Have not yet written much on the National Oil Company of Iran but, despite all the negative press, rhetoric, and bashing by both sides, I personally believe that Iran is a market we should examine and watch. To that end, I wanted to direct readers to Jeremi Suri’s very interesting article that appeared earlier this week in The Boston Globe. He draws a comparison between the situations and needs of both the U.S. and China that helped bring them together in 1971 to those facing both the U.S. and Iran at present.

For many of my generation and younger, it is probably hard to appreciate this comparison — after all, we were either very young or not yet born when Henry Kissinger, acting as President Nixon’s special representative, secretly traveled to Beijing. And, given all the turmoil that has surrounded Iran since the late 1970s, we’ve grown up being bombarded with a particular image of Iran, but it is a pleasure to read Mr. Suri’s historical analysis and optimistic projection. Given prevailing political attitudes, I – unfortunately – give it very low chance of happening as he suggests, but it would be a great strategic development for both nations if it were come to pass.