That Rhyton Again

Christi Parsons ("The chalice that helped make possible the Iran nuclear deal" LA Times November 30, 2013) explains the connection between US foreign policy and antiquities repatriations. US collectors who oppose repatriation and respecting the cultural property laws of other nations are damaging US interests.

"In gesture of goodwill that helped lead to talks, the U.S. presented a gift to Iran: a silver chalice in the shape of a griffin that is thought to be an antiquity looted from an Iranian cave...". [...] One expert suggested that President Obama shake Rouhani's hand at the fall summit of the United Nations. Another posed the idea of a video message from Obama to Iranians. But an Iran specialist came up with another possibility; returning the silver ceremonial chalice. [...] Meeting that demand, the Americans thought, could build goodwill for the U.S. and thereby strengthen Rouhani, who had won the presidency in part by promising to improve relations. Bolstering Rouhani, they thought, would be key to reaching any deal on the nuclear program, which hard-liners in both Iran and the United States were sure to oppose. "This wouldn't just be a gesture for government officials," said a senior administration official who took part in the meeting. "This would be a gesture with meaning for the people of Iran."

The object was allegedly part of a cache of antiquities found in a cave near the Iraqi border in the 1980s, shortly after Iran's Islamic Revolution. In 2003, the chalice surfaced in the hands of antiquities dealer, Hicham Aboutaam.