To Whom It May Concern in the State Department:

In your upcoming meetings with the Iranian government about nuclear arms, it is important that you keep in mind certain cultural differences in non-verbal communications.

An important thing to keep in mind is the different ways of viewing time. People in the United States tend to be very monochronic whereas people fromt the Middle East are more likely to be polychronic. This means that they do not stick to schedules as strictly as we may and they value relationships over events and accomplishments. Therefore, do not let late arrivals or slow starts sour the negotiations from the beginning. Instead, be sure to take your time to get to know the negotiators and develop a relationship before you attempt to deal with the actual issue at hand.

Another difference is that Iranians live in a high-context culture and they may not explicity say everything that they mean, but will instead leave it to us to infer what they want to really say. Do not get angry that they seem to be avoiding the subject but instead try to get to the implication behind their words. Facial expressions and body language may be a helpful way of decoding what they mean, but keep in mind that only six facial expressions are universal and some more subtle variations may not mean the same thing across cultural lines.

Be sure to research the meaning of eye contact in Iranian culture, because while in the U.S. it indicates respect and the fact that you are paying attention to the speaker, it can be a form of disrespect in other cultures so be sure to keep in mind traditional Iranian customs.

Also keep in mind gestures have different meanings in different cultures.

In general, when meeting with Iran, be sure to keep in mind how the Iranian cultures would view your actions and non-verbal communications