Terrorism4

What does Khamenei do??

dominates the Iranian military and intelligence services as well as the judiciary branch of Iran's government

Iran's flag

green, white, red with a red bow and arrow in the middle.

Iranian Intelligence services

~

More examples of Iranian State-Sponsored Terrorism

According to a report following years of investigation by Turkish intelligence sources, the main suspect in the murders of the four Iranian Kurd writers, Ferhat Ozmen, went to Iran in 1988 and joined the "Jerusalem Army" where he was trained in assassination, use of weapons, radio-controlled explosives and bomb making. According to the report, the Iranian government deliberately trained Turkish Islamist radicals and supported terrorist activities aimed at undermining Turkey's strictly secular order. Iran quite consistently denies its use of terrorism, which is one reason why it often works through the Lebanese Hezbollah. However, Gary Sick argues that "Iran's past reputation for supporting terrorism, the incendiary rhetoric of its ultraconservative clerical leaders, and its almost total lack of transparency concerning issues of national security have created an environment in which it is easy to believe the worst. In fact, Iran's behavior since the revolution has allowed its opponents to accuse it of almost anything and to find a receptive audience for their claims. Iran's vigorous denial in all of the aforementioned cases ultimately undermined its credibility because the formula never varied, even when the evidence was quite discriminating, and there was never any visible effort by Iran to investigate the circumstances or to punish any of the individuals who might have been involved." It has been noted that Iran behaves very differently today than it did a quarter century ago. The post-revolutionary activities such as hostage taking and the promotion of rebellion among neighboring countries have allegedly stopped, as have the wartime shipping attacks and targeted assassinations. Iran's contemporary promotion of violence seems to be centered on support for radical anti-Israeli groups in Palestine. Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad officially praise Palestinian terrorist operations. According to the U.S. Department of State, Iran remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism in 2008.1 Iran has: Refused to start judicial proceedings against, render to countries of origin, or identify publicly senior al Qaeda members. Played a high profile role in encouraging anti-Israeli terrorist activity, including public threats to wipe Israel off the map as well as provision of financial and military assistance to Hezbollah and Palestinian extremists, enabling them to launch terrorist attacks. Provided financial and lethal support, including explosives-related components, to Iraqi Shi'a militants who have attacked Coalition forces. Despite many claims that only the Iranian radicals support terrorism, there is much ambiguity around this notion as the radicals in recent years have actually been dislodged from power, and yet the terror continues.

How did this proceed and resolve itself?

"Iran increasingly focused on attacking Kuwaiti shipping by early 1987, which in turn prompted Kuwait to request protection for its shipping from both the Soviet Union and the United States."2 Most European and Arab governments started blaming Iran for all of the tensions in the Gulf, and Iran found itself diplomatically isolated. Eventually, the shipping attacks led to direct military clashes between the United States and Iran in the region of the Gulf. Despite the belief that these were "legitimate" acts of war, it has been argued that the strikes on the part of Iran constituted a form of maritime terrorism, on the grounds that these acts were carried out by non-uniformed personnel against unarmed civilians. They demonstrated Iran's readiness to use unconventional methods to pursue political and military goals. On August 20, 1988, after 8 punishing years of war, a ceasefire was signed between Iran and Iraq. Both parties accepted UN Resolution 598. Neither country gained anything from the war.

When did Iran become a country?

1935, it was formally known as Persia. The state of Iran was once a major empire in its own right. It has been frequently invaded (by Arabs, Seljuk Turks, Mongols and others) and by the 1930s Persia was not the world power it has once been, but a weapon in international politics because of its central location in Eurasia.

Religion breakdown

98% of Iranians are Muslims, among the Muslim population, 89% belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam which now constitutes the official state religion, and 9% to the Sunni branch.

The return of Khomeini

After 15 years in exile, he returned to lead a revolution which resulted in a new Islamic theocracy.

Who succeeded Khomeini?

Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic revolution is appointed for life.

How long did he rule for?

Almost 16 yearss, he established his dynasty in 1925 and it ended with the fall of the dynasty following the Iranian revolution in 1979

Iran-Iraq and chemical weapons

Although the development of Iraq's nuclear and chemical weapons programs was originally intended to confront Israeli nuclear weapons program, it was actually the Iranians who suffered from Saddam's obsession with chemical weapons as the world consciously looked on in silence during their war. Not only did the U.S. refuse to condemn Iraq's use of chemical weapons against Iran, but the CIA also supplied Saddam Hussein with materials such as lethal strains of anthrax or chemicals used in the manufacture of mustard gas. Use of chemical weapons in war is in violation of the Geneva accords of 1925. As a result of Iraq's use of chemical agents in the war, Iran learned that it must be responsible for its own defence

Embargo

An official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country.

Iranian-U.S Relations and Terrorism: Nuclear material

Another conflicting area between the U.S. and Iran resides in the prosecutions undertaken by both countries in the international courts. While the Bush administration opposed all efforts to prosecute U.S. officials or military personnel for violations of international law, it repeatedly prosecuted Iranians for their terrorist actions. Inasmuch as Iranians bitterly hate Saddam Hussein, they severely disliked his removal by an American-led invasion, as Iran now faces American power on all its borders. Iran is seemingly trying to subvert U.S. policies in Iraq, and there have been reports that Iran has been helping to arm, provide funding and safe passage to insurgent elements in Iraq. There is much skepticism about this, considering that Iraq is a Sunni Muslim country. However, if there is Iranian involvement, it would be with the Shi'a militias in the south and the two biggest Shi'a political factions in Iraq, namely the SCIRI and the DAWA party. Finally, the issue of weapons of mass destruction has become a prominent issue in U.S.-Iranian relations. While Iran continues to deny its possession of weapons of mass destruction, as well as supporting treaties opposing possession of them, the U.S. insists that Iran should be "held accountable" for allegedly seeking to build nuclear arms in violation of its agreements. Nuclear technology can either be used for peaceful energy generation or to develop nuclear weapons, and the U.S. insists that Iran has no need for nuclear power due to its abundant oil reserves. One of Iran's main opposition groups, the National Council of Resistance, has exposed several nuclear facilities in Iran over a couple of years, also forcing the Iranian government to notify the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its activities. However, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad publicly claimed that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, and Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also issued a fatwa that the production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons are forbidden under Islam and that Iran shall never acquire such weapons. Despite these claims, Iran successfully enriched uranium to fuel grade in April 2006. A December 3, 2008 U.S. national intelligence assessment, however, confirmed with "high confidence" that Tehran halted its weapons program in the fall of 2003. It furthermore states that unless Iran were to obtain fuel for a bomb from abroad, it would take until 2010 or 2015 to make it. The report also states that Iran continues to produce the fuel used in nuclear weapons in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions at its uranium-enrichment plant at Natanz. Although Iran is enriching the uranium at below weapons grade, it could easily get the uranium at weapons grade. It says it is doing so only in order to power reactors to produce electricity, though it has no such reactors as of yet.1 Controversy over the Iranian nuclear program continues to grow in light of recent reports of the appearance of a second nuclear facility used for uranium enrichment. The news come on the heels of scheduled UN Security Council talks which will now include discussions on the possibility of setting "crippling" sanctions if Iran does not stop its nuclear enrichment program. Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad remains defiant and continues to proclaim the peaceful intentions of the program, stating that inspectors are welcome to visit the new installations to verify this assertion.2

When did Iran gain its independence?

April 1st 1979, many changes took place. Now, clerics dominated politics and virtually all aspects of Iranian urban and rural life. The former urban upper class, which consisted of merchants and industrialists favored by the Shah, lost their social status. People who opposed the regime were silenced by acts of repression.

What has iran always done despite external influence?

Asserted its national identity and developed as a distinguished political land cultural entity.

The fatwa Khomenei pronounced before his death

Before his death in 1989, Ayatollah Khomenei pronounced a fatwa (a religious decree in Islam, and a death sentence in this case) against Salman Rushdie's novel, The Satanic Verses, which he considered to be blasphemous. According to Gary Sick, this fatwa incited the Muslim community to murder Rushdie and started a national assassination campaign against individuals associated with the book or other "enemies of the revolution". There is still a $2 million reward being offered to anyone who kills Rushdie. Iranian leaders deny being able to revoke the fatwa against Salman Rushdie's life, as the author of the fatwa is deceased.1

Iranian - U.S relations

Before the Iranian revolution and under the rule of the Shah, the U.S. was Iran's foremost economic and military partner. Following the revolution and the hostage taking in the American embassy in Tehran in 1979, the United States broke diplomatic relations with Iran on April 7, 1980, and the Swiss government assumed representation of U.S. interests in Tehran. Ayatollah Khomeini and other clerics delivered extremist and threatening speeches against the United States—which the Ayatollah Khomeini called "the great Satan" —and against its Persian Gulf allies. Iran is strongly anti-U.S.1 Many issues between the two countries have been at stake since the break in their diplomatic relations. The concern over frozen Iranian assets continues to undermine the Iranian government. After the 1979 seizure of the American Embassy in Tehran, the United States froze about $12 billion in Iranian assets. Iranian officials claim that $10 billion are still frozen, awaiting resolution of legal claims stemming from the revolution. In 1986, the Iran-Contra affair made headlines when reports surfaced that a covert CIA operative led by Ollie North had been selling weapons to Iran to fund Contras fighting a clandestine war against the Nicaraguan Sandinistas and to help release six American hostages being held in Iran. The matter put a black eye on the American military and the Reagan administration. The sale of weapons to Iranians was a puzzling affair, as the U.S. had broken diplomatic relations after the Islamic revolution and was also enforcing an arms embargo. Even more baffling were the facts that the Americans used Israelis as brokers for the weapons sales and were at the time openly supporting Saddam Hussein's Iraq against the Iranians during the Iran-Iraq conflict.

What happened after?

Britannica Online states that "By the summer of 1982, Iraq's initial territorial gains had been recaptured by Iranian troops that had been stiffened with Revolutionary Guards."1 The Iraqi forces were driven out of Iran. The war extended to military actions that threatened the passage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, in an attempt to hurt each other's country's oil exports. At this point, Iranian gunboats were commonly attacking commercial shipping in the Gulf. Iran was also placing shipping mines in the shipping lanes.

Mohammed Mossadeq, who was he and what did he cause?

In 1951, the premier, a militant nationalist, forced the parliament to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company that controlled all of the country's oil reserves. In reaction to the plan, Britain immediately put an embargo in Iran, and approached the US (Eisenhower) in 1953 to join them in a coup against Mossadeq, and the CIA assisted in triggering a coup, resulting in the arrest of Mohammed Mossadeq by pro-Shah army forces.

Iranian Terror against Israel (nuclear weapons)

Daniel Byman argues that "Today, as the latest round of violence suggests, Israel is the biggest target of Iranian-backed terrorism, with Tehran supporting several Palestinian groups as well as Lebanese Hezbollah. These groups' attacks against Israel serve three purposes: They support Iranian leaders' opposition to the existence of the Jewish state; they give Iran prestige in the Muslim world; and by keeping violence alive, they undermine the peace process (admittedly, an easy task these days), which in turn reduces the chances that Iran will be isolated in the Middle East."1 According to Israel, Iran's support of terrorists and terrorism creates a danger for the country given Iran's past and present hostility to the state of Israel. Another issue at stake between Israel and Iran concerns Iran's advancements in the nuclear field. Israel is averse to seeing its nuclear advantage eroded and is prepared to maintain a nuclear monopoly in the region through the use of force. At the same time, it is obvious that U.S.-Israeli relations say a lot about the absence of relations between Washington and Tehran. Concerning the issue of WMDs, the states in the Gulf region that are against Israel claim that it is their right to develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent to the Israeli arsenal. It is to be noted that Israel's nuclear weapons program dates back to the late 1950s. Considering the dynamics of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Israel's relative superiority in the military field, it is somewhat obvious that countries such as Iraq and Iran have sought a nuclear capability in order to equalize power. They also claim that the White House is unfair in preventing them from accessing nuclear technologies while ignoring Israel's acquisition of weapons of mass destruction. Therefore U.S. agreement to the Israeli nuclear program actually erodes Tehran's faith in the equal application of international arms regimes.

Hamas

Hamas is the largest Palestinian militant movement. It has a lot of influence, and it forms the majority party of the Palestinian Authority. It is internationally known for its suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians, military and security forces. The origins of the group go back to the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine and Egypt. Hamas won the January 2006 Palestinian Authority's general legislative elections, beating the Fatah party. The group's popularity is partially due to its extensive social service network for the Palestinian population. Reports suggest that its popularity is also due to the fact that the organization contrasts with the corruption of the exiting Fatah party, which had run the PA since its establishment in 1995. Hamas is also a radical Sunni Islamic fundamentalist organization, and is listed as a terrorist organization by Australia, Canada, the United States, the European Union, Israel and the United Kingdom. It constitutes the strongest opposition group to the Middle East peace process and the PLO. Considering the common identification with Islam and principles of Jihad, and with the goal of establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel, Hamas has links with other terrorist organizations, including al Qaeda and Hezbollah. According to the U.S. State Department, Hamas is partially funded by Iran, with an estimated $20 to $30 million in donations each year. According to GlobalSecurity.org estimates, Hamas has allegedly killed more than 500 people in more than 350 separate terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings and attacks with mortars and short-range rockets since 1993.1 The group's attacks are mainly launched in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and in Israel

Who are the main leaders of Iran?

Hassan Rouhani: popularly elected president Aytollah Ali Khamenei: supreme leader or "chief of state"

Hezbollah and other Iran-Sponsored Terrorist Organizations

Hezbollah and other Iran-Sponsored Terrorist Organizations Iran remains on the U.S. Department of State's list of the most active state sponsors of terrorism. Its Ministry of Intelligence and Security and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were involved in many terrorist acts and they continue to support a wide variety of groups that use terrorism to pursue their goals. Protest Rally (Source: Wikipedia.org) Hezbollah (meaning "party of God") Led by Hassan Nasrallah and founded in 1982 in Lebanon, Hezbollah is an organization grouping many radical Islamic Shi'a groups and organizations. It was formed in reaction to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and it assimilated members of a coalition of groups called Islamic Jihad in the 1980s. The group's distinctly Shi'a Islamist ideological inspiration came from the Iranian revolution and the teachings of Ayatollah Khomeini. Hezbollah has close links to Iran through its revolutionary guards and has links to Syria. Indeed, the group receives a substantial amount of support from both countries, in the form of financial, political, diplomatic, and organizational aid, and including weapons and explosives supplies. Hezbollah has several thousand supporters and a few hundred terrorist cells located in Beirut, southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, Europe, Africa, South America, North America and Asia. Hezbollah still attacks Israeli forces, despite the withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon in the year 2000.1 In its early days, Hezbollah was close to a contingent of some 2,000 Iranian Revolutionary guards based in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. They had been sent to Lebanon in 1982 to aid the resistance against Israel.2 The group's manifesto, which was proclaimed in 1982 and published on February 16, 1985 in al-Safir, included three goals: opposition to Western imperialism in Lebanon, the transformation of Lebanon's multi-confessional state into a Shi'a Islamic fundamentalist state modeled on Iran, and the complete destruction of the state of Israel. According to Hezbollah's ideological ideals, there is no legitimacy for the existence of Israel, so the conflict of legitimacy is entirely based on religious ideals.3

How did this end?

His rule was increasingly autocratic. His Westernization programs alienated the clergy and Islam. Eventually, his rule led to mass demonstrations during the 1970s, to which the Shah responded with the imposition of martial law in Septemper 1978. Iran became a model police state.

When did the US sponsor Iran?

However, in 1986, members of the Reagan administration sold weapons to Iran in a covert operation called the "Iran-Contra affair". Iran was desperately in need of military supplies in its war with Iraq, and with the sales, the U.S. secretly funded Contra militants, an anti-communist guerrilla organization aiming to overthrow the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua. Part of the deal was also to free American hostages in Lebanon who were captured in a June 14, 1985 TWA Flight 847 plane hijacking by Shi'a members of Hezbollah who demanded the release of Shi'a prisoners held in Kuwait, Israel and Spain.

When did Reza Khan come to power? Who was he?

In 1921 following a coup. He was an Iranian officer. In 1925 he changed his name to Reza Shah Pahvlavi

Examples of Iranian State-Sponsored Terrorism

In 1981, Iran supported Shi'a radicals of the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain in an attempted coup against the ruling Al Khalifa family. During the Iran-Iraq war, Iran supported Shi'a radicalism in Iraq with the Iraqi Dawa party. Iran had aimed to establish an Iranian-type Islamic government in Iraq. This in turn definitively contributed to Iraq's decision to invade Iran in 1980. In 1983, Iran expressed its support for the Shi'a Muslims who bombed Western embassies in Kuwait. On July 31, 1987, Iranian pilgrims rioted during the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, causing the deaths of over 400 people. Iran helped fund the Tehrik-e-Jafariya-e-Pakistan (TJP), a group that was formed to protect the interests of Pakistan's Shi'a Muslims against the Sunni Muslim majority. Daniel Byman argues that Iran backed groups in countries of the Persian Gulf as well as terrorists and radicals in Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Bosnia, the Philippines, and elsewhere.1 Many left-wing revolutionary movements, including those with secular ideologies, also embraced the ideals of the revolution. Support for terrorism also constituted a means for Iran to attack the United States and Israel.

What is the population? And the breakdown?

In 2014 estimated was 78 million. Persians 61% Kurds 10% Lurs 6% Arabs 2% Balochs 2%,

International relations continued

In June 1996, a major terrorist incident took place at Al-Khobar in Eastern Saudi Arabia, where a U.S. military barracks was bombed, killing 19 U.S. servicemen and wounding 372 people. Evidence revealed that the incident was carried out by Saudi Hezbollah groups, which Iran had allegedly inspired, supported and directed. The Al-Khobar case is another terrorist event that depicts the contradictory nature of Iran's foreign policy, as, according to Gary Sick, "Only the year before, Iran had offered a major offshore development contract to a U.S. company as a signal of interest in improved relations and was engaged in a major strategic effort to develop closer relations with Saudi Arabia."1 Recent findings, including those of former Defense Secretary William Perry, have now instead hinted at al Qaeda being the organization behind the Al-Khobar bombing attacks.2 Since the mid-1990s, and most notably since the election of reformist president Muhammad Khatami (1997-2005), the elected government has sought to attract foreign political and economic support. President Muhammad Khatami's foreign policy focused on integrating Iran into the international community, reducing its image of revolutionary fanaticism, and condemning terrorism. Indeed, in an official statement on CNN in 1998, President Khatami clearly condemned the acts of terrorism most common during the Iranian revolution, such as hostage-taking, kidnappings, maritime attacks and assassinations. The assassinations of the "enemies of the Islamic Republic" in Europe ended in 1994, though there were more assassinations against members of Mujaheddin-e-Khalq outside of Europe. In November and December 1998, four intellectuals who did not share the conservative view of the country's future were murdered in an attempt to destabilize president Khatami's government. After leading an investigation, President Khatami's government arrested a group of ultraconservative officials who were headed by Deputy Director Saeed Emami in the Ministry of Intelligence. While these arrests brought hope concerning the government's desire to condemn terrorist acts, it also confirmed that groups of ultraconservative extremists were operating without the approval of the elected government. President Khatami drastically changed the political discourse in Iran, and tried to clean out the Ministry of Intelligence and Security which was the most powerful ministry in the Iranian government and which supported or financed numerous terrorist acts. However, these intelligence and security forces remain in the hands of the conservative factions and are directly answerable to Ayatollah Khamenei, and there remains a gap between Iran's declaratory policy and the actions stemming from the security forces of Iran. At the same time, Iran continued under the presidency of Khatami (and continues today) to support organizations that aim at the destruction of Israel. In line with popular Islamic opinion, they even take pride in this support, regarding it as legitimate activity in support of resistance movements against the illegal occupation. Top members of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command regularly meet Iran's top political leaders, including Khatami and his foreign minister.

Did Iraq use chemical weapons?

In a chronology of U.S. involvement in the Iran-Iraq war, John King reports that Iraq used chemical weapons on many occasions during the war, as the country did against Iraqi Kurds in 1988, killing over 100,000 civilians and destroying over 1200 Kurdish villages.2

Iran's government Part 1

In the 20th century, it went from a constitutional monarchy to a theocratic republic. Many dynasties succeded themselves in ancient Iran, and it was under the reign of the Safavid dynasty (1501-1722) that the dominant religion became Shi'a Islam. Iran has been an islamic country since the mid-7th century AD, when Persia lost its former state religion.

Iranian Terror against Israel

Iran and Israel were politically and militarily close during the Pahlavi dynasty. Iran was actually one of the first nations to internationally recognize Israel. After that, Ayatollah Khomeini declared Israel an "enemy of Islam" and opposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who did support Israel. Following the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Iran withdrew its recognition of the state of Israel and ended all relations. All trade with Israel was banned, especially the sale of oil. However, the two countries did engage in some military relations as Israel armed Iran during the Iran-Iraq war, with sales totalling US $500 million annually. By the summer of 1985, Israel was selling arms such as missiles, fighter-bombers, radar equipment, and tank engines to Iran, which was in great need of arms to attack Iraq. Since the Madrid Conference in October 1991, which constituted an early attempt by the international community to start a peace process in the Middle East, Iran has strengthened its ties with the Palestinian organizations that oppose the peace process. In turn, most of the Palestinian organizations that oppose the peace process participated in the Conferences for the Support of the Uprising, organized by Tehran (December 1990 and October 1991). Iran did not condemn even the most extreme terrorist actions that were committed against Israel and the Middle East peace process by organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.1 Iran considers itself as the true world leader of political Islam and insists that its support in favor of the "forces of national liberation" does not constitute terrorism. Fierce opposition to Israeli occupation of Palestine is a central point of this strong belief as Iran advocates eradicating Israel and reconstituting Palestine.

The evolution p3

Iran has ostensibly attempted to normalize its relations with neighboring countries in the Persian Gulf region, especially Saudi Arabia, and has similarly stopped trying to establish a leadership role throughout the Persian Gulf. Iran has played an important role in the United Nations, has established respectful relations with the European Union and has also worked on establishing trade ties, such as oil exports with countries such as Italy, France and Germany. However, despite these trade relations with West European nations, there are still many unresolved issues related to key European political concerns such as human rights and weapons of mass destruction acquisition efforts, especially in the nuclear field. The 27 EU countries have already made a number of agreements exceeding UN requirements, including freezing Iran's assets within the EU, imposing travel bans on Iranians and Iranian companies allegedly linked to the nuclear program and a complete arms embargo against Tehran. The UN Security Council has already passed two resolutions for sanctions against Iran's nuclear program. However, European businesses with investment interests in Iran are concerned about imposing more sanctions, assuming that Chinese companies will simply step in and hurt European business interests rather than Iran. Iran's foreign policy also emphasizes a great increase in diplomatic contacts with developing countries to build new trade and political support. Countries such as China and India have emerged as friends of Iran as they all face similar challenges in the global economy. Focusing on its resources in oil and natural gas, Iran is looking eastward, with the clear goal of reinforcing its ties with China, India and Japan. Iran has also been developing diplomatic and commercial relations with Russia and the former Soviet republics. They share similar national interests in developments in Central Asia and the Transcaucasus, including energy resources from the Caspian Sea. Generally speaking, bilateral relations are frequently confusing and contradictory. According to Gary Sick, "At the same time, some unaccountable elements of Iran's power structure have seemed unwilling to accept this normalization process and have clung to a very different agenda of destabilization, revolutionary vengeance, and violent intimidation, including terrorist acts."1 Furthermore, Sick suggests that "The two sets of policies, often directly contradictory, reflect the struggle that lies at the very heart of the Iranian revolutionary experience." According to the U.S. Department of State, Iran's Islamic foreign policy emphasizes: Vehement anti-U.S. and anti-Israel stances. Eliminating outside influence in the region. Support for Muslim political movements abroad. A great increase in diplomatic contacts with developing countries.2

What about drug-wise?

Iran is a key transit route for Southwest Asia (especially Afghan) heroin and hashish exported to Europe. Opium addiction is a serious problem, official Iranian statistics report that there were at least 2 million users in 2005.

Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and National Security (VEVAK)

Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and National Security was founded in 1984, replacing various small intelligence agencies that were formed in different governmental organizations. The organization was supposed to replace SAVAK, Iran's intelligence agency during the rule of the Shah. It is one of the largest and most active intelligence agencies in the Middle East, as well as the most powerful ministry of the Iranian government, with a large secret budget and a great deal of equipment. VEVAK operates under the direct supervision of the Iranian regime's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and essentially stands above the law.1 The organization has been accused of promoting terrorist activities and funding Hezbollah. It has allegedly masterminded 450 acts of terrorism throughout the world since the 1980s. According to the U.S. State Department, the Ministry of Intelligence and Security has been "directly involved in the planning and support of terrorist acts and continued to exhort a variety of groups, especially Palestinian groups with leadership cadres in Syria and Lebanese Hezbollah, to use terrorism in pursuit of their goals".2

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC - Pasdaran-e Inqilab)

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps is a military organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran that works separately and alongside the Iranian military. This military force was formed in May 1979, first as a force loyal to Ayatollah Khomeini and responsible for guarding the revolution and enforcing the Islamic codes of conduct, and later as a national force during the war between Iran and Iraq. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has allegedly given substantial military support to many Hezbollah fighters. In 1982, during the Israeli invasion and occupation of Lebanon, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sent around 2000 of their members to help with the resistance. The Qods (Jerusalem) Force, which is the extra-territorial arm of the IRGC, is responsible for international operations, including terrorist operations. It aims to train Islamic fundamentalist terrorist groups, and it monitors underground movements in the Gulf region. The foreign operatives, consisting of Arabic-speaking Iranians, Afghans, Iraqis, Lebanese Shi'as and North Africans who trained in Iran or Afghanistan, supported the establishment of Hezbollah branches in countries such as Lebanon, Iraqi Kurdistan, Jordan and Palestine, and the Islamic Jihad branches in countries including Egypt, Turkey, Chechnya and Caucasia. They also relate to the causes of the Iraqi Kurds, the Kashmiris, the Balouchis and the Afghans. Over the years the IRGC has grown to become one of the most powerful institutions in Iran. Not only does it command a membership of over 130,000, but it has also come to control the state's missile arsenal, the administration of the nuclear program, and it runs a multi-billion dollar business enterprise. It commands the aforementioned Qods Force, the Basij militia, which cracks down on dissidents, in addition to navy, air force and ground force units. Perhaps this growth, as well as the alleged support in training and funding of Hezbollah and other Shi'a militias, resulted in the Bush administration's terrorist designation of the IRGC-Qods Force in October 2007. The classification was unprecedented as it became the first ever terrorist designation of the armed forces of a sovereign nation.3

Gary Sick "Iran has a split personality"

Some parts of the government - the presidency, the parliament (majlis), and the functional ministries are held accountable for their policies and actions through public review and frequent elections. Other parts including the supreme leader, oversight committees, security services, are dominated by a conservative clergy who are officially above reproach, held accountable only to themselves. They have veto power over government policies and command a shadowy but potent network of influence and protection that grew out of the revolution. There is tension between these 2 groups, up to the point that it seems like they are pursuing different or even contradictory objectives.

Evolution of Iranian Foreign Relations

Iran's relations with many of its Arab neighbors have been limited because of its attempts to spread its Islamic revolution. Iran's relations with Arab states have also been based on perceptions of each state's relations with Israel. Those Arabs who advocate compromise with Israel are seen as traitors. Thus, Iran has been hostile toward the states that it regards as willing to accept Israel's existence—such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia—and friendly toward those that it regards as sharing Iranian views—such as Algeria, Libya and Syria. Violent events demonstrating this hostility include: In 1981, Iran supported a plot to overthrow the Bahrain government. In 1983, Iran expressed support for Shi'a Muslims who bombed Western embassies in Kuwait. In 1987, Iranian pilgrims rioted during the Hajj (pilgrimage) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. As a result of the revolutionary ideals, Iran broke its relations with the U.S. after the hostage crisis in Tehran on November 4, 1979. Given its strong position against the West, Iran has remained quite isolated in terms of international relations, with Syria as its only significant ally in the Middle East. Following Ayatollah Khomeini's death, Iran's competing foreign policies became more visible, especially during Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's presidency (1989-1997). Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's initiatives to build more constructive political and commercial links with the West were constantly sabotaged by acts of terrorism. Terrorists were allegedly protected by individuals at the top of the conservative power structure.

Exporting the Revolution and Political Opposition

Iranian militants quickly made attempts to export the revolution by triggering radical Islamist dissatisfaction and by promoting acts of political sabotage and violence in many Gulf states, such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which were ruled by hereditary monarchs who naturally feared the new rhetoric from Tehran. Indeed, the emergence of a radical Shi'a dominated theocracy, while scaring the West, equally scared many of its Sunni Arab neighbors who were distressed by the Iranian revolution since a Shi'a minority exists among their populations and it risked sparking a civil war. In April 1980, Iranian supporters attempted to assassinate senior Iraqi officials, including Tariq Aziz, the former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq. This incident was one of many that convinced Saddam Hussein to invade Iran. In 1983, the Iranian government arrested and executed over 1000 leaders and members of the Tudeh party, the Iranian communist party which was a major political party in Iran prior to the purges during the Khomeini regime. Since the constitution of the Islamic regime, Iranian opposition activists and people considered as threats to the regime living outside of Iran have consistently been eliminated, presumably by Iran's Intelligence Department. This was possible through considerable intelligence efforts of surveillance and tracking-down.1 The only political party that was permitted limited activity by 1983 was the Freedom Movement of Iran (FMI) which was a liberal secularist group led by Mehdi Bazargan and founded by former Premier Mohammed Mossadeq and his National Front. Mohammed Mossadeq had been removed from power by the British and U.S. coup that reinstated Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1953. Mehdi Bazargan was the first Iranian head of National Iranian Oil Company under command of Prime Minister Mossadeq and considering his party's prominent role in opposing the Shah's rule, Ayatollah Khomeini first appointed him as the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government in 1979. After the collapse of the Provisional Government, which lasted nine months, FMI leaders were denied of any governmental or judicial positions. However, Bazargan was a member of the first parliament of the newly formed Islamic Republic despite his party's critic of the clerical establishment.

Geographical Location and Overview or Iran

Islamic Republic of Iran is a Middle Eastern country that shares borders with Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. In terms of access to waterways it lies south of the Caspian Sea and north of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. This makes it a strategic location for vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

SAVAK

It was a much despised internal security and intelligence service. It ran from 1957-1979. It was founded with the assistance of the CIA and Mossad. The Shah's right hand. They performed torture and executions. They also surveilled Iranians abroad. It was disolved by Khomeini shortly after he came in power in 1979, the key players were executed.

What happened afterwards?

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was put back in power. He had strong support from the U.S and the UK, he initiated a series of economic, social, and administrative reforms that were fueled by Iran's vast petroleum reserves. The core of this 1963 program, known as the White Revolution, were land reform programs, voting rights for women, and the establishment of educational programs seeking to eliminate illiteracy.

What is the country mainly composed of?

Mountains and deserts

Does Iran have an official functioning political party?

No, it only has a limited # of opposition parties. Many are in exile remaining unknown to most of the Iranian population.

Iran and U.S being ok towards one another

On July 3, 1988, the U.S. Navy shot down an Iranian Airbus on a commercial flight in Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the death of 290 civilians, including 66 children and 38 non-Iranians. According to the U.S. government, the Navy mistakenly identified the aircraft as an attacking military fighter. The United States agreed to pay Iran US $61.8 million in compensation for the Iranians killed in the shootdown, but not for the aircraft, which was estimated to be worth approximately US $30 million.1 After the 9/11 attacks, Iran responded by offering condolences in support of the American people. Tehran also adopted a position of neutrality during the subsequent Afghan war, while cooperating on humanitarian issues, and offering $560 million for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Iranian acquiescence and material assistance played an important role in American successes in Afghanistan. After the fall of the Taliban, Iran also participated in the Bonn Process, in order to establish an interim government in Afghanistan.

Other groups

Other groups affiliated with Iran include all Palestinian rejectionist groups and basically all groups that are violently opposed to the Arab-Israeli peace process, including: Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz Arbav Martyrs of Khuzestan Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Committee of Solidarity with Arab and Middle East Political Prisoners (CSPPA) Fedayeen Khalq (People's Commandos) Group of the Martyrs Mostafa Sadeki and Ali Zadeh Guardsmen of Islam Islamic Action in Iraq Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) Jund Allah Organization for the Sunni Mujahideen in Iran Movement of Islamic Action of Iraq Peykar Shahin al-Ahwaz Arab People's Democratic Front

What about the languages?

Persian and turkish dialects: 58%, Turkik and Turkic dialectss 26% ...

What does iran have?

Petroleum, represents 80% of the country's exports. It has significant status in international politics.

Who is politically moderate?

Rouhani, he is a centrist and reformist who has improved Iran's diplomatic relations with other countries.

The Aftermath of the Revolution

SAVAK was dissolved, there was a surge of radical actions that were clearly sponsored by the Iranian government and have been interpreted in the West as acts of terrorism. For example, revolutionary students invaded the U.S. embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979, seizing a large group of U.S. diplomats and private citizens as hostages for 444 days with the explicit consent of the Iranian government. U.S. President Jimmy Carter ordered a complete embargo of Iranian oil as a result. The 52 American hostages were released on January 20, 1981, once the U.S. conceded to meet Ayatollah Khomeini's original conditions, that is, to guarantee not to interfere in Iran's affairs, cancellation of U.S. damage claims against Iran, release of $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets, an apology, and the return of the assets held by the former imperial family. Following the revolution gov fought with kurdish rebels, the gov suppressed them though.

Why?

Territory disputes. the sovereignty of the waterway between them, they overtly aimed to overthrow one another's government. Iran wanted to export the Islamic revolution throughout the middle east. Saddam Hussein wanted to overthrow the regime of the Aytollas, which was perceived as a threat by conservative Sunni regimes (like Saudi Arabia).

Islamic revolution

The Islamic revolution took place in the context of strong opposition against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's Western-oriented political rule and his use of the SAVAK secret police in what was becoming a police state. There was also strong Shi'a opposition to the Shah, considering his emphasis on the process of secularization of the Iranian population, led by Ayatollah Khomeini. He spread his message through music tapes that were smuggled into Iran and distributed throughout the country. Ayatollah Khomeini and his supporters, the Islamic Republican Party (IRP), aimed to desecularize Iranian society by creating an ideal Islamic society whose laws and values were derived from the Qu'ran and other religious texts sacred to Shi'a Islam. In order to accomplish this goal, Ayatollah Khomeini and his supporters planned the destruction of the royal regime, family and political elite, so they could effectively enable the Shi'a Islamic clergy to take over governmental institutions and gain the authority of the central government to implement Islamic programs.1 The new political elite that emerged was composed of Shi'a clergymen and lay technocrats originating from the Iranian middle class. In addition, when Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran on February 1, 1979, mass purges of the supporters of the Shah began and hundreds of people were executed. Revolutionary courts were established in Tehran and in provincial centers, passing death sentences for almost all of the officials of the Shah regime. On April 1, 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini declared an Islamic republic with a new Constitution which reflected his ideals of Islamic government. His plans for revitalizing Islamic traditions started with the imposition of a religious behavioral code, such as forcing women to return to the veil, and banning alcohol as well as all sources of Western culture. He also shut down the media, closed universities and eliminated political parties.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement (PIJ)

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement is a radical militant Palestinian group that was formed in the Gaza Strip in 1979, initially as a branch of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad. The group has been influenced by the revolution in Iran and its goals reside in the liberation of all of Palestine, the creation of an Islamic Palestinian state, and the destruction of the state of Israel through a jihad. The PIJ opposes many other moderate Arab governments for their openness to Western influence. The PIJ is considered a terrorist group by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States. It has claimed responsibility for many attacks in Israel, including suicide bombings. The group receives financial assistance from Iran and from Syria, as well as some funding from Hezbollah. The group sometimes cooperates in carrying out attacks with Hamas. For more information on terrorist attacks carried out by the PIJ as well as information on its current status, read this Council on Foreign Relations backgrounder.

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC)

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command split from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in 1968, as it claimed that it wanted to focus more on military action than on political action. As we saw in Module 3, it is a pan-Arab, secular, Marxist-Leninist group that resists all settlements with Israel. The organization is led by Ahmad Jabril, a former captain in the Syrian Army, and both Syria and Iran support the organization. It is opposed to the Palestine Liberation Army (PLO). The PFLP-GC orchestrated multiple attacks in Europe and the Middle East during the 1970s and 1980s. More recently, it has focused on operations in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK)

The U.S. designated MEK as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. The European Union added MEK to its list of "terrorist organizations" in 2002. The Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) is considered the most powerful opposition group to the Iranian government. The group was originally formed in the mid-1960s, during the formation of the National Liberation Movement of Iran. It was an Islamic student organization that supported democratic reform, but was strongly repressed by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. During the Iranian revolution, the MEK fought in guerrilla operations against the Shah, but the group broke away from the clerical regime of Ayatollah Khomeini after the regime started to crack down on the MEK in 1981 because of the group's radical Marxist ideology. Thus, MEK's armed struggle against the government of Iran started in 1981, and the group established camps in Iraq throughout the remainder of the Iran-Iraq war. Iraq is presumed to have provided the MEK with financial, logistical and military support. Saddam Hussein allowed MEK to operate military bases in Iraq and launch cross-border attacks. Since Saddam Hussein's defeat in 2003 (and the American occupation of Iraq), MEK has lost its most important support system. In its worldwide terrorism campaign against the government of Iran, MEK has conducted numerous bombings, assassinations and hostage takings in its efforts to replace the government with a Marxist-Socialist government. During the 1970s, the organization was accused of organizing the 1979 American hostage takings in Tehran. However, though MEK leadership claims it did not oppose the takeover, it denies responsibility for the attack on the grounds that its involvement was somewhat forced because it was the main domestic target of the Iranian regime, which was increasingly seeking the group's destruction. MEK leadership actually identifies closely with American efforts to effect democratic reform in the region and its attacks on the clerical regime in Iran and abroad have received much international publicity. MEK's anti-Islamist Muslim ideology stresses representative democracy, a free market economy and equal rights for women. Today, MEK has around 3800 members based in Iraq and under U.S. military protection. Indeed, MEK members have been granted protected persons status. This status, however, has no effect on the U.S. designation of the group as a "foreign terrorist organization." It also maintains an extensive overseas support structure. The shocking revelations about Iran's secret nuclear weapons program were originally sourced to MEK agents operating inside Iran. The fact that MEK is designated as a foreign terrorist organization significantly limits the group's ability to mobilize Iranians against the regime or solicit contributions from the Iranian diaspora. For more information on terrorist attacks carried out by MEK as well as information on its current status, read this Council on Foreign Relations backgrounder.

Iranian-U.S. Relations and Terrorism, WMD

The fact that Iran would acquire weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is of considerable concern for Israel. Israel believes that Iran would not hesitate to attack, as this would drastically change the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. Indeed, Iran may want nuclear weapons to counter-weight Israel or Pakistan's nuclear capabilities. The obvious concern for the U.S. is that a nuclear Iran could supply nuclear technology to terrorist groups. However, should the United States choose to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, there is a strong possibility that Iran would respond using unconventional forces, that is to say, terrorism. According to the U.S. Department of State, "State sponsors of terrorism pose a grave WMD terrorism threat. A WMD program in a state sponsor of terrorism could enable a terrorist organization to acquire a sophisticated WMD. State sponsors of terrorism and nations that fail to live up to their international obligations deserve special attention as potential facilitators of WMD terrorism. Iran presents a particular concern, given its active sponsorship of terrorism and its continued development of a nuclear program. Iran is also capable of producing biological and chemical agents or weapons. Like other state sponsors of terrorism with WMD programs, Iran could support terrorist organizations seeking to acquire WMD."1 Overall, the U.S. government defines the areas of objectionable Iranian behavior as the following: Iranian efforts to acquire nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction Its support for and involvement in international terrorism Its support for violent opposition to the Middle East peace process Its dismal human rights record Iran's support of terrorists and terrorism creates a danger for the U.S. given Iran's past and present hostility to the U.S. government. Here is a chronology of U.S.-Iranian relations from 1906 until 2002 and another chronology of U.S.-Iranian relations from 1953 until 2008. At present the United States and Iran still fail to maintain a diplomatic dialogue, although new developments on the U.S. political stage could change the state of the diplomatic standoff. The election of Barack Obama as president of the U.S. has already established a break with the Bush doctrine of previous years, and there are signs that point to the administration's willingness to engage in dialogue and negotiations with previously shut-out groups and nations. While American foreign policy remains unchanged, the new terms of engagement might indicate that the U.S. will not be taking unilateral actions against Iran with respect to its nuclear program or its alleged support of terrorist organizations. Furthermore, we might even see the resumption of direct talks with Iran if Obama's policies evolve according to what he has already expressed in many of his speeches.2

Hezzbollah and other Iran-sponsored Terrorist Organizations

The group declared its political existence in 1985, and Hezbollah has very actively participated in Lebanon's political system since 1992. In 2005, the group won 14 out of the 128 seats in the Lebanese parliament, and has two ministers in the government.1 The group offers many services that the government has failed to provide, therefore many Lebanese see Hezbollah not only as a political movement but also as a social service and health care and welfare provider, as the group runs hospitals, schools, provides agricultural services and even collects garbage for the impoverished Shi'a population. It is also behind a large number of economic and infrastructure projects in the country. According to Dahr Jamail, "Despite political pressure, Hezbollah has refused to integrate its forces into the Lebanese army. It considers itself a legitimate resistance movement in Lebanon that is equally important to the entire region of the Middle East. While Hezbollah is winning support from the Arab and Muslim world, it is still accused of terrorism by the West".2 Though the group has abandoned the idea of transforming Lebanon into a fundamentalist Shi'a state, Hezbollah is still strongly anti-Western and anti-Israeli. Israel believes that Hezbollah's activities fit within Iran's anti-Israeli foreign policy. The group is believed to be responsible for nearly 200 attacks since 1982, including many anti-U.S. terrorist attacks.

The Iran-Iraq war, how long did it last?

The invasion was on September 1980 and lasted until August 1988

What did he emphasize?

The modernization and secularization of politics. The central government of Iran reasserted its authority over the tribes and provinces.

State-sponsored Terrorism in Iran

The year 1979 was a crucial point in the evolution of international terrorism. While the Iranian Islamic revolution brought about a wave of revolutionary Shi'a Islam, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the following anti-Soviet mujahedeen war influenced the rise and expansion of terrorist groups worldwide. Indeed, the development of a post-jihad group of well-trained and extremist militants is a key trend in contemporary international terrorism. The Islamic revolution has been held up as an example of Muslim fundamentalism and resistance to Western influence in the Middle East. The clerical regime of Khomeini viewed the support of revolutions overseas as part of a revolutionary duty. According to Daniel Byman, exporting the revolution was a leading foreign policy goal, which led Iran to start supporting radical groups after the revolution. After 1979, Tehran used a wide range of terrorist organizations to export its revolution and to assassinate Iranian dissidents around the globe. Since then, Iran has become the world's leading and most active state supporter of terrorism, especially for Shi'a Muslim movements around the world.1 Indeed, Iranian leaders mainly support Shi'a Muslim groups, based on the grounds that they historically encountered much oppression and discrimination. Therefore, Iran views its support as a means to destabilize and weaken regimes that it considers illegitimate. What is critical in the sponsorship of terrorist organizations is the fact that the clerical authority approves and backs operations and groups on the grounds of divine orders. Accordingly, the jihad constitutes a legitimate defensive movement against Western superpowers.

Iranian-U.S Relations and Terrorism

While there was talk of the construction of a new U.S.-Iranian relationship, in 2002, former President George W. Bush identified Iran as the third member of an "axis of evil" (along with Iraq and North Korea), stating that terrorism was a major concern. The term "axis of evil" is used to describe regimes that allegedly sponsor terror and seek weapons of mass destruction. Many official reports have alleged Iranian involvement in smuggling arms to the Palestinian Authority, supporting Palestinian rejectionists, and destabilizing the interim Afghan government to prevent it from becoming a U.S. ally against Iran. U.S. officials discovered that Iran has supplied weapons to Taliban tribal rebels located on the Afghan-Pakistani border. In this way, Iran is "managing chaos", a strategy they are allegedly employing in Iraq. According to Lionel Beehner, "Abetting the Taliban also boosts Iran's leverage at a time when it is under pressure to end its uranium-enrichment program." It is essentially like saying, "If you push us on the nuclear issue, we can make life hell for you not only in Iraq but also in Afghanistan".1 Iran still opposes the Taliban, but these dual-track policies in Afghanistan will allow it to advance trade links with Afghanistan, eventually return approximate 900,000 Afghan refugees to their homeland, and curb the flow of opium crossing over its border and increasingly creating a drug abuse crisis in Iran. The U.S. claims that Iran has sheltered al Qaeda senior leadership terrorists who have taken refuge across the border from western Afghanistan. Some reports have made a connection between al Qaeda and Iran, allegedly via Hezbollah, which trained al Qaeda operatives in explosives. The Iranian government denies all support for the Sunni al Qaeda terrorist network, and has even cooperated on certain occasions in arresting al Qaeda members. While it is highly likely that al Qaeda members have come in contact with Iranian officials, there are still no credible links that they operate in concert. It has been pointed out that a connection could be refuted based on four substantial obstacles. First, on theological grounds, al Qaeda's Sunni extremist views clash with the Shiite Iranians. Second, al Qaeda's political strategy aims at imposing Taliban-like theocracies throughout the Arab world, while Iran and allies such as Hezbollah accept a democratic and participatory political process. Third, there is little possibility of a strategic alliance as al Qaeda sees Iran as a threat to Islam and as a traitor for aiding in the quashing of Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Finally, there have been multiple attacks by al Qaeda operatives on Iranian targets, as well as on Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiite extremists thought to be associated with Iran.2 As reported in an April 16, 2006 Sunday Times article, "According to Iranian officials, 40,000 trained suicide bombers are ready to strike at British and American targets if the nation's nuclear sites are attacked".3

When did modern Iranian history begin??

With a nationalist uprising against the Shah in 1905, the granting of a limited constitution in 1906 and the discovery of oil in 1908 (the shah remained in power this whole time)

Is Rouhani sympathetic to Obama?

Yes, he wants to reach a deal on the country's nuclear program. However, hardliners will do their best to prevent this from happening.

Was the US involved?

Yes, they supplied weapons to Iraq over the course of the conflict, which led to much resentment in Iran. (Carter administration)