Welsh Political News

The above photo was taken last Wednesday outside Bridgend Council when parents from Brackla held a protest against Tory-Lib Dem plans to implement huge cuts in its free school transport provision. The parents hired a campaign bus to ferry them from Brackla to the Civic Offices where they were met by myself and Mel Nott (Council Labour Group Leader). They handed over a 884 signature strong

The history of the Cold war between 1945 and 1988 is a powerful demonstration of how talking to one's sworn enemies can eventually result in peace. Nixon talked to China in the 70s, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher extended the hand of friendship to Gorbachev in the 80s.

In the 90s, and against all odds, South Africa made a peaceful transition to majority rule when De Klerk and Mandela started talking. More recently a fragile, if somewhat imperfect, peace has descended in Northern Ireland following the decision by the British Government, encouraged by the Americans, to talk to the IRA.

Could some of these lessons now be applied to Iran?

In 1953 Britain and America organised a coup which removed their democratically elected President, Mohammed Moussadeq. Our respective Governments replaced him with the Shah who ruled as a hated dictator for the next 26 years. The Shah was thrown out in a revolution and replaced by Ayatollah Khomeini. Shortly afterwards Saddam Hussein invaded Iran. During the ten year war which followed both Iran and Iraq received military supplies from Western governments. It is therefore not surprising that the Iranians distrust the West. Yet following the attacks on the Trade Towers the the Iranians made overtures of support to the US which were subsequently rebuffed.

With Iraq on the brink of self destruction and Afghanistan descending further then ever into lawlessness, the time has surely arrived for Britain and the US to review their hostile relationship with Iran by offering to talk to them without any preconditions.

Iran is far more complex than the religious theocracy run by a President and an Ayatollah which is the image usually portrayed. In their Parliament and elsewhere powerful voices call for change. Many in high places want peace with the West and better working relationships. Seventy percent of the population are under the age of 30 and are showing signs of becoming increasingly distanced from religious hardliners. It is imperative that we reach out to those who want better relationships with the West instead of playing into the hands of the hardliners on all sides.