October 14th, 2011
08:03 PM ET
Meet the U.S. 'protecting power' in Iran
In the absence of diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran, Switzerland serves as the "protecting power" for U.S. interests inside Iran. CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jill Dougherty had a chance to speak with the Swiss Ambassador to Iran, Livia Leu Agosti, while she was in Washington. What it is like representing U.S. interests to a government that is not friendly with Washington? Check it out.
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
The US has no diplomats, only politicians and warriors and lots of gullible people. The US has talked to the USSR, China, Vietnam etc. but can't talk to Iran? Pathetic!
I think it would be like trying to negotiate with Nazi Germany. They want to dominate the region (at least). They want us to back off and leave them to their plans. They know that it is politically impossible for us to use military force against them unless there is a huge provocation. The only thing they fear is Israel and the Arab Spring.
Iran is NOTHING like Nazi Germany. Nazi Germany went around attacking its neighbors. Iran has not attacked another country in an unprovoked first strike in centuries. They may want to dominate the region, but so do we. As long as they don't attack any of their neighbors unprovoked they are doing nothing wrong. As far as your statement about the only thing they fear is Israel, that's laughable – I don't know how you come to that conclusion nor how you can demonstrate any truthfulness to it especially given the fact that they seem to be ignoring Israel's antics. It sounds more like you would like them to fear Israel.