Zarif and The Return of "The New Yorkers"

There has been talk in Tehran that Iran's former UN representative, Mohammad Javad Zarif,  is going to join Hasan Rouhani's cabinet as foreign minister. If this turns out to be true, and his nomination is approved by the Majlis, it would mark the return of what local newspapers have dubbed "The New Yorkers".

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In 1992, when I was a student at Hunter College in New York, I was offered a job as a translator at the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), which had an office in Manhattan. I had worked for IRNA in the 1980s as a young idealist supporter of the revolution. This time it was mainly to cover my expenses.

Another reason I took the job was because Ahmad Bourghani made the offer. Bourghani, who later became a reformist MP and a deputy Culture Minister in Mohammad Khatami's administration,  was a former colleague at IRNA in Tehran. I liked him a lot. He was bright, open-minded and a goodhearted gentleman. He was one of the central figures of what became known as "the New Yorkers".

"The New Yorkers" is referred to a loose group of reformists who were either stationed at Iran's UN office in New York or closely associated with it during the late 80's through the mid 2000's. The man in the middle was Kamal Kharrazi.

Before the Revolution, Kharrazi had close links with members of the Freedom Movement, a group of "religious nationalists" whose moderate leader Mehdi Bazargan became the Islamic Republic's first prime minister. It was at IRNA and the War Information Headquarters (WIH) which he headed during the war with Iraq that Kharrazi gained the respect of all the factions within the establishment.

Few senior officials have managed to survive the country' numerous political upheavals. Kharrazi's secret was a cool head, and loyalty, first and foremost to the Supreme Leader. He was quiet and courteous, with an impeccable reputation and  knack for avoiding political rivalries. He did his job efficiently and without  controversy. Not an easy thing to pull off if you're known as a liberal.

After being appointed head of Iran's UN mission in New York by then President Hashemi Rafsanjani in 1989, Kharrazi took his most trusted colleagues with him. Bourghani joined as IRNA's correspondent, Ramin Rafirasm, a smooth French and English-speaking former close aide at IRNA and WIH, became  press attaché and spokesman for the mission, while Sadegh Kharrazi, Kamal's nephew and top adviser at IRNA with effective people skills, was put mainly in charge of encouraging Iranian expats to return home.

From the Foreign Ministry, Kharrazi's top pick was Mohammad Javad Zarif, who became his No. 2 in New York. With Mohammad Khatami's election as president eight years later, Kharrazi became foreign minister and Zarif took over the UN mission, playing a key role in establishing indirect talks between Iranian and US officials after years of hostility.

I met Zarif several times while I was in New York. I found him to be friendly and pleasant. And uncharacteristically reasonable for someone in his position in the Islamic Republic.

In fact "reasonable" was the most distinct attribute I noticed in "the New Yorkers". They believe that establishing ties with all countries, including the West, is the most basic principle in international relations. In particular they favor normalizing ties with the US, to put an end to their long and costly confrontations.

A note of caution: Even if Zarif does become foreign minister, don't expect a substantial improvement in ties with Washington or its allies in the near future, if at all. There will be a change in tone for sure. But beyond that, it is difficult to see how the Rouhani administration will be able to resolve the most important obstacle to better relations. The nuclear negotiations are at a standstill and Ali Khamenei is still resisting the kind of compromise necessary to remove crippling sanctions.

If Iran had a reasonable, democratic, government, "the New Yorkers" could serve the country well. Spreading Islam and revolution is far from their mind. They want Iran to progress and live in peace with the rest of the world. Some believe they are the type who can bring change and reform Iran from within. I don't share that view. I think it's highly unlikely that the clerical establishment can be reformed. Before it's too late.