Because the world more and more acknowledges the risk posed by the Iranian regime, and as accountable representatives and legislators on each side of the Atlantic increase questions in regards to the extent to which the “Iran Skilled Initiative” has influenced their insurance policies, it’s vital to delve into the mechanisms at play. Whereas coverage inclinations are sometimes formed independently of particular person actors, there are cases the place particular people play a key function in advancing specific agendas.
The Iran Specialists Initiative (IEI) was an effort by Iranian Overseas Ministry officers, beginning in 2014, to strengthen Tehran’s international picture and positions on safety points, notably the nuclear program, by constructing connections with influential abroad teachers and researchers, as revealed in Iranian regime’s correspondence, providing insights into Tehran’s diplomatic methods throughout a important interval.
Who’s Vali Nasr
Vali Nasr is a person who has loved long-standing belief and involvement inside america authorities. He served on america Division’s Overseas Affairs Coverage Board and held the place of senior advisor to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. particular consultant for Afghanistan, from 2009 to 2011. At the moment, he’s a Life Member of the Council on Overseas Relations, and his overseas coverage suggestions have garnered consideration from quite a few U.S. politicians, together with Secretaries of State.
In Vali Nasr’s case, some would possibly query the hiring course of by the human sources division. Nonetheless, the data point out that he was chosen by sure officers inside the U.S. State Division exactly because of their current connections with high-ranking people within the clerical regime.
Born on December 20, 1960, in Tehran, Vali Nasr is the son of the faith scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr. His father was a descendant of Sheikh Fazlollah Nouri, a fundamentalist cleric who was hanged by the individuals in Iran through the Constitutional Revolution for treason and serving the repressive monarchy on July 31, 1909. In 1972, the Shah selected Vali Nasr’s father, Hossein, to grow to be the President of Aryamehr College (now Sharif College of Expertise).
Vali Nasr has been instructing in varied distinguished American universities and has revealed a number of books on Iran, the Center East, and Islam.
The trusted intermediary
Vali Nasr’s appointment as a distinguished determine within the U.S. diplomatic sphere held specific significance for the Iranian regime. On January 20, 2009, the state-run Donyaye Eqtesad revealed a information article specializing in Nasr’s new function, emphasizing his familiarity with the area and his experience in non secular issues.
On Could 12, 2009, the state-run Tabnak web site, which is run by the previous IRGC Chief Mohsen Rezaee, wrote about an official go to from Vali Nar to Tehran to debate the discharge of former American hostage Roxana Saberi. The supply wrote, “It has been stated that Haddad Adel and Larijani obtained the approval from senior authorities of the Iranian authorities for Obama’s advisor’s journey to Iran. Each of those people have been college students of the late Ayatollah Motehari and, because of their friendship with Seyyed Hossein Nasr [Vali Nasr’s father], in addition they maintained connections along with his household. Following Ayatollah Motehari’s martyrdom, they continued to maintain their relationship with the Nasr household intact. Haddad Adel was a scholar of Dr. Hossein Nasr earlier than the revolution.”
Gholamali Hadad Adel is the father-in-law of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Chief of the clerical dictatorship. He has held a number of high-ranking positions within the regime, together with Speaker of the Parliament and senior advisor in Khamenei’s Beyt.
Ali Larijani is a former IRGC commander, IRIB Chief, senior nuclear negotiator, and senior advisor to Khamenei. He has additionally held a number of different high-ranking positions within the Iranian authorities, together with Speaker of the Parliament.
On Could 16, 2009, the state-run web site Fararu wrote, “After all, the subject was far more vital that the topic of Roxana Saberi. They have been saying that Vali Nasr, on behalf of the U.S. authorities, has initiated negotiations with Iran to put the groundwork for bilateral relations on sure issues. They declare that the Iranian aspect in these negotiations was Gholamali Haddad-Adel, and the date of the talks started a couple of month in the past.”
“Haddad Adel and Larijani are thought of dependable and reliable figures for conducting negotiations from varied views,” Fararu added. “This may be attributed to their long-standing acquaintance, particularly Haddad Adel, with Seyyed Hossein Nasr [Vali Nasr’s father] because of the shut relationship he had with the late Motahari and the circles of spiritual thought. Nonetheless, [Vali] Nasr is a kind of people who’ve gained the belief of the Iranian aspect as properly. He’s an individual who’s near Iran, not solely because of his father’s background and mental and cultural persona, but in addition due to his household and mental ties with revolutionary figures in Iran. Then again, he has supplied consultations about Iran to the U.S. authorities and is formally lively within the fields of Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
