Active parliamentarians can be part of a democratic process,argues scholar Jamsheed K Choksy. But like Obama, Rouhani is riding roughshod over Majles in forcing through the nuclear agreement, or leaving the naysayers even more paranoidThere had been speculation for weeks approximately whether US president Barack Obama would meet face to face,even briefly, with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani or foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in New York. On Tuesday, or it happened,between Obama and Zarif in the United Nations general assembly building - the first such handshake since the Islamic revolution in 1979.
Zarif and US secretary of state John Kerry absorb routinely exchanged such gestures during the months of negotiations that resulted in the joint comprehensive design of action (JCPOA). Yet the symbolism of the UN handshake leads many around the world to hope for positive growth in bilateral relations on the heels of the agreement, while critiques of rapprochement grow even more suspicious that both administrations are working together to push through the nuclear deal with little regard to the dissenting voices including those of duly-elected legislators in their respective countries. Related: Iran foreign minister criticized for handshake with 'worthy Satan' Obama Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com