Appeasing the Ayatollahs and Suppressing Democracy: U.S. Policy and the Iranian Opposition

Iran is emerging as the primary threat against the United States and its allies: Iran s drive to acquire nuclear weapons, continuing support for and involvement with terrorist networks, publicly-stated opposition to the Arab-Israel peace process, disruptive role in Iraq, expansionist radical ideology, and its denial of basic human rights to its own population are challenges confronting U.S. policymakers. IPC enters the debate in Washington over Iran policy by think tanks that also published reports on Iran Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), The Committee on the Present Danger (CPD), The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (TWI). In trying to solve the puzzle posed by Iran, IPC s report suggests that Iranian opposition groups play a central role in U.S. policymaking.