BALANCING PRESSURE WITH DIPLOMACY:
U.S. STRATEGY WITH IRAN AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE
“Bridges to the World” with Ambassador Pickering and Ms. Mathews
September 18, 10:00 am
SPEAKERS
BIOGRAPHIES
Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering is a core member of The Iran Project and one of the U.S.’s most
successful career diplomats. During a diplomatic career spanning four decades and all of the major
continents, Ambassador Pickering reached the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest in the U.S.
Foreign Service.
Jessica Tuchman Mathews is President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and also
serves on The Iran Project. Before her appointment in 1997, her career included posts in both the
executive and legislative branches of government, in management and research in the nonprofit arena,
and in journalism and science policy.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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Ambassador Thomas Pickering:
o Official biography, U.S. Department of State, http://www.state.gov/s/p/fapb/185596.htm
o Appearances on C-Span, http://www.c-spanvideo.org/thomaspickering
Ms. Jessica Mathews:
o Official biography, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace,
http://carnegieendowment.org/experts/?fa=18
TOPIC
OVERVIEW
Iran is a uniquely important country in the Middle East. Its cultural ties to Shia Islam make it
increasingly crucial to the relationship between the United States and Shia-dominated Iraq. Its
geographic position in the center of the Middle East and on the Strait of Hormuz allows the country to
affect trade through the Persian Gulf and throughout the region. Its oil wealth rivals that of Saudi
Arabia, and its nuclear program is creating anxiety throughout the world.
The Iran Project works to change the tone of the U.S.-Iran relationship and promote dialogue between
this strategic country and the U.S. The Iran Project seeks to improve official contacts between the
governments of the United States and Iran. The organization has three main objectives: to promote an
official U.S.-Iran dialogue, to develop a peaceful resolution to the nuclear standoff, and to encourage
greater cooperation between the U.S. and Iran for greater regional stability.
MINI-LESSON
The following is adapted from:
Goodhue, Frederick. “Lesson Plan.” Nuclear Ambitions: The United States and Iran at Odds. PBS.
March 2009. Web. 3 September 2013.
< http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/world/iran_0311.html>
Objective: Students will:
 Place Iran in a regional context using geographic and economic data.
 Assess U.S./Iranian relations over the past 60 years.
 Develop an understanding of Iran’s nuclear weapons stance in an historical context.
Procedure:
Provide students with an overview of several aspects of Iran's national profile. You can print out or point
students to the State Department and/or CIA country data pages, or give students a quick overview
yourself. Especially important will be to emphasize Iran's Persian/Shia heritage in contrast to the
previous Baathist regime in Iraq with the minority, but powerful, Sunni. Also make sure that students
are aware of the Iran’s current stance on nuclear weapons: the country is developing sites to enrich
uranium, a material necessary in producing nuclear weapons, while stockpiling it. The United Nations
has demanded that Iran halt uranium enrichment and allow inspectors to visit certain sites, a demand
which Iran has refused. At the same time, however, newly-elected President Hassan Rouhani has called
for renewed talks with the U.S. about its nuclear program.
Break students into four working groups and assign one topic to each from the list below:
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British/US coup against the Mossadegh regime in 1953
The 1979 revolution that overthrew the Shah.
The Iran/Iraq war during the 1980s
The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and subsequent Iranian involvement
Provide the appropriate “Topic Overview” summary to each group, as well as one copy of the “Case
Study Analysis” worksheet. Have groups complete in class. (For guidance on possible answers, see
attached “Case Study Analysis Guidance” for teachers.) The intent of this assignment is to identify
stages in the development of the US/Iranian relationship that shapes the nuclear disagreement today.
If time allows, ask groups to present their findings at the conclusion of the class period, or ask groups to
present at the beginning of the next class period.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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The Iran Project:
o Homepage, http://theiranproject.org/
o Report by Iran Project (April 2013), “Strategic Options for Iran: Balancing Pressure with
Diplomacy,” http://www.scribd.com/doc/136389836/Strategic-Options-for-IranBalancing-Pressure-with-Diplomacy#fullscreen
Iran-U.S. Engagement:
o American Foreign Policy Project, http://americanforeignpolicy.org/
o Video interview (transcript available) with News Hour (June 17, 2013), “How Will Iran’s
New President Impact Relations with the U.S.?”
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
http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/06/17/how-will-iran-s-new-president-impactrelations-with-u.s/gawl
Iran and the Nuclear Question:
o “Iran’s Nuclear Program,” New York Times Interactive Site,
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iran/nuclear_pro
gram/index.html
o News article, Reuters (Aug. 28, 2013), “Iran Expands Nuclear Capacity, Delays Sensitive
Reactor: IAEA,” http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/28/us-iran-nuclear-iaeaidUSBRE97R0LZ20130828
o Academic paper, “Iran’s Nuclear Odyssey: Costs and Risks,”
http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/04/02/iran-s-nuclear-odyssey-costs-and-risks/fvui
Iran and Current Events:
o Op-Ed, Combating Terrorism Center (Aug. 27, 2013), “Iran’s Unwavering Support to
Assad’s Syria,” http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/08/27/iran-s-unwavering-support-toassad-s-syria/gkh4
o Op-Ed, The Washington Post (June 17, 2013), “Did Sanctions Shape the Iranian
Election?” http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mehdi-khalaji-did-sanctions-shapethe-iranian-election/2013/06/17/dd8a9140-d77d-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html
ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS
Students will be able to ask questions of one or both speakers after their presentations. To prepare
students for this role, share the following tips with them:
 Do research before the event, and involve this deeper understanding of the topic in your
questions.
 Don’t let assumptions – the speaker’s, or the audience’s - go unstated or unchallenged. Don’t be
afraid to ask the speaker to clarify something or to make the steps of their argument explicit.
 Remember that this is your chance to get one of the most informed perspectives on Iran-U.S.
relations in the world – if there is something that you want to know, ask!
Adapted from:
“How to Ask Good Questions.” Writing Guides. Bowdoin College. n.d. Web. 3 September 2013.
< http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/how%20to%20ask%20good%20questions.htm>