Diplomacy with Iran Ignored by Bush Administration

Until very recently, the Bush administration has not put any effort into diplomacy with Iran, diplomacy that could resolve Iran's concerns about its own security. Instead, they've repeatedly threatened it in extremely bellicose language. In fact, in 2003, the Iranians under Mohammed Khatami offered the Bush Administration a comprehensive peace deal--they promised an intensive crackdown on Al-Qaeda terrorists hiding out in Iranian territory, submission to harsh International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections, a halt in material support for Palestinian terrorist groups, joining with Egypt and Jordan in making peace with Israel in return for an Israeli drawback to pre-1967 borders. The only thing that they didn't offer was to reinstate the rule of the Shah. The Bush administration did not even respond. Now they are stuck with the Ahmadinejad regime, which certainly will not offer them a comparable diplomatic package.