Wikileaks: How to negotiate with Iranians (1979)
Here’s a notable cable, from 1979 - in the wake of the Islamic revolution in Iran - on how Iranians think, and what precautions diplomats need to take in negotiating with Iranians.
INTRODUCTION: RECENT NEGOTIATIONS IN WHICH THE EMBASSY HAS BEEN INVOLVED HERE, RANGING FROM COMPOUND SECURITY TO VISA OPERATIONS TO GTE TO THE SHERRY CASE, HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL SPECIAL FEATURES OF CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN THE PERSIAN ENVIRONMENT. IN SOME INSTANCES THE DIFFICULTIES WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED ARE A PARTIAL REFLECTION ON THE EFFECTS OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, BUT WE BELIEVE THE UNDERLYING CULTURAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL QUALITIES THAT ACCOUNT FOR THE NATURE OF THESE DIFFICULTIES ARE AND WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY CONSTANT. THEREFORE, WE SUGGEST THAT THE FOLLOWING ANALYSIS BE USED TO BRIEF BOTH USG PERSONNEL AND PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE REQUIRED TO DO BUSINESS WITH AND IN THIS COUNTRY. END INTRODUCTION.
¶3. PERHAPS THE SINGLE DOMINANT ASPECT OF THE PERSIAN PSYCHE IS AN OVERRIDING EGOISM. ITS ANTECEDENTS LIE IN THE LONG IRANIAN HISTORY OF INSTABILITY AND INSECURITY WHICH PUT A PREMIUM ON SELF-PRESERVATION. THE PRACTICAL EFFECT OF IT IS AN ALMOST TOTAL PERSIAN PREOCCUPATION WITH SELF AND LEAVES LITTLE ROOM FOR UNDERSTANDING POINTS OF VIEW OTHER THAN ONE’S OWN. …
¶4. THE REVERSE OF THIS PARTICULAR PSYCHOLOGICAL COIN, AND HAVING THE SAME HISTORICAL ROOTS AS PERSIAN EGOISM, IS A PERVASIVE UNEASE ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE WORLD IN WHICH ONE LIVES. THE PERSIAN EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT NOTHING IS PERMANENT AND IT IS COMMONLY PERCEIVED THAT HOSTILE FORCES ABOUND. IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT EACH INDIVIDUAL MUST BE CONSTANTLY ALERT FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PROTECT HIMSELF AGAINST THE MALEVOLENT FORCES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE HIS UNDOING. HE IS OBVIOUSLY JUSTIFIED IN USING ALMOST ANY MEANS AVAILABLE TO EXPLOIT SUCH OPPORTUNITIES. THIS APPROACH UNDERLIES THE SOCALLED “BAZAAR MENTALITY” SO COMMON AMONG PERSIANS, A MIND-SET THAT OFTEN IGNORES LONGER TERM INTERESTS IN FAVOR OF IMMEDIATELY OBTAINABLE ADVANTAGES AND COUNTENANCES PRACTICES THAT ARE REGARDED AS UNETHICAL BY OTHER NORMS.
¶5. COUPLED WITH THESE PSYCHOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS IS A GENERAL INCOMPREHENSION OF CASUALITY. ISLAM, WITH ITS EMPHASIS ON THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD, APPEARS TO ACCOUNT AT LEAST IN MAJOR PART FOR THIS PHENOMENON. SOMEWHAT SURPRISINGLY, EVEN THOSE IRANIANS EDUCATED IN THE WESTERN STYLE AND PERHAPS WITH LONG EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE IRAN ITSELF FREQUENTLY HAVE DIFFICULTY GRASPING THE INTER-RELATIONSHIP OF EVENTS. WITNESS A YAZDI RESISTING THE IDEA THAT IRANIAN BEHAVIOR HAS CONSEQUENCES ON THE PERCEPTION OF IRAN IN THE U.S. OR THAT THIS PERCEPTION IS SOMEHOW RELATED TO AMERICAN POLICIES REGARDING IRAN. THIS SAME QUALITY ALSO HELPS EXPLAIN PERSIAN AVERSION TO ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONE’S OWN ACTIONS. THE DEUS EX MACHINA IS ALWAYS AT WORK.
¶6. THE PERSIAN PROCLIVITY FOR ASSUMING THAT TO SAY SOMETHING IS TO DO IT FURTHER COMPLICATES MATTERS. …
¶6. FINALLY, THERE ARE THE PERSIAN CONCEPTS OF INFLUENCE AND OBLIGATION. EVERYONE PAYS OBEISANCE TO THE FORMER AND THE LATTER IS USUALLY HONORED IN THE BREACH. PERSIANS ARE CONSUMED WITH DEVELOPING PARTI BAZI-THE INFLUENCE THAT WILL HELP GET THINGS DONE-WHILE FAVORS ARE ONLY GRUDGINGLY BESTOWED AND THEN JUST TO THE EXTENT THAT A TANGIBLE QUID PRO QUO IS IMMEDIATELY PRECEPTIBLE. FORGET ABOUT ASSISTANCE PROFERRED LAST YEAR OR EVEN LAST WEEK; WHAT CAN BE OFFERED TODAY?
¶7. THERE ARE SEVERAL LESSONS FOR THOSE WHO WOULD NEGOTIATE WITH PERSIANS IN ALL THIS:
- -FIRST, ONE SHOULD NEVER ASSUME THAT HIS SIDE OF THE ISSUE WILL BE RECOGNIZED, LET ALONE THAT IT WILL BE CONCEDED TO HAVE MERITS. PERSIAN PREOCCUPATION WITH SELF PRECLUDES THIS. A NEGOTIATOR MUST FORCE RECOGNITION OF HIS POSITION UPON HIS PERSIAN OPPOSITE NUMBER.
- -SECOND, ONE SHOULD NOT EXPECT AN IRANIAN READILY TO PERCEIVE THE ADVANTAGES OF A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP BASED ON TRUST. HE WILL ASSUME THAT HIS OPPOSITE NUMBER IS ESSENTIALLY AN ADVERSARY. IN DEALING WITH HIM HE WILL ATTEMPT TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS TO HIMSELF THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY OBTAINABLE. HE WILL BE PREPARED TO GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, INCLUDING RUNNING THE RISK OF SO ALIENATING WHOEVER HE IS DEALING WITH THAT FUTURE BUSINESS WOULD BE UNTHINKABLE, AT LEAST TO THE LATTER.
- -THIRD, INTERLOCKING RELATIONSHIPS OF ALL ASPECTS OF AN ISSUE MUST BE PAINSTAKINGLY, FORECEFULLY AND REPEATEDLY DEVELOPED. LINKAGES WILL BE NEITHER READILY COMPREHENDED NOR ACCEPTED BY PERSIAN NEGOTIATORS.
- -FOURTH, ONE SHOULD INSIST ON PERFORMANCE AS THE SINE QUA NON AT ESH STAGE OF NEGOTIATIONS. STATEMENTS OF INTENTION COUNT FOR ALMOST NOTHING.
- -FIFTH, CULTIVATION OF GOODWILL FOR GOODWILL’S SAKE IS A WASTE OF EFFORT. THE OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE AT ALL TIMES SHOULD BE IMPRESSING UPON THE PERSIAN ACROSS THE TABLE THE MUTUALITY OF THE PROPOSED UNDERTAKINGS, HE MUST BE MADE TO KNOW THAT A QUID PRO QUO IS INVOLVED ON BOTH SIDES.
- -FINALLY, ONE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE THREAT OF BREAKDOWN IN NEGOTIATIONS AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT AND NOT BE COWED BY THE POSSIBLITY. GIVEN THE PERSIAN NEGOTIATOR’S CULTURAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS, HE IS GOING TO RESIST THE VERY CONCEPT OF A RATIONAL (FROM THE WESTERN POINT OF VIEW) NEGOTIATING PROCESS.
I would guess that things are a little different now, only because the Iranian leadership is committed to a policy of lying about and hiding its nuclear program as a state-level function, not merely on the personal plane that this cable is speaking about. But it is still illuminating, and probably not far off from the truth.
The Iranians know about Facebook!
How long did the west expect to hide the truth from the mullahs?
American Thinker Blog
Ahmadinejad Tours Lebanon, Taunts Israel, While Iranians Stew at Home
In a provocative and divisive two day state
Ahmadinejad praised Lebanon as a “
Ahmadinejad’s visit provoked considerable anxiety among Lebanese, who fought a bloody 15 year civil war in the 1970s and 1980s that was exacerbated by foreign powers, including Iran, Syria, Israel, and the Palestinians. A group of 250 Lebanese political leaders, activists, and lawyers
Ahmadinejad’s high profile visit came at a time of rising tension in Lebanon. The U.N. special tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is soon expected to
Lebanon is one of the few places in the world where Iran’s truculent tyrant is hailed as a hero. Ahmadinejad has long since worn out his welcome in much of Iran, where he increasingly is vilified even by other Iranian hardliners, in addition to reformers in the opposition Green Movement. Iranian students and bazaar merchants, once important bases of support for Iran’s Islamist revolution, now have turned against the regime. Earlier this week, Iranian security officials
The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.
Ahmadinejad Tours Lebanon, Taunts Israel, While Iranians Stew at Home
In a provocative and divisive two day state
Ahmadinejad praised Lebanon as a “
Ahmadinejad’s visit provoked considerable anxiety among Lebanese, who fought a bloody 15 year civil war in the 1970s and 1980s that was exacerbated by foreign powers, including Iran, Syria, Israel, and the Palestinians. A group of 250 Lebanese political leaders, activists, and lawyers
Ahmadinejad’s high profile visit came at a time of rising tension in Lebanon. The U.N. special tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is soon expected to
Lebanon is one of the few places in the world where Iran’s truculent tyrant is hailed as a hero. Ahmadinejad has long since worn out his welcome in much of Iran, where he increasingly is vilified even by other Iranian hardliners, in addition to reformers in the opposition Green Movement. Iranian students and bazaar merchants, once important bases of support for Iran’s Islamist revolution, now have turned against the regime. Earlier this week, Iranian security officials
The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.
James Carville: If O’Donnell is Elected, Iranians Will Stone Masturbators to Death… or Something
**Written by Doug Powers
James Carville tossed off an odd assumption in his attempt to discredit Christine O’Donnell. Apparently the Democrats are making a concerted effort to court the massive “people who masturbate” voting bloc and have already conceded America to the Iranians:
James Carville and Dana Loesch sparred about that 1996 MTV tape where Christine O’Donnell compared masturbation to adultery.
“In terms of getting into the bedroom, this woman has run against masturbation. That seems to me to be a lot of government intrusion to be honest with you,” Carville said on “GMA.”
“She is a very fiscal conservative, she doesn’t believe in paying the bills, and she equated masturbation to adultery. If that is the case the Iranians would be stoning a lot of people in this country, I’ll tell you that,” he added.
And the Iranians would be here because…?
That aside, come on, James — think of how much money would be spared in the Obamacare budget due to the eradication of carpal-tunnel syndrome.
In Carville’s defense, considering who he spent years working for, James has spotless credentials when it comes to spinning the subject of adultery.
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
Iranians chant “U.S. pastor must be killed”
“This incident and previous incidents clearly show that what the global arrogance is attacking today is the foundation of Islam and the Holy Koran.” And yet the global arrogance has bent over backwards to make sure that no one got the idea that it is attacking Islam or the Qur’an. Khamenei assumes that the global arrogance is behind Terry Jones because in his country, no Terry Jones-like figure could arise without government backing.
Here again, the American government has a chance to condemn the madness of murdering and threatening murder over someone saying he was going to burn the Qur’an, and to stand for the freedom of expression. But it will once again squander this opportunity.
“Ayatollah Speaks of Plot to Abuse Koran,” by Robert F. Worth in the New York Times, September 13 (thanks to Benedict):
DAMASCUS, Syria — Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a fiery address on Monday accusing the United States government of orchestrating desecrations of the Koran by right-wing American Christian groups last weekend, Iranian state news agencies reported.
The speech appeared to be part of an effort by Iran’s hard-line leaders to amplify Muslim outrage over scattered gestures to burn or tear pages of the Koran, in the wake of the threat — later withdrawn — by Terry Jones, a Florida pastor, to burn the Koran on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In Tehran, about 1,000 protesters chanting “Death to America” and “U.S. pastor must be killed” clashed with the police and threw stones at the Swiss Embassy, Reuters reported. The Swiss have handled American interests in Iran ever since the United States severed diplomatic relations with Tehran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
After Iran’s state-owned Press TV ran reports about Koran desecrations in the United States, India blocked local cable operators from broadcasting the station in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where angry anti-American protests have taken place in recent days.
In his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei said “the leaders of the global arrogance” — a code for the United States among Iranian conservatives — had engineered the plot to desecrate the Koran, Press TV and other agencies reported. He added that “Zionist think tanks which hold the most influence in the United States government and its security and military organizations” were also involved.
Ayatollah Khamenei warned people not to believe that isolated right-wing American Christians were to blame, calling them “puppets” of the government. “This incident and previous incidents clearly show that what the global arrogance is attacking today is the foundation of Islam and the Holy Koran,” he said….
Iranians try to start a border incident between Israel and Lebanon
From The Daily Star
The Lebanese Army in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) removed five trees on the border with Israel upon an Israeli request.
The trees were planted as part of an Iran-funded project to improve the landscape of the southern borders. The Israeli Army had requested that the five trees on the Fatima Gate be cut down, claiming that they touched the wire fence that separated the two borders.
UNIFIL was tasked with convincing the Lebanese troops to cut the trees, media reports said.
It sounds like a normal request by Israel and a normal response by Lebanon, the way things should be.
The more interesting part is where the trees came from. From Ya Libnan:
The Lebanese army and United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon went on high alert on noon Tuesday over an Israeli request to cut down five trees planted on Monday by the Iranians as part of aid to Lebanon, according to newspaper reports.
So, after the fatal border ambush involving trees, an Iranian quasi-charity decides to place five full grown trees right on the Lebanese border - in a spot that would upset Israel.
This is reminiscent of Iran’s threats to send “aid” boats to Gaza after the Mavi Marmara. Iran is deliberately trying to provoke Israel into violence, and they are keen to repeat any situation that makes Israel look bad.
In more general terms, Iran is acting in a passive-aggressive manner, doing everything they can to create mayhem and then innocently saying, “Don’t blame us! We didn’t do anything!”
