Memorandum from Stansfield Turner to President Carter Regarding US-Iranian Negotiations

NOFORN The Director of Central Intelligence Washington DO 20505 4A 1 December 1980 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT SUBJECT: US-Iranian Negotiations (C/NF) I believe that the present detailed negotiations with Iran over the hostages offer little prospect of success and, accordingly, urge that we carefully reexamine whether we should continue the current "haggling" with the Iranians if Deputy Secretary Christopher's current trip does not result in a quick resolution to the impasse. (8/NF) On 6 November I sent to Secretary Muskie our intelligence judgment that a detailed response to the Majlis' four points would likely be unproductive because: - It would require a protracted time to work out, during which developments in Iran could undermine the current fragile consensus that led to the Majlis' decision. - The US would be subjected to the possibility of the piecemeal release of the hostages. - A detailed approach would bog us down in a "bazaar" type negotiation, largely on their terms. - A detailed legalistic approach would inevitably fail to satisfy the Iranians and would clearly identify areas where we could not meet the Majlis' terms. - It would shift focus from illegal seizure of hostages to haggling over the terms, a situation in which the Iranians could position themselves as the aggrieved party. Events appear to have borne out this judgment. (8/NF) Accordingly, I believe the time is propitious to reconsider our tactics and, specifically, whether we should go to the Iranians with the following message: - The present course of discussions seems unlikely to bear fruit in the foreseeable future. DECLASSIFIED Per; Rac Project CL BY SIGNER ESDN; NLC-15-77-8-3-0 RVW ON 1 DEC 1986 BY. B NARA.DAIE 5/19/2015 SECRET NOFORN