The United States continues its overtures to Iran. Last week, Washington lifted a ban on the import of some Iranian luxury goods and admitted to having interfered in Iran's internal affairs in the past. The mea culpa was a bold step, but its effects will be blunted by the political dynamic in each country. Rapprochement is needed, but it will take time.

The U.S. gesture was rich in symbolism, but not much else. Exports of caviar, carpets, nuts and dried fruit pale beside the $10 billion in Iranian assets frozen by the U.S. government. Nor do they affect sanctions that extend to the oil and natural gas that provide Iran with 85 percent of its foreign exchange. And U.S. companies are still banned from making significant investments in those industries. Tehran has made it clear that the moves are welcome, but any "new relationship" will founder on the sanctions.

The Iranian reformers' victory in the last elections has encouraged the U.S. to move forward. Unfortunately, the conservatives still have considerable influence. A divided power structure makes it difficult for Tehran to stick to a policy line. And if one issue unites most Iranians, it is the belief that the U.S. has much to account for in its past behavior toward their country.