It’s time to get serious about Iran.

There has been pressure from the United Nations and… It’s time to get serious about Iran.

There has been pressure from the United Nations and European Union for Iran to suspend and remove its nuclear facilities. Despite claims from Iran that its capabilities are for civilian use only, Western nations, led by the United States, have been calling for Iran to eliminate its nuclear program or face military action.

Iran, much like North Korea in 2006, tested its Shahab-3 missiles on July 9 in a display of its sovereignty and military capabilities and in the face of pressure to halt its nuclear ambitions.

The Bush administration must approach Iran in the same manner and with the same enthusiasm as it did North Korea in order to effectively remove Iran’s potential nuclear weapons, ease tension in the Middle East and avoid militaristic action.

The diplomacy used by the State Department in finding a peaceful route to disarm North Korea is exactly the model to use in defusing Iran. While the recent missile tests by Iran might seem like a declaration against negotiation, it should be noted that diplomacy moved forward in 2006 with Korea regardless of Pyongyang’s testing of a nuclear weapon.

Bush engaged North Korea despite an increasingly hostile Kim Jong-il, a model it’s time to adopt when dealing with Iran.

Currently, the administration has decided to ignore the leaders of Iran while imposing sanctions in an effort to cripple the nation. Unfortunately, rather than prevent Iran from establishing the facilities needed to develop nuclear capabilities, this strategy has been ineffective and has instead allowed Iran to peruse an atomic route.

Bush needs to establish multilateral negotiations with Iran. In dealing with North Korea, it became clear that unilateral talks did not supply enough pressure or leverage to force Pyongyang to halt its nuclear program. Thus, six-nation talks developed between China, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, the United States and Russia.

Russia and China can again be powerful allies in helping to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Both countries have better relations with Iran and would benefit from a stable Middle East, and their influence would be welcome in swaying Iran’s path. Bush should also reach out to Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the EU to help guide Iran away from a nuclear future.

Bush must focus on easing tension between Israel and Iran in the same way that he focused on lessening the tension between North Korea and Japan. Just as Israel is irate over Iran launching missiles, Japan was incensed following North Korea’s nuclear test in 2006. However, with multilateral talks established, Japan did not act militarily.

Iran must also be assured of its sovereignty, even if that means rebuking Israel for statements and military exercises aimed at Iran. Israeli spokesperson Mark Regev has already said, “Israel does not desire hostility and conflict with Iran.” It must illustrate its peaceful commitment to ridding Iran of nuclear capabilities through multinational diplomacy and refraining from striking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Finally, Bush must avoid using the military at all costs. North Korea’s statements and actions over the last few years tested the Bush administration’s resolve in dealing peacefully with Kim Jong-il. That same sense of resolve needs to be used again when dealing with Iran. Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched our capabilities militarily, and the manpower needed to remove the current regime in Iran and then establish an effective government is beyond the scope of our current forces.

If military power is not used, there is the potential to turn Iran away from direct hostility toward the United States and into a potential ally in the Middle East. If it is used, however, a second Iraq-like situation is likely. With Iran accused of aiding insurgents in Iraq, the possibility to stabilize two Middle Eastern nations through diplomatic negotiations with Iran is tangible.

How Bush decides to handle Iran will dictate American foreign policy for years to come. Despite temptation to illustrate the United States’ military powers, the Bush administration needs to use its North Korean model of diplomacy to establish an effective, peaceful precedent for future foreign policy conflicts.

E-mail Dan at [email protected].