Tehran delegation returns, stressing talks between U.S., Iran

A delegation of 13 U.S. Christian leaders who recently traveled to Iran to help defuse tensions over Tehran's nuclear ambitions will meet with members of Congress to discuss their trip.

"Our governments have not spoken for 30 years," said the Rev. Jeff Carr, of Sojourners/Call to Renewal. "We think that beginning dialogue and paving the way for mutual respect and peaceful relations is really something that needs to happen, and religious leaders could play a significant role in that."

During the Feb. 17-25 trip, the group met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, members of parliament and local religious leaders.

The trip was organized by the Mennonite Central Committee and the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker group. Others participating include Sojourners/Call to Renewal; the Episcopal, Catholic and United Methodist churches; the National Council of Churches and Pax Christi USA.

In the meeting with Ahmadinejad, topics included the role of religion in easing conflict, the Iraq war, nuclear proliferation and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

During the two-and-half-hour discussion, the president told the group that Iran has no intention of acquiring or using nuclear weapons, according to the delegation's statement. He advocated solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through political rather than military means.

Dave Robinson, executive director of Pax Christi, said the Iranian president was "comfortable talking with us as religious leaders." Ahmadinejad said Iran is open to dialogue, but only if the dialogue is "under fair conditions" and Iran and the United States "engage as partners," said Robinson. The American-Iranian relationship all boils down to "a question of respect," he said.

Carr said members of Congress from both sides of the aisle encouraged the religious leaders to make the trip.

"I think they understand the tensions between [Iran and the United States] need to somehow be resolved peacefully, that war is not the answer," Carr added.

Jim Winkler, general secretary of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, said the group will stress the need for dialogue with Iran when it meets with members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

--Religion News Service and Catholic News Service

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