by Mark Hare • May 20, 2008 Originally published in the Democrat Chronicle, Rochester, New York

When Hillary Clinton suggested recently that, were she president, an attack on Israel by Iran would result in the “total obliteration” of Iran, some recent visitors to that country cringed. As they did when President George W. Bush likened talking to Iran or Hamas with “appeasement.” Lynda Howland, Tom Moore and Judy Bello have all visited Iran within the last year — Howland, in March — under the auspices of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, one of the country’s oldest peace groups. “A lot of the American public sees Iran as primitive, terrorist and uncivilized,” says Howland, of Pittsford. But that’s not what visitors find in Iran, she says. Iranians are increasingly well-educated, respectful and eager to speak to Americans, she says. She showed me a photo of some soldiers smiling and flashing a peace sign when they learned the group in front of them were Americans.

Everyone knows that the United States would respond with force to any attack on Israel, and will do what it can to prevent Iran from aiding Iraqis who are trying to kill American troops. That doesn’t mean dialogue with Iran serves no purpose. Howland cites Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner, who says, “Dialogue has to take place at three levels: at the level of people and civil society, among members of parliament of both countries, and by heads of government of both countries.” People-to-people conversation is part of the process of building (or rebuilding) bridges.

“There’s no way anyone in Iran wants to go to war with anyone,” says Bello, a computer programmer from Webster, who visited the country in December. Meeting with ordinary Iranians in the streets and shops of Tehran does not provide instant insight into what the government may do. But I do believe there is value in these people-to-people missions. They can help Americans understand that there is more to Iran than President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The country is modern, with a growing professional class, including women. There is a blend of religious and secular culture. There is a deep appreciation for art, which is everywhere in public. “And they revere poets, not movie stars,” Bello says.

Indeed, says Howland, on any day, you can see Iranians visiting the tomb of Hafez, a legendary 14th-century Persian poet. “People gather every night,” she says, “and they read poetry and place flowers on the grave.” It is difficult to listen to people speak from the heart, to eat with them, to visit their homes, to hear them express their hopes for their children — and still see them as enemies. That’s what people-to-people missions are all about. Moore recalls a brief encounter with a man, perhaps a bit older than he, who could not speak English, although he tried to communicate with gestures. “I could see in his face that he wanted to reach out,” Moore says. “I tried to gesture that I understood.” It was a simple human exchange.

Similarly, Howland says, at the end of her visit, a few women went into a carpet shop and wanted to make purchases. “But we couldn’t use our credit cards because of the (U.S.) trade embargo. So he told us he has relatives in New Jersey and we could send the money to them. We left with $500 worth of rugs.” It was a simple expression of trust. It is a side to Iran few Americans have seen, but all – including our leaders – should be aware of.