Iran's dentist to the stars offers views on US

TEHRAN, Iran ? Prior to the Islamic revolution, Iran and America shared very good relations. The former Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, had an army with modern hardware supplied by the U.S. There were direct flights between New York City and Tehran and the city was full of hotels run by major American chains.

A special NBC News series: What The World Thinks of U.S. Click here for more information

But the once-friendly relations between the two nations came to a screeching halt in 1979 when cleric-led radicals ousted the U.S.-backed shah and the subsequent Iran hostage crisis when 52 Americans were held in the U.S. embassy for 444 days.�

These days, Iranians? relations with America are somewhat schizophrenic ? the government is stridently anti-American, but many Iranians are not.�That is the opposite of other countries in the region where governments receive large amounts of money and military hardware from the U.S., but whose people generally dislike America.

Tehran?s dentist to the stars
A popular dentist in an affluent part of Tehran represents the love-hate relationship many Iranians feel toward the U.S.

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In his Park Avenue-style dental practice, the latest Newsweek, Time and Architectural Digest magazines are on offer in the waiting room. A large flat-screen TV sits on the wall, along with an expansive fish tank and a framed dentistry degree from New York University.�

Iranians are consumers who love brand names ? even when it comes to their dental care. When a friend of mine introduced me to the dentist, he told me he is the guy to go to if I wanted to brag about where I get my teeth cleaned. He is, in essence, Tehran?s equivalent of a Beverly Hills ?dentist to the stars.?

A large part of his reputation comes not just from the fact that he has all the latest, modern dentistry equipment, but that he was trained in the U.S. and offers Western-style service. He was educated in dentistry at NYU and lived, worked and studied from the East Coast to West Coast.

Sporting fashionable glasses, a crisp blue button-down shirt and tie, the dentist, who is in his mid-40s, agreed to speak with me on the condition of anonymity. �

?I am who I am because of my education in the States,? said the dentist. ?I am very American, but my view on U.S. politics is very different.?

I asked him what he thought about the tough economic sanctions being imposed on Iran ? which block access to the international banking system and hurt�sales of Iranian crude oil ? as a way to persuade Tehran to abandon its nuclear program.

Iranians feel the pain of sanctions: 'Everything has doubled in price'

?Why are there sanctions against Iran?? he said. ?Wasn?t it America that helped Iran fire up its nuclear program 35 years ago? The sanctions just hurt ordinary people.?�

At the same time, he praised Iranians? resilience.

?After 30 years of sanctions, embargoes, war and threats of war, Iran has kept its head above water,? he said. ?Most other countries would have collapsed, but Iranians have found ways to circumvent these problems; they help each other.?

NBC News speaks with citizens from around the globe, asking the question, 'What Does America Mean to You?'

The dentist believes that one reason for� misunderstanding between America and Iran is that Americans have little real information on Iran ? that they know only what they see on TV, which is often a very small part of the bigger picture.

For years, he says, he tried to convince American colleagues to give lectures on dentistry in Iran, but that they were reluctant to do so because of their perceptions. When one of them finally agreed to come, and experienced the famous Iranian hospitality and warmth, his perception of Iran changed very quickly.

Asked why he came back to Iran about eight years ago after spending most of his life in the States, he said he just felt like something was missing, adding that he loves Tehran because it?s like New York City ? a noisy, fast-paced 24/7 place.

Steve Jobs photos on the wall
The desire for brand names in Iran that signify Western quality goes beyond dentistry.�

Mohsen, who agreed to speak with me on condition that only his first name be used, owns an electrical goods store in Tehran selling mostly black market Apple products. (Typically, Apple, as well as other imported goods that would be subject to U.S. embargoes, come into Iran via Dubai and the Persian Gulf. They are sold openly in stores in Tehran).�

He said that most Iranians love American products and culture and that personally he longs for the day that the two countries have normal relations.

Then a frown appeared on his face. ?But,? he said, ?they do things that even rub a moderate person, like me, the wrong way.?

?I read an article yesterday about an Iranian-American who went into an Apple store in the States and wanted to buy an iPad to send to her uncle in Tehran. When the sales person found out she was Iranian and wanted to send the iPad to Iran, the store refused to sell it to her,? he said.

?This is crazy! I sell 50 iPads and iPhones here a week. I have a picture of Steve Jobs on the wall! These sorts of things don?t do any good for relations between Iranian and American people.?�

The story Mohsen related was widely reported in the U.S. An Apple employee in Atlanta declined to sell an iPad to an Iranian-American customer, citing company policy that aims to comply with U.S. trade sanctions with Iran that can lead to individual fines of up to $250,000. �

Iran trade sanctions get personal in Apple stores��

In the meantime, Mohsen?s Apple products will have to remain on the black market.�

Still, not all Iranians have such a moderate view towards the U.S. Hussein, a hard-line student at Tehran University, has a very negative view of the States. (He also spoke on condition that only his first name be used.)

?All America has done is try to bully Iran, chip away at its nuclear rights and steal our oil,? Hussein said.

?I don?t think we should be talking to the Americans because ultimately they want our demise,? he said. ?Throughout history, they have interfered in our country, only harming us. We have nothing in common.?

This story is part of a series by msnbc.com and NBC News�"What the World Thinks of US". The series aims to check the pulse on current perceptions of America's global stature during the election year and ahead of our annual Independence Day.

Share your thoughts about this story and our series on Twitter using�#AmericaMeans�

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Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/29/12480387-irans-dentist-to-the-stars-offers-views-on-us?lite

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Nations launch closed-door formal talks on Syria aimed at finding way past violence

GENEVA ? �Russian's desire to keep its last remaining ally in the Middle East collided head-long with the United States' desire to remove President Bashar Assad and replace him with a democracy at a pivotal United Nations-brokered conference Saturday seeking a political solution to the violence in Syria.

Efforts at bridging the Russian-U.S. divide over Syria held the key to international envoy Kofi Annan's plan for easing power away from Assad's grip and ending 16 months of horrific violence in Syria before it erupts into full-blown civil war.

Without agreement among the major powers on how to form a transitional government for Syria, Assad's regime which is Iran's closest ally would be emboldened to try to remain in power indefinitely ? and that would also complicate the U.S. aim of preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

At talks Friday night, top U.S. and Russian diplomats remained deadlocked over the negotiating text to agree on guidelines and principles for "a Syria-led transition."

Hopes have centered on persuading Russia, which is Syria's most important ally, protector and supplier of arms, to agree to a plan that would end the Assad family dynasty that has ruled Syria for more than four decades. But the Russians want Syria alone to be the master of its fate, at a time when Assad's regime and the opposition are increasingly bitterly polarized.

"Ultimately, we want to stop the bloodshed in Syria. If that comes through political dialogue, we are willing to do that," said Khalid Saleh, a spokesman for the Syrian National Council, a coalition of Syrian opposition groups in Istanbul, Turkey. "We are not willing to negotiate (with) Mr. Assad and those who have murdered Syrians. We are not going to negotiate unless they leave Syria."

The negotiating text for the multinational conference calls for establishing a transitional government of national unity, with full executive powers, that could include members of Assad's government and the opposition and other groups. It would oversee the drafting of a new constitution and elections.

But the text that would serve as the framework for Annan's peace efforts also would "exclude from government those whose continued presence and participation would undermine the credibility of the transition and jeopardize stability and reconciliation."

Foreign ministers from all five of the permanent, veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council ? Britain, China, France, Russia and the U.S. ? converged at the U.N.'s European headquarters in the sprawling Palais des Nations overlooking Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc. Russia and China have twice use their council veto to shield Syria from U.N. sanctions.

For his "Action Group on Syria," U.N.-Arab League envoy Annan also invited Turkey, the U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, the European Union and Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar as heads of three groups within the League of Arab States.

Major regional players Iran and Saudi Arabia were not invited. The Russians objected to the Saudis, who support the Syrian opposition. The U.S. objected to the Islamic Republic, which supports Assad's regime.

Much of the work remains to be hammered out by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who met for an hour in St. Petersburg before sharing dinner Friday before Clinton left Russia. Lavrov predicted the meeting had a "good chance" of finding a way forward, despite the grim conditions on the ground.

Russia insists that outsiders cannot order a political solution for Syria, while the U.S. is adamant that Assad should not be allowed to remain in power at the top of the transitional government.

But Clinton said Thursday in Riga, Latvia, that all participants in the Geneva meeting, including Russia, were on board with the transition plan. She told reporters that the invitations made clear that representatives "were coming on the basis of (Annan's) transition plan."

The uprising in Syria since March of last year has killed some 14,000 people and Syria has shot down a Turkish warplane. Turkey has responded by setting up anti-aircraft guns on its border with Syria. On Friday, Syrian troops shelled a suburb of Damascus, killing an estimated 125 civilians and 60 soldiers.

The United Nations says the violence in Syria has worsened since a cease-fire deal in April and the bloodshed appears to be taking on dangerous sectarian overtones, with growing numbers of Syrians targeted on account of their religion. The increasing militarization of both sides in the conflict has Syria heading toward civil war.

Source: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/world/~3/7rCineEw5Qw/

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Hong Kong reporter upsets Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit with Tiananmen question

HONG KONG ? �A Hong Kong reporter has briefly thrown Chinese President Hu Jintao's tightly scripted visit to the semiautonomous city off course by asking about the 1989 military crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square.

The reporter for the Apple Daily newspaper was detained Saturday for about 15 minutes by several security officers, who told him he was noisy and had broken rules.

Hu was touring a new cruise ship terminal when the reporter asked loudly from behind a security cordon whether he was aware of Hong Kong residents' concerns about the 1989 crackdown, in which hundreds, possibly more, were killed.

Hu didn't respond. The encounter was shown on local television.

The incident underscores the widening tensions between Hong Kong and its mainland rulers 15 years after the end of British colonial rule.

Source: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/world/~3/QLN2yqO9tYQ/

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Post-revolution Egyptians to US: Stay out

CAIRO ? There is a local advertisement in the arrivals hall at Cairo International Airport. The ad shows a picture of Egypt's iconic Tahrir Square, packed during the revolution, with a quote from U.S. President Barack Obama: "We should raise our children to be like Egyptian youth.?

A special NBC News series: What The World Thinks of U.S. Click here for more information

The quote from Obama was shortly after Egyptians had revolted and toppled long-time dictator and American ally Hosni Mubarak. The ad reflects a sense of pride Egyptians have about how they inspired the world, including the U.S. president. It also shows how a genuine acknowledgment from the U.S. goes a long way in Egypt.

But when it comes to their attitudes about America?s involvement in their country?s affairs, few Egyptians view the U.S. favorably, and or more importantly, with any trust.

U.S. seen as a meddler
Egypt's relationship with America goes back decades. But Egypt was cemented as a cornerstone of U.S. policy in the Middle East after its Camp David Peace Treaty with Israel. Following that, the U.S. bankrolled the Mubarak regime and the military that sustained the regime for 30 years.

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That?s not lost on ordinary Egyptians. They may not know the intricacies of U.S. policy in Egypt, but intuitively they know that the U.S. backed and legitimized the man who oppressed them for three decades.

NBC News

Alaa El Din Mohamed, a taxi cab driver in Cairo, shares his views about the U.S..

So it should come as no surprise that most Egyptians view U.S. involvement in Egypt negatively.

A recent Gallup poll found 81 percent of Egyptians oppose American aid to political groups. And 84 percent of Egyptians surveyed doubt the U.S. is serious about spreading democracy in the region. The overwhelming majority of Egyptians reject both U.S. aid to civil society organizations and economic assistance to the country as a whole. They see U.S. aid as instruments used to manipulate Egypt?s domestic and foreign policies.

Alaa El Din Mohamed, a 34-year-old taxi driver, summed up his current views on the U.S.

?We are looking out for our country?s interests. For Egypt's interests we want stability, we want to work, we want to advance forward. We don't have any problems with the U.S., but we're just interested in our own country,? he said. ?We want to be able to stand on our own two feet.� We want to look forward and then afterwards we can think about the U.S.?

And yet, despite the negative attitude, the U.S. as a country and Americans as a people remain symbols of democracy, freedom and modernity in the eyes of many ordinary Egyptians.

NBC News speaks with citizens from around the globe, asking the question, 'What Does America Mean to You?'

?The U.S. is a developed, advanced country and organized. Everything there is civilized that's what comes to my mind in regards to the U.S.,? Hala Abdel Rahman, a 50-year-old housewife, said when asked about her impressions of the country. ?We would hope and wish that Egypt can become a developed country like the U.S.?

Many Egyptians are still drawn to the idea of the U.S. as the ?land of opportunity? with thousands going there yearly to pursue educational opportunities and seek a better life.

Living in America still resonates loudly with Egyptians who believe most Americans enjoy a decent quality of life. In fact, many here draw a distinction between Americans and American foreign policy.

NBC News

Mona Bayoumi had high hopes for U.S. President Barack Obama and how he could improve things in the Middle East, but she said she's been disappointed.

?America as a people and stuff are really good people, they have values and are good people,? said Mohamed, the cab driver. ?But the most important thing is they don?t interfere in our country.?

Feeling let down by Obama
During the Egyptian revolution, I remember seeing a poster in Cairo?s Tahrir Square that read, ?Yes We Can, Too,? playing off of Obama?s 2008 presidential campaign slogan that change is possible.

Today, many people in Egypt feel let down by Obama who they believe was slow to respond to the Egyptian people?s own calls for change during the revolution. Others believe Obama hasn?t followed through on his promise to change how the U.S. deals with the Middle East ? from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to Iran.

Mona Bayoumi, a 25-year-old administrator a Cairo arts college, believes there is a gap between what the U.S. promises and what it does.

?At the beginning when President Obama first came, we had a lot of hope that things would improve and be fixed ? especially with Iraq and Iran,? said Bayoumi. ?But we waited for something to happen and we didn't see anything...To be honest nothing that we expected to happen happened and nothing that we wanted happened.?

In a country of 85 million people, gauging the public?s attitudes is always a challenge.

But the underlying principle in how Egyptians view the U.S. is simple. After decades of being on the receiving end of U.S. foreign policy that arguably didn?t improve the quality of their lives, nor advance their own interests, Egyptians want to chart their own future with as little help from Washington as possible.

Whether the U.S. lets them is a whole different question.

This story is part of a series by msnbc.com and NBC News�"What the World Thinks of US". The series aims to check the pulse on current perceptions of America's global stature during the election year and ahead of our annual Independence Day.

Share your thoughts about this story and our series on Twitter using�#AmericaMeans�

Iran's dentist to the stars offers views on US

For many Pakistanis, 'USA' means 'drones'�

One man's mission: Promote Chinese patriotism in the face of Western onslaught

In South Africa: 'My head says China is number one, my heart says America'

Not all Thais are Gaga about America

Family moves from the Bronx to Jerusalem, but US remains land of 'liberty and freedom'

Palestinian: US supports 'an apartheid system that is suffocating us'�

Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/29/12484117-post-revolution-egyptians-to-us-stay-out?lite

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European Leaders Move Toward Deals for Spain and Italy

BRUSSELS ? European leaders went a surprising distance on Friday toward restoring confidence in the euro, taking a significant step toward economic integration and easing market pressure on Spain and Italy, as what appeared to be a new coalition of forces pushed Germany to bend.

But questions quickly arose about what precisely the leaders had agreed to and whether they would deal with the most fundamental problems of the euro zone, its structural imbalances and lack of a lender of last resort. While Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany ceded some ground by agreeing to direct refinancing of banks, she did not yield on the issue of sharing debt burdens, which is highly unpopular with German voters but is seen by many economists as a necessary step in saving the currency.

?In a nutshell, we think that the Europeans have cracked open more doors than we thought, but they still have a lot on their plate,? said Gilles Mo�c, an economist at Deutsche Bank in London. ?The discussion on fiscal integration and debt mutualization has not started in earnest.?

At the latest all-night summit since the beginning of the long euro crisis, the leaders made a breakthrough toward more central control over their banking system, a crucial aspect to the stability of the common currency. They also moved swiftly to grant their bailout funds more flexibility to come to the rescue of Spain and potentially Italy, the fourth and third-largest economies in the euro zone, respectively, because they are too big to fail.

But the meeting also marked an important shift in the foundation of the euro zone, with France, under the new Socialist president, Fran�ois Hollande, breaking from the traditional lock step with Germany. Working more in partnership with Prime Minister Mario Monti of Italy than with Ms. Merkel, Mr. Hollande helped isolate Germany and broker the deal for Italy and Spain, which breaks a previous German taboo on direct recapitalization of ailing banks, and makes a beginning, however small, toward pooling of liabilities.

Financial markets rallied Friday, suggesting the measures had exceeded admittedly low expectations. The president of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, who has not shied from criticizing political inaction, called himself ?quite pleased with the outcome.? He added, ?It showed the long-term commitment to the euro by all member states of the euro area.?

In return for allowing the direct recapitalization of banks by the bailout funds, Germany won agreement on a single banking supervisory agency, with the European Central Bank playing a central role, a shift bringing it closer to the powers of the United States Federal Reserve.

Agreement on the bank authority was ?the major breakthrough? of the night and a key step in breaking ?the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns,? said the European Council president, Herman Van Rompuy. While the long euro crisis has been centered on excessive government debt, European banks have been weakened by their portfolios of government bonds, made worse in Spain, as in Ireland, by a property bubble that burst.

Spain has asked for a bailout of up to $125 billion for its banks, but objected to that new debt being added to its national debt, rather than directed to the banks themselves. Investors agreed, pushing Spanish and, in a ripple effect, Italian debt toward unsustainable levels. Italy?s total debt is about 120 percent of gross domestic product, second only to Greece in the euro zone.

The new deal will let the bailout funds lend directly to Spanish banks ? although not until the new central bank supervisor is established ? probably by the end of the year. Spain also would not get a lot of onerous new conditions because it, like Italy, is making serious strides to streamline its government and economy and cut its deficit. Also important to investors, in the case of Spain, the bailout fund will not be the first in line for repayment, in the event of default.

?We have taken decisions unthinkable just some months ago,? said Jos� Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission.

Mr. Monti, who emerged a winner from the summit meeting, said that Italy had no immediate plans to seek help from the bailout funds, but might in the future.

He and the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, held up agreement at the meeting until the early hours of Friday, when they got a deal on the use of the bailout funds. Some of the leaders resented what they felt was blackmail, but others saw it as a hard-nosed negotiating tactic by Mr. Monti, a former European commissioner and highly respected economist.

Prime Minister Enda Kenny of Ireland described the agreement as ?a seismic shift in European policy,? after having won a promise that Ireland?s bailout for its collapsed banking sector could be adjusted as well.

In a research note, the bank BNP Paribas wrote that while the agreement on using bailout funds to purchase debt was a positive development, it also noted that ?the details are rather lacking? and warned that this fact ?could temper the initial market enthusiasm.? The uncertainty was underscored on Friday when Mr. Hollande said that future bank bailouts could be authorized without the unanimous consent of the euro zone members, making such rescues far easier. But that interpretation was immediately disputed by European Union officials, who could find no such stipulation in the fine print.

Reporting was contributed by James Kanter in Brussels and Melissa Eddy in Berlin.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=a25979ac07bda0f685b41c6530e2d291

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Greek militant group claims Microsoft attack

ATHENS | Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:02pm EDT

ATHENS (Reuters) - A little-known leftist militant group claimed responsibility on Friday for an attack on Microsoft's Greek headquarters earlier this week.

Hooded attackers rammed a van packed with gas canisters into the Microsoft building in Athens on Wednesday and then set the vehicle on fire, causing damage but no injuries.

At least two people wielding pistols and a machinegun kept security guards away as they carried out the attack, police said.

In a statement published on the Internet, the International Revolutionary Front said it singled out Microsoft to strike a blow at capitalism.

"We chose this building because Microsoft is one of the most powerful companies of the computer sector ... which is now carrying capitalism on its shoulders," it said.

The group said it also carried out the attack as a sign of support to other militants currently detained by police in Greece and Italy.

The statement made mention of Ted Kaczynski, also known as the "Unabomber", who conducted a mail bomb campaign in the United States over almost 20 years.

Arson attacks against domestic and foreign banks and local politicians have become more frequent in Greece in recent years as the country battles soaring unemployment and struggles through a recession deepened by austerity policies imposed by foreign lenders.

The International Revolutionary Front made its first appearance last year, carrying out arson attacks on the private vehicles of policemen as well as on a branch of U.S. fast-food chain McDonald's.

"We are taking the claim seriously and are investigating its authenticity," a police official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

(Reporting by Harry Papachristou and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Ralph Gowling)

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Why the U.S. Won't Give Up on Kofi Annan's Syria Plan

Denis Balibouse / Reuters

U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan pauses during a photo opportunity at the start of a meeting with Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva June 5, 2012

Senator John McCain may be cranking up the political heat on the Obama Administration over Syria �amid reports of a new massacre at Hama, but don?t expect Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to berate Kofi Annan over the failure of his peace plan when she meets the U.N. special envoy in Washington on Friday. Clinton knows better than the pundits and politicians bashing Annan that his mission is not an obstacle to more decisive action ?�it?s a product of the limited leverage and poor options available to Western powers to bring about regime change in Syria. The Administration is sticking with Annan?s failing plan because the alternatives seem even worse. Still, it?s also a safe bet that Clinton won?t like the special envoy?s message about what needs to be done to implement a viable negotiated solution.

Annan is more acutely aware than any of his critics why neither Syria?s regime nor its opponents have implemented the six-point peace plan to which they signed on in April.�There?s�no real ?or else? option because the Western powers are unable or unwilling to go to war in Syria. The fact that Russia and China will block any U.N.�authorization for foreign military intervention provides a convenient excuse for avoiding military action, but that camouflages a deeper apprehension among Western powers about being sucked into a potential quagmire in the Levant.

(MORE: Talking to Iran About Syria)

Annan?s mission, then, wasn?t to deliver ultimatums to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, but to find ways to bridge the vast chasm between the Western and Arab powers aligned with Syria?s opposition, and those like Russia, China and Iran either actively or passively backing the regime. And despite the rhetoric in Washington, it ought to be noted that the State Department sharply criticized the recent announcement by the rebel Free Syrian Army that it would no longer abide by Annan?s cease-fire plan. Still overwhelmingly outgunned by the regime, the rebels appear to be hoping that, sooner or later, the regime will unleash a bloodbath so appalling, it will force Western governments to use their own military power to finish off Assad. That?s an expectation the U.S. is clearly seeking to discourage.

The focus of recent U.S. and European diplomatic exertions has been on cajoling Russia into abandoning Assad, but those have thus far proved fruitless. Although the optimistic spin in Washington once again holds that Russia can be pressed to break with Assad, it?s hard to detect any substantive shift in Moscow?s position despite its reiteration that the Syrian leader is not personally indispensable. ?We have never said or insisted that al-Assad necessarily had to remain in power at the end of the political process,? Russia?s deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov said Tuesday. ?This issue has to be settled by the Syrians themselves.? This is not a new position. It leaves Assad in charge of the country at the beginning of such a process ?�a position accepted by the Obama Administration, which sees his ouster as an endpoint rather than a precondition. But�Russia blames the opposition and its foreign backers for the failure of the political process to get off the ground.

(MORE: How Can a Sectarian Civil War Be Stopped?)

And while much of the Western diplomatic focus has been on Russia, Iran?s support is even more essential to Assad, leading some analysts�?�and the U.N. envoy himself ?�to�suggest that Tehran be drawn into negotiations over Syria.�Annan is reportedly�proposing the creation of a ?contact group? on the Syria crisis comprising the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, possibly Qatar ?�and Iran. The purpose of this group, according to The Washington Post?s David Ignatius, would be to assemble all of the outside stakeholders with influence over the conflict on the ground and have them agree on a transition plan. Such an accord would specify timelines for constitutional changes and the holding of new elections and provide for Assad?s retreat into exile.

Such an agreement among all the key outside stakeholders would leave both the regime and opposition with little room for evasion. Russia, perhaps for its own reasons, seems to embrace the idea of broadening the discussion, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calling Wednesday for a meeting along the lines of the ?contact group? idea in a bid to save Annan?s peace plan.�But the idea of drawing Iran into talks on Syria sticks in the craw of many in Washington who view the Syrian crisis as primarily an opportunity to weaken Iran, and�therefore seek a more aggressive regime-change intervention.�Clinton balked at Lavrov?s call for a meeting involving Iran,�telling reporters in Azerbaijan on Wednesday that it was ?a little hard to imagine inviting a country that is stage-managing Assad regime?s assault on its people.?

Of course, if Syria is to be approached as part of a strategic ?great game? rivalry with Iran, then Annan?s diplomatic efforts are, indeed, pointless ?�as are U.S. efforts to lobby Moscow and Beijing to change sides, since their own strategic outlook obliges them to oppose Western efforts at regime change in the Arab world. To the extent that responses to the Syria crisis are shaped by a regional strategy to weaken and isolate Iran, there may be no way around a protracted civil war with many of the region?s key players backing their own proxies, some even intervening directly.

The reason for adopting Annan?s diplomatic process was the Western powers? reluctance to intervene directly, and their recognition of the danger to regional security posed by an escalating civil war. That logic hasn?t changed even if Annan?s work has yet to produce results. But the U.N. envoy appears to be suggesting that the logic of diplomacy, and getting results, forces some uncomfortable choices not only on Moscow and Beijing, but also on the Western powers.

MORE: Why Are So Many Syrians Willing to Kill for the Assad Regime?

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