WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The political environment in the United States and Iran is not conducive to establishing diplomatic relations despite reaching a nuclear agreement, experts told Sputnik.
“The United States unlikely [to open an embassy] because Iran is demonized by members of both political parties [Republicans and Democrats], so it is hard to imagine an embassy opening without a much more democratic government coming to power in Tehran,” American University History Professor Max Paul Friedman told Sputnik on Monday.
Friedman explained that the “Cold War” that has existed between Iran and the United states since the 1979 Islamic Revolution has to give way to a détente before diplomatic relations could be restored.
Middle East Institute Senior Fellow Alex Vatanka told Sputnik opening a US embassy in the Islamic Republic is premature and the mere suggestion could galvanize those in both countries against the nuclear deal.
“It is politically too risky under present conditions,” Vatanka said.
He added that the chances of the nuclear agreement being approved by both Tehran and Washington “increases if the thorny question of US-Iran bilateral relations is not thrown in the mix at this sensitive juncture.”
“The critics of such a step in both Tehran and in Washington will fight it tooth and nail and feel such a scenario undermines their respective interests,” he added.
Earlier on Monday, US State Department Spokesperson John Kirby said Washington has no plans to reopen the US embassy in Iran amid the comprehensive deal on Tehran’s nuclear program reached in July.
On Sunday, the United Kingdom opened its embassy in Tehran after closing it down four years ago when it was ransacked by protesters. The UK’s announcement comes as European countries are eager to open up business relations with the large Iranian market.
