Former U.S. Rep. Jim Slattery offers insight into relationship between U.S., Iran

Former U.S. Rep. Jim Slattery, D-Kansas, spoke Monday afternoon at Kansas University’s Dole Institute of Politics about the United States’ relations with Iran, the countries’ histories and current nuclear negotiations.

Slattery served six terms as a United States congressman and has been meeting with Iranians outside of Iran for more than a decade in an Abrahamic dialogue meant to bring Iranian Shiite Muslims together with American Christians and Jews, Melanie Coen of the Dole Institute said in a release.

Former U.S. congressman Jim Slattery, D-Kansas, spoke Monday afternoon at the Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Dr.

Around 100 people gathered in the Dole Institute to hear the former congressman speak. Among them was Sallie Dickinson, of Lawrence, who came to the event to learn all she could.

“I have a number of very close friends from Iran, and I try to get as much info about America’s history with Iran as possible.”

In particular, Dickinson said she was eager to hear Slattery speak on the interfaith conversations between the two countries.

Slattery said he is “fascinated” by the world of Islam and Iran and looked to the country’s history and culture to begin that dialogue.

“The people in Iran are very serious about their faith, so why not talk to them about issues of their faith and the places Abrahamic faiths have in common?” he said.

Slattery also discussed historical events that helped to create Iran’s current perspective on the United States.

“One of the things all Americans should be mindful of is that Iranians have a legitimate list of grievances with our country,” he said.

As examples, Slattery spoke of a joint effort in the 1950s between the United States and Great Britain, where the two countries “led the effort to overthrow the freely elected government of Iran.”

Slattery also talked about the Iran hostage crisis, the Iran-Iraq war and Iran Air Flight 655, which was shot down by the United States Navy in 1988.

All of these events and many more have come to shape the current relationship between the two countries, Slattery said — and must be considered during the ongoing and “vital” nuclear negotiations

“In the next five or six months I believe there is really nothing more important in the world than getting this relationship right with Iran,” he said to the crowd.

Virgil Dean, of Lawrence, said he has always been interested in history and politics and Slattery’s career.

Dean said he came to the Dole Institute on Monday afternoon in part because of the timeliness of negotiations between the United States and Iran.

Leaving the event, Dean said he was satisfied with what Slattery had to say.

“It was very informative,” he said. “I was really impressed with the depth of his knowledge. The whole idea is really to better understand where Iranians are coming from and the complexity of the issues in the Middle East. I think we as Americans tend to over-simplify these things.”

One of those over-simplified issues, Slattery said, is the inevitable spread of Iranian influence in the Middle East.

“I’ve got news for you: By virtue of population, resources, talented people, geography, history and religion, the influence of Iran in the Middle East is going to continue to increase no matter what we do,” he said.