Iran has released a videotape and three letters purporting to be from Faye Turney, the lone woman among fifteen British captives, apologizing for crossing into Iran's territorial waters. Today, a second detainee, Nathan Thomas Summers, is shown on video, once again with an apology. Tony Blair calls Iran's actions disgusting violations of international law that will isolate Iran from the rest of the world. At the same time, both Iran and the US are conducting naval maneuvers in the Persian Gulf--the US with two aircraft carriers and dozens of other ships. What are the prospects for resolution or escalation as neither side shows any sign of backing down? Today's confrontation is a current affair, but there are centuries of history behind it. What's the history of British and American relations with oil-rich Iran?
Another Growing Crisis in the Middle East
Credits
Guests:
- Angus McDowall - Tehran Correspondent for the Independent
- Ronald O'Rourke - Naval Issues Analyst for the LOC's Congressional Research Service
- Simon Henderson - Director of Gulf and Energy Policy Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
- Stephen Kinzer - journalist and author - @stephenkinzer
- Mansour Farhang - Professor of Political Science at Bennington College