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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| US allows AIC to operate in Iran |
| 2008-10-03 |
| Washington has granted the American Iranian Council (AIC), a non-governmental organization, permission to open an office in Tehran. Established to improve relations between Iran and the US in 1997, the AIC has been duly licensed to establish an office in Iran. According to the AIC, it is the only US-based conflict resolution NGO to receive authorization to work in Iran. Permission was granted by the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which is responsible for enforcing US economic and trade sanctions against Iran. "The American Iranian Council-Iran will use this great opening to more effectively to advance its mission of promoting dialogue and understanding between the peoples and governments of Iran and the United States at a time of immense promise and peril for their relations," said Hooshang Amirahmadi, AIC founder and president. This latest development move comes after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said in interviews in recent months that Tehran would be open to relations with the US, if Washington makes a real effort to rectify its position towards Tehran. "Today, we see new behavior shown by the United States and the officials of the United States. My question is, is such behavior rooted in a new approach?" the Iranian president told NBC in late July. If so, "we will be facing a new situation and the response by the Iranian people will be a positive one," he said, speaking from Tehran. Washington severed diplomatic ties with Tehran in 1980. |
| Posted by:Fred |