After rare visit, ex-U.S. lawmaker says Iran yearns for respect
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 10 February 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, After rare visit, ex-U.S. lawmaker says Iran yearns for respect, 10 February 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5509406012.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
February 10, 2015
A former U.S. congressman who made a rare visit to Iran in December says President Hassan Rohani and his inner circle are "deeply committed" to improving Tehran's relationship with the United States.
Jim Slattery, a Kansas Democrat who served in the House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995, said he believes that if those efforts fail, "we are likely to see the return of a much more hard-line government in Iran."
Slattery spoke at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington on February 9.
He said his visit followed the first invitation extended to a sitting or former U.S. lawmaker since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Slattery said, "The Iranians are deeply concerned about respect," calling it "the one thing they yearn for."
Slattery told RFE/RL in January that he was guardedly optimistic about the prospects for a deal to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear program, which Western governments fear could lead to nuclear weapons.
Based on reporting by The Guardian and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website