U.S. allows direct negotiations with Iran… for basketball

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Last month, I blogged about the roundball diplomacy during the NBA’s summer league in Utah, where Iran’s national team was invited to participate as part of its preparations for the Olympics. The gesture was, by most accounts, a success, even though the squad subsequently went winless in Beijing.

Along the way, Iranian center Hamed Ehadadi piqued the interest of NBA scouts. The 7-2 Ehadadi averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds during the Olympics, capping the games with a 21-point, 16-rebound performance against a strong Argentina team, which faces the United States in the semifinals tomorrow.

Of course, as with all things Iran, there was a catch: The NBA informed its teams last week that it had “been advised that a federal statue prohibits a person or organization in the United States from engaging in business dealings with Iranian nationals.” Ehadadi’s NBA dreams had been dashed — and it seemed like another missed opportunity for more roundball diplomacy.

Not so fast, however. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control has now offered its stamp of approval, and NBA teams are free to sign Ehadadi, pending final approval from the league and OFAC. Ehadadi expects to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies:

I will undoubtedly join Memphis Grizzlies by the end of next week. I met Memphis’ officials yesterday to discuss joining the team… I received many offers from European teams but just playing in the NBA is my dream. Hopefully, I can join Memphis as soon as possible without any problem.

Ehadadi may not turn out to be a star in the NBA, but chalk up another victory for roundball diplomacy. David Stern is far from a perfect commissioner, but his emphasis on making basketball a global game appears to be paying off. Even if, in some cases, it works too well.