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FOREIGN POLICY SEMINAR
IRAN - A Political-Economic Conflict Seminar
June 23, 2005
Persia was a major power in the Middle East and Central Asia for hundreds of years. Iran, its successor in the modern world, played an important role during World War II. In the years afterwards, the Shah was a close ally of the United States and an important regional asset in the Cold War. The Iranian Revolution in 1979 changed all that, and a former friend of the United States became an adversary.
A series of important issues have been key elements in U.S.-Iranian relations ever since. Today, Iran is not simply a member of the so-called Axis of Evil pursuing a nuclear program that raises concerns about WMDs, it is also a major state sponsor of terrorism, and a source of concern for a wide range of U.S. policy interests.
This one-day seminar will examine several critical questions about Iran:
- What are the prospects for reform and democracy in Iran?
- Is Iran hurting or helping U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan?
- How does Iran contribute to instability in the Persian Gulf region?
- Is Russia behind Iran's presumed nuclear weapons?
- What is Iran's role in OPEC in influencing world oil supply and price?
- How is Iran continuing its role as a terrorist sponsor?
At present, Iran is a factor in all of the major challenges facing the United Stats in the Middle East and Central Asia. Iran continues to play a role in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as being a player in Syria and Lebanon. Through its support of groups like Hezbollah, it is an element in the Arab-Israeli peace process.
Iran is seen by the Bush Administration as the world's "number one" sponsor of terrorism, but the United States and it European allies have been at odds over how to respond to Teheran. U.S. policy is predicated on an Iran actively moving toward nuclear weapons. Is there an alternative to direct military confrontation? What are the prospects of a peaceful resolution to this growing crisis?
SPEAKERS & TOPICS
Iran: U.S. National Security and the Politics of Oil.
Bernard Reich, Program Moderator. Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University; Chairperson, Middle East Area Studies, Foreign Service Institute
Syria, Hezbollah and the Iranian Connection.
Marius Deeb, Professor, Middle East and Islamic Studies, Johns Hopkins University; Author of Syria's Terrorist War on Lebanon and the Peace Process
Iran: A View from the Arab Gulf
Ambassador Edward "Skip" Gnehm, Former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, Kuwait, and Australia
Weapons of Mass Destruction: Iran and the Nuclear Question
Michael Eisenstadt, Specialist, Persian Gulf and Arab Security Affairs; Senior Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Political Reform in Iran: An Insider's View
Shireen Hunter, Director of the Islam Program, CSIS; Former Director of the Mediterranean Studies Program, Centre for
ABOUT ALAN L. FREED ASSOCIATES
Alan L. Freed Associates specializes in the design and development of non-partisan Public Policy Seminars for senior managers and executives of the federal government. Through a series of high-level, off-the-record presentations, these seminars provide attendees with an understanding of the fast-paced political, policy, and procedural developments that affect their careers and the mission of their Agency.
In 1976, Alan L. Freed Associates founded and developed the original Capitol Hill Workshop and White House Workshop. Alan L. Freed Associates has designed and conducted more than 800 executive-level public policy seminars in Washington, DC. In addition, Alan L. Freed Associates has presented over 100 public policy seminars at various military bases around the United States. Over 500 "Washington Insiders" have made presentations in the past 30 years. These public policy seminars are a widely recognized and highly respected component of leadership training and executive development in the federal government.
If you are interested in a custom Public Policy Seminar at your installation, please contact us. All seminars will be designed to address global issues of specific interest to participants at the time of the seminar.
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