Iran : Time for a New Approach

by Gates, Robert M.

• ISBN13: 9780876093450
• ISBN10: 0876093454
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-11-01
• Publisher: Council on Foreign Relations

Summary

In this timely report, a bipartisan group of experts concludes that the Islamic Republic is solidly entrenched and that the urgency of the concerns around Iran's policies mandates that Washington deal with the current regime rather than wait it out. The Task Force -- co-chaired by former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski and former Director of Central Intelligence Robert M. Gates -- recommends selective engagement with Tehran to promote regional stability, dissuade Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons, preserve reliable energy supplies, reduce the threat of terror, and address the 'democracy deficit' that pervades the Middle East as a whole. This volume includes a chronology of important dates in U.S.-Iranian history, economic and demographic facts about Iran, plus reference materials on Iranian state institutions and governance. The report's recommendations have sparked debate in Washington and generated extensive coverage by U.S. and international media.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
Map of the Islamic Republic of Iran	xi
Executive Summary	1	(7)
Task Force Report	8	(41)
Introduction	8	(2)
Why Iran Matters	10	(2)
Iran's Domestic Dilemmas	12	(5)
Iran's Approach to the World	17	(3)
Iran's Nuclear Programs	20	(6)
Involvement with Regional Conflicts	26	(12)
Recent U.S. Policy toward Tehran	38	(2)
Assessments and Recommendations	40	(9)
Additional and Dissenting Views	49	(5)
Task Force Members	54	(5)
Task Force Observers	59	(2)
Appendixes	61
Appendix A: Important Dates in U.S.-Iranian History	63	(2)
Appendix B: Iran at a Glance	71	(3)
Appendix C: Iranian State Institutions and Political Actors	74