Here pictured with me at the World Affairs Council of San Francisco in November 2009, promoting his new book:”Negotiating With Iran, Wrestling the Ghosts of History.” Ambassador Limbert stated that because of the distrust on both sides that whatever improvements in relations are made, they will come in small incremental steps. No matter who is governing Iran, a dialogue will be necessary and 30 years of mutual hostility has not accomplished anything.
John Limbert, was a career diplomat for 33 years and received the highest award offered by the Dept of State – the Distinguished Service Award after his stint as a hostage at the US Embassy after the revolution in 1979. He was also awarded the Rivkin Award by the State Department, which is the only US government agency to offer an award for creative dissent. After his first career as a diplomat, he was appointed Distinguished Professor of International Affairs at the U.S. Naval Academy in 2006. He holds a PhD from Harvard University in history and Middle Eastern studies.
He speaks fluent Farsi, Arabic, French and English. His relationship with Iran spans over 30 years and he is married to an Iranian American. He once taught in Iranian high schools and at the University of Shiraz and authored two other books: “Iran, At War with History” and “Shiraz in the Age of Hafez.”
Ambassador Limbert has been an active member of the United States Institute of Peace, which is a non governmental agency, expert in the brokering of peaceful solutions to international problems. While there he came out with a guide of fourteen principles for negotiation by an American, commercially or politically involved with an Iranian counterpart.
Ambassador Limbert is an Irandust and dedicated to peace, who understands that diplomacy and ultimatum are not the same thing.
