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Common Ground
radio program(s):
"Carter Center"
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RealAudio

Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States, dealt with a number of international events during his term in office. In the Middle East, he brokered the Camp David Peace Accords between Egypt and Israel. But in Iran he suffered his greatest foreign policy crisis with the capture of 52 American hostages held at the US embassy in Tehran for 444 days. Twenty years have passed since those hostages were released, yet relations between the United States and Iran are as cold as ever. Common Ground recently spoke with Carter about the hostage crisis and the state of US relations with Iran.

Why has the US policy toward Iran not changed, and should it change?

Carter
I think the United States' government, to a maximum degree possible, should reach out to Iran with an effort to restore full diplomatic relations, full trade relations, and to emphasize—maybe as an early phase—maximum exchange of citizen visits back and forth. Obviously, Iran would have to meet us...halfway before definite steps are taken. But we should not wait until Iran takes the first step; I think we should make it clear to the leaders of Iran, and to the world at large, that the United States is ready and eager to restore full relations and friendly relations with Iran.

If you had to do it all over again, would you handle the hostage crisis the same way?

Carter
Yes, I think so. I've thought about this an awful lot. Although it lasted a lot longer than I had ever anticipated, longer than anyone had ever anticipated, I had two goals from the very beginning. One was not to do anything that would embarrass or betray the basic principles of my nation. The other goal was to make sure every hostage came back home safe and free. Both those goals were realized. I wish they could have been accomplished sooner, but I think the alternative was for me to resort to...massive military action. But I think in retrospect, had I done so, it would have resulted in the death of our hostages...and it also would maybe have caused the death or suffering of thousands, maybe tens-of-thousands, of totally innocent Iranians. So I think the patience that I decided to show did pay off rich dividends.