Canada Should Take Lessons Learned from Cuba to Iran

Navid Hassibi of the Council on International Policy argues that Canada must plan for the eventual normalization of relations with Tehran.

Source: European External Action Service/Flickr

[comment/analysis] Canada’s role as facilitator in the restoration of diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba highlights its traditional strengths in constructive diplomacy. While Ottawa’s role in this regard must be applauded, this form of constructive diplomacy must be applied more broadly in Canadian foreign policy, particularly as it relates to Iran. Considering outgoing Foreign Minister John Baird’s tough stance toward Iran, one of the biggest challenges for his successor, and indeed, the next government post-election, will be re-establishing diplomatic ties with Tehran. To this end, Canada must plan for the eventual normalization of relations with Iran, principally in the event that a comprehensive nuclear deal with the so-called P5+1 (United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and Germany) is signed, sealed and delivered by June 2015.

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