U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) has proposed a “coronavirus peace plan” between the United States and Iran to prevent instability during the global pandemic.
In an opinion article published by Bloomberg on May 14 the senior Democratic Senator proposes two approaches to reduce tensions between Washington and Tehran.
First, meetings between the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries to reduce tensions and “avoid war”. Feinstein wrote, “Face-to-face meetings would reduce the chance of missteps that could accidentally lead to war, a situation possible today with Iranian boats recklessly engaging U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf.”
The United States and President Donald Trump personally have on many occasions offered talks with Iran “without pre-conditions”, but Iran has rejected these offers. While its presidential administration has demanded an end to sanctions before any negotiations could take place, the country’s ruler Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has banned any talks with the United States.
The second approach recommended by Sen. Feinstein prescribes a temporary and partial lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran, including Washington’s support for a $5 billion loan request by Iran from the International Monetary Fund, “with oversight mechanisms within or similar to the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement, to facilitate the flow of much-needed goods to the Iranian people while safeguarding against the regime’s diversion of funds for malign purposes”.
Sen. Feinstein adds that these discussions could lead “to a more comprehensive framework of discussions on Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles and regional aggression”.