Going Small: The Case For ‘Minilateralism’ on Iran

Picco, the veteran UN negotiator who helped free 11 Western hostages in Lebanon, argues for a direct US channel with Iran. He writes that the trend in successful conflict resolution is minilateralism, not multilateralism, and understanding the narrative of who you are dealing with.
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks on the phone with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the Oval Office in this September 28, 2012 White House handout photograph. Obama and Netanyahu expressed solidarity on the goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, the White House said on Friday, amid signs of easing tensions over their differences on how to confront Tehran. REUTERS/Pete Souza/The White House/Handout (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONL
US President Barack Obama speaks on the phone with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the Oval Office on Sept. 28, 2012. Obama and Netanyahu expressed solidarity on the goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, the White House said. - REUTERS/Pete Souza/The White House/Handout
Giandomenico Picco

There is some buzz about the prospects for a direct US-Iran diplomatic channel, which is long overdue.

When asked Wednesday, President Barack Obama said, “I will try to make a push in the coming months to see if we can open up a dialogue between Iran and not just us, but the international community, to see if we can get this things resolved.”

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