New York park to get US-Iran hotline
NEW YORK (AFP) — A US group lobbying for Washington to engage Tehran in direct talks is to invite members of the public to chat with people in Iran at the weekend using three hotlines set up in a New York park.
"Americans and Iranians will begin an important conversation Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm," the Enough Fear campaign behind the stunt said in a statement.
The group will be using three vintage red telephones, meant to evoke the hotline that connected US and Soviet leaders during the Cold War.
"Our goal is to initiate dialogue, person to person," said Nick Jehlen, Enough Fear co-founder.
"Our two governments won't talk to each other so we decided to take it into our own hands, to get to know each other and begin to work for peace. It's a lot harder to go to war against people you know," he added.
Volunteers in Iran will be on the other end of the lines, where translators will also be on hand if needed.
"There is this false impression that Iranians are angry at Americans," Jehlen said. "Hundreds of Iranians have expressed interest in this campaign because they are really interested in talking with the American people."
The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Iran in 1980, shortly after the Islamic Revolution. Ties have most recently been tense over Iran's nuclear program and US demands that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment.
