President Bush has declared Iran to be part of the "Axis of Evil" and administration officials have said no options -- including military options -- are off the table in the effort to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon. In the midst of this standoff between Washington and Tehran, some U.S. religious leaders are trying to succeed where politicians and diplomats cannot. On Friday, March 23, producer Jamila Paksima revisits her birth country of Iran with American spiritual leaders hoping to promote dialogue on such explosive issues as nuclear proliferation, the Iraq war, and the Holocaust. The team met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, top officials in the government, and several of the ayatollahs who have a powerful influence on government policy. Can this delegation of mostly Christian leaders defuse the standoff and reopen the lines of communication between America and Iran?
The NOW website will provide additional coverage starting Friday morning, including Jamila's personal journal, photos from the mission, and delegate dispatches.
By Nicole Belle
— March 22, 2007
