Iran students say time for U.S. to change policy

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

TEHERAN - Nariman Mostafavi says many Iranian students no longer hold the fierce anti-American views that drove their predecessors to seize the U.S. embassy in 1979.

Now the student activist says it's time for Washington to change and consider new policies toward the Islamic Republic.

As Barack Obama moves into the White House promising more engagement with Iran's rulers while threatening tougher sanctions, the radicalism of the embassy hostage-takers has given way to cautious hope among many in Iran's universities.

"If Obama sticks to his promise of change, there will be hope for the establishment of ties," said Mostafavi, who advocates reform in the Islamic Republic.

...

"The election of Obama is only one factor," said Reza Sharifi, a member of Iran's main reformist student body. "Healing ties also greatly depends on who takes power in Iran."

Read more: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2009/January/middleeast_January386.xml§ion=middleeast

[ensho]

1. I too hope Obama will not consider Iran an enemy

more power to the students

[toopers]

2. Since Iran is the primary funders of Hezbollah . . .

I have to disagree with you. We need to send the message that when the students are ready to take their country back that we will support them.

[stillcool]

3. That is rich...

How about if the United States gets out of the region, and quits telling Iranian students what they need to do. You don't like their country, don't go there.

[harun]

4. U.S. is primary funder of Israel. How bout if they stop the funding we do to?

[toopers]

7. If we stopped funding Israel . . .

then there would be no Jews in the Middle East. Probably acceptable to you.

[harun]

8. There has been Jews in the Middle East for at least the last 10,000

years. They didn't need U.S. funds to do it either.

[toopers]

9. You really are naive.

eom

[harun]

10. Not naive, just better informed and less brain-washed than you.

[toopers]

11. I am a student of history . . .

and while there have been Jews in the middle east they have always been persecuted by another religion, whether it be Christianity or Islam. It seems the fervor to cleanse the middle east of jews has grown more and more since the beginning of the 20th century.

[thewiseguy]

5. You seem to be stuck in 1970s

[Chulanowa]

12. Hezbollah's not a problem if Israel keeps the fuck out of Lebanon

It's really not that much to ask.

[Mudoria]

6. Perhaps the leadership of the Iranian government

should change some of their policies as well.