Talking About Iran: A Communications Tool for the Peace and Security Community Debates about Iran’s nuclear program have intensified over the last few weeks, as new developments in the situation are announced almost every day. In response, the Peace and Security Initiative prepared a shared communications resource that provides guidance for discussing the realities, opportunities, and threats associated with this evolving situation. The recommendations that follow are meant to help members of the peace and security community talk about policy options and lay the groundwork for diverse forms of advocacy when the time is right. These recommendations reflect a belief that while the situation is changing on a weekly and even daily basis, some broad themes are likely to remain constant – such as the need for responsible and effective U.S. global engagement and the need to treat military force as a last resort. That said, given the dynamic and uncertain nature of this situation, advocates and experts should approach policy prescriptions with caution and avoid absolutes, remembering that our “asks” of policy makers, the Administration, Americans, and the international community may change as new facts are revealed and the situation unfolds. So how to seize the opportunities and avoid missteps? Here’s some advice on connecting the dots in ways that your listeners can hear. The full nine-page resource guide is available from the Peace & Security Initiative at: www.peaceandsecurityinitiative.org/resources/Iran%20Message%20Builder_Final.doc What to Convey • We want smart, effective, farsighted problem solving from our elected and appointed leaders. • It’s time to get serious about America’s long-term national interests in an interconnected world. We need to enhance regional security while encouraging Iran’s continued evolution toward greater political, social, and economic freedom. Policies that undermine our chances of achieving these goals are not in America’s interest. • Smart, tough diplomacy is far more likely than force to produce a satisfactory resolution of this problem. Getting serious about dialogue and diplomacy is the best way to protect America’s security. • There are no good military options for solving this problem. The disastrous costs and consequences of military action would far outweigh the partial, temporary benefits. Taking excessive risks for uncertain rewards isn’t smart – it’s reckless. • There is no justification for considering the use of nuclear weapons against Iran. Leaving this option on the table inflames anti-American extremism and costs us the trust of vital allies. Words and actions that make us less secure in the long run have no place in a smart security strategy. • We need to learn from our experience in Iraq – lessons about the limitations of military force and the risk of unintended consequences. • Military force should only be considered as a last resort – that’s a fundamental principle. The nonmilitary (diplomatic) options for resolving this confrontation have not been exhausted. • We have time to pursue a peaceful solution. There is no imminent threat to U.S. or regional security. Pitfalls to Avoid • Making the problem of Iran’s nuclear ambitions so urgent that people are prepared to do anything. • Suggesting that there’s no satisfactory solution short of completely halting Iran’s nuclear program. • Seeming to promote diplomacy for diplomacy’s sake. • Implying that there could never be a situation in which military action might be necessary. • Implying that the US has not done anything of a diplomatic or cooperative nature to address this problem. • Making it just about “not another Iraq.” • Suggesting that the only reason not to attack is that we might be hurt in return. • Treating this as a march to war, when it can be defended as “just considering all the options” – an argument that many citizens will find believable. • Plunging into the details of “carrots and sticks.” • Referring to Iran’s “nuclear weapons program.” More tips at: www.peaceandsecurityinitiative.org/resources/Iran%20Message%20Builder_Final.doc.