More Rumors on Vali Nasr’s Travel to Iran [incl. Haleh Esfandiari]

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly dismissed rumors with “99 percent” certainty that Holbrooke aide Vali Nasr had not been to Iran since joining the State Department.

The Iranian press, however, is now expanding on its reports of Vali Nasr’s alleged visit, suggesting that the agenda was to discuss an opening between Tehran and Washington.

Kelly did say that Nasr may have visited the Islamic Republic while still a private academic. This should not be a problem; I also visited Iran as a private academic and had a rewarding experience there. What Kelly does not say, however — and what no journalist asked — was whether Vali Nasr visited Iran using a United States passport or an Iranian passport. Foreign Minister Mottaki said that all Iranians are welcome to visit the Islamic Republic. This is true but, as in the case of Haleh Esfandiari and Roxana Saberi, this usually implies utilzing their Iranian rather than American passport.

Michael Rubin is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in Middle Eastern countries, particularly Iran and Turkey. His career includes time as a Pentagon official, with field experiences in Iran, Yemen, and Iraq, as well as engagements with the Taliban prior to 9/11. Mr. Rubin has also contributed to military education, teaching U.S. Navy and Marine units about regional conflicts and terrorism. His scholarly work includes several key publications, such as “Dancing with the Devil” and “Eternal Iran.” Rubin earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in history and a B.S. in biology from Yale University.
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