violations very seriously indeed
-History's MOST boisterous EMPIRE does not deserve to PLAY host to the UN-
ReplyDelete- You would be easily convinced to believe that the UN is an independent global body overlooking all members with equality devoid of favoritism's and prejudices !.You would go further convince yourself that all Nations are equal in the eyes of the UN !.And BECAUSE the UN headquarters is hosted by a Nation that happens to aspire to be forgiven of all historical sins and ultimately cleansed of its DIRTY history and BE baptized as a BEACON of democracy,it very easy for you to imagine that this 'beacon of democracy' would be the first country to recognize the Independence of the UN and that it wont interfere with the premises ,property, and activities of the global body !!. NOT until a member Nation appoints someone as its representative there that has some perceived historical issues with the HOST country !,then you would clearly know who is superior between the UN or a beacon of democracy which also has a very long history of imposing its will upon the UN effectively turning the global body a castrated bull ,a toothless bulldog , or a silent bystander as the US occasionally runs berserk on the world stage on its bloodthirsty campaigns.
The administration in Tehran has made reforms and a new beginning as a rallying call,and the appointment of Aboutalebi for the UN post has nothing to do with offending anyone as said by some.Infact his presence in the UN was a golden chance for the US and all those aggrieved parties to get a chance to grill him for the episode the US is rising now.The BOD would for the first time SHOW THE world some civility and attempt to bring the issue in the house.Members then would grill the diplomat and if convinced that He is a terrorist, then IT is the UN that could ask IRAN to recall its diplomat on behalf of the B.O.D [USA] -this is what is expected from country of the US STANDING !-NOT a deranged empire that masquerade as a bacon of democracy and then shamelessly breaks the very foundations that build democracy-not respecting global institutions!.
the world is waiting the day the UN will relocate to a more civilized country and get some restructuring and drastic reforms to regain its respect- and these are some of the reasons why majority PEOPLE wish the UN relocates from the US-
REASON ONE-
The US is busy killing innocent illiterate peasants somewhere in the globe !.A truly independent UN would condemn and drug the US on its floor to explain and justify these killings and ASK the B.O.D why it is okay to deny the victims some descent hearing in a court of law.
-A bloodthirsty Nation that embarks on an inhuman killing ritual to silence perceived terrorists who happen to peasants tilling their barren farming fields -DOES NOT deserve to host the UN.
REASON TWO-
The US,more than once, waged a military campaign killing innocent civilians,knocking down infrastructure ,leaving behind trails of suffering USING some false evidence and hearsay!-A TRULY independent UN can not allow a country to be attacked using hearsay and innuendo,a truly independent UN would force the B.O.D to make some reparations TO those affected countries !! .
-SO A war mongering country that runs berserk on lies and faulty evidence-stage managed gas massacre by a dying Syrian opposing!, desperate to get a lifeline -goes ahead to quickly scramble jets basing its argument on THESE open lies -CAN NOT BE trusted to HOST the UN.
@BMA,
DeleteWhat has thisd monologue which is basically spoofing out hatred against US has to do with the appointment of this guy as Iran's ambassador to UN. UN is a very expensive bureaucracy that it does not matter where it is relocated, it has to play by the rules of the host nation even if it was in Geneva. US is the most powerful Country get over it. May be we should sharia law there as well.
B.M.A., Talking about civilized regimes and relocation of the UN; I hope you are not suggesting relocating to Iran, are you? We don't want to risk another takeover of a diplomatic compound by the host nation, this time with UN diplomats taken hostage, perhaps for more than 444 days; do we?
DeleteI support your positions and believe it is a time for the UN to move to more independent teritory .....for instance Brazil may be one of the choices, and the US may "walk out" during other delegates presences, if they don't like them.
Deletefmr political prisoner and refugee
-REASON THREE
ReplyDeleteTHE US has for long time told the world that
its interests are vital in shaping its foreign policy!-this means that
,the BOD can wage a war, can conduct espionage, can cut deals in the
dark with pariah Nation under UN sanctions, can befriend tyrants, evil
despots, can dine with totalitarian Monarchs , can overlook human rights
standards on friendly Nations,can bring down governments,can sponsor
coups on democratically elected governments,can fool the whole world
using the global media by manipulating public opinion to support its
undemocratic practices,-ALL THESE VICES in the NAME of safeguarding its
interests!!-
SUCH a cunning empire that thrives on deceit and scandals DOES NOT
qualify to HOST THE UN !!.
-REASON FOUR
Many times has the US been too overbearing on
the UN.AND the World is waiting a time when the UN would take an
independent stand that would run counter to the US.THE CURRENT UN can
never dream to stop the war in Syria simply because the BOD has taken a
side !.
NOW A NATION that rides on impunity, compromising the global body
hindering its mandate and ITS noble activities DOES NOT QUALIFY to HOST
the UN!.
B.M.A., I hope in future you do not take advantage of the comment section in this blog to write a long essay on a subject of your liking in the name of commenting on the post here. Your anti-U.S./anti-West ideology and beliefs are noted. Tell us about your view on the discussion subjects: Should Iran have appointed Aboutalebi as its UN ambassador, and could the U.S. refuse his entry into the country for reasons discussed?
DeleteGod bless you my man BMA!
ReplyDeleteThanks for looking after your subjects
DeleteNo WAY ! !- anon April 14 at 4:43pm
DeleteTarzan is a Lord of APES - and LUCKILY , am not his subject seeing that i am a Baboon [BONOBO] !,And there is no way in hell or in the jungle an Ape can have Lordship over a baboons !!.
BMA, you are the real MAN OF UNDERSTANDING.
ReplyDeleteI am with you 100%
yeah BMA you are correct. BMA is great
DeleteLOL !
DeleteA regime of terrorists wants to send one of their little terrorists to the UN. Should that be a surprise?
ReplyDelete