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Foreign affairs

By Frank Kuznik
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
February 14th, 2007 issue

On Feb. 11, 1989, Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini declared a new provisional government after the overthrow of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, launching the establishment of the modern Islamic republic of Iran. On Monday this week, the Iranian Embassy in Prague held a reception to mark the 28th anniversary of the event.

There was no spirit of revolution in the air, just the hot, crowded atmosphere of a typical embassy reception on a rainy February night. There was no reminder of the American hostages taken in ’89, nor any hint of the unpleasantness swirling around Iran these days — the controversy over its nuclear development program, UN-imposed economic sanctions and, just the day before, accusations from the United States that Iran is supplying deadly weapons to Iraqi insurgents.
Instead, there were Iranian officials who could not have been more deferential or polite, starting with Chargé d’Affaires Majid Nili greeting visitors just inside the door. Nili gave the only speech of the evening, a brief set of remarks (delivered in English and Czech) noting the 70-year relationship between the Czech Republic and Iran, and assuring everyone of the latter’s good will.
“We want to maintain peace and stability all around the world, especially in the Middle East,” Nili said.
Nili’s comments would no doubt have raised eyebrows, if not drawn outright snorts of derision, from many Western diplomats. But few of them were at the reception. Instead, the overflow crowd from Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, India, Pakistan and other points east was a reminder that much of the world views Iran primarily as an economic partner, not a gathering military threat.
According to Economic Affairs Attaché Asghar Omidi, who worked the crowd as smoothly as any Western pro, the Czech Republic did $98 million worth of business with Iran in 2005, double the trade volume of the previous year. By Omidi’s estimate, Iran did $35 billion worth of business last year with more than 120 other countries around the world — the highest level of foreign investment ever in Iran.
“Many big companies are interested in the Iranian market,” he boasted, which is about 70 million people domestically and 350 million in the region.
Omidi waxed enthusiastic about a “big gas and oil contract” Iran has just signed with Shell, and said ministers from Iran, Pakistan and India are putting the finishing touches on an agreement for a pipeline that will ship gas from Iran to India. “We call it the ‘peace pipeline’ linking these three countries,” Omidi said proudly.
Despite nearly daily reports that economic sanctions are starting to take a toll on Iran, Omidi shrugged off any suggestion that they could inflict serious damage.
“The most important thing in the world today is economics, not politics,” he insisted. “Everybody is trying to boost their economy, and nobody cares about orders that come from others. Many European companies are strongly against the sanctions, and so are their governments. They are not going to be involved in political games.”
That was the closest anyone came to an aggressive posture. Otherwise it was white-gloved waiters collecting drink glasses, generous buffet tables and shop talk among the diplomatic and military attachés. But for the portraits of ayatollahs on the walls, it could have been a national-day reception at any embassy in town.
As it wound down, Nili was still at his post by the door, shaking hands with departing guests. Asked how he felt the evening went, he said, “Describe it as you wish. I leave it completely in your hands.”
So here goes: High marks for hospitality and old-fashioned diplomacy. An A-plus for PR, especially the economic pitch. And a gold star for welcoming an American and acting like our two countries aren’t at each other’s throats.
If only it were that simple in the real world.

Frank Kuznik can be reached at fkuznik@praguepost.com


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