Book Description

Globally celebrated as a life-long champion of world peace and understanding, Ambassador Ardeshir Zahedi shaped more than three decades of geopolitical history. The collection includes articles, speeches and interviews of a veteran diplomat who created a new concept of diplomacy and worked for understanding and reconciliation. Zahedi played a critical role in Richard Nixon getting into China and American change of approach in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. For almost seven decades of political and diplomatic life, Mr Zahedi has roared like a lion against war and injustice. His campaign against the Vietnam War finally reached the ears of the Americans. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, he defended the rights of the Palestinians with might and main; believed that might should not be confused with right; played a major role in adaptation of the 242 Resolution to resolve the Arab Israeli conflicts over the occupied territories. His speeches in the General Assembly of the UN are still resounding in the corridors after more than four decades. In his historical inauguration speech in May 1976 at Westminster College, Missouri, from the same platform that Winston Churchill had delivered his address, the Iranian Ambassador to US insisted that "Days of Gunboat Diplomacy are over! The Ultimate Goal of Worship is to Serve Humanity." His preoccupations over the explosive situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US China relations brought him such reputation that many leaders of the world solicited his personal talents for mediation and solving critical situations through negotiation and face to face human contact - as he did in the most critical case of the B'nai B'rith hostages in Washington DC, March 1977 saving the lives of 183 hostages, preventing a devastating massacre.