ISTANBUL — In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor on the afternoon of July 21, veteran US diplomat James Dobbins spoke about whether — and where — Iran and the United States can work together on regional issues. Ambassador Dobbins was the US point man in one of the most successful instances of Iranian-American cooperation in the 21st century. At the 2001 Bonn Conference, he worked closely with current Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other major players to lay the foundations of a new Afghan government after the overthrow of the Taliban.
An edited transcript follows below: