Rise of the ‘Iran Lobby’:Tehran’s Front Groups Move On– and Into– the Obama Administration

Rise of the ‘Iran Lobby’:Tehran’s Front Groups Move On– and Into– the Obama Administration

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 25, 2009- Today the Center for Security Policy issued a hard-hitting exposé of a network of foreign policy groups and individuals described by the clerical regime in Tehran as the “Iran Lobby” in the United States.

As Iran’s government pursues nuclear weapons, continues to support terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hizballah, and uses blistering and apocalyptic rhetoric against Israel, the United States and the West, the ‘Iran Lobby’ in Washington has been actively advancing the party line espoused by Iran’s theocrats.

Alarmingly, key figures from this circle have been drawn into influential posts in the Obama Administration. Recent or impending appointments of key Middle East experts – such as Ambassador Charles ‘Chas’ Freeman to head the National Intelligence Council, Dr. Vali Nasr as senior advisor to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke for Afghanistan/Pakistan issues, and Dr. Susan Rice as Ambassador to the United Nations – have long promoted the U.S. policies preferred by the mullahs, of US accommodation, unconditional dialogue, and concessions.

The Center’s Occasional Paper Series published “Rise of the ‘Iran Lobby,'”  a comprehensive study of these networks by Clare M. Lopez.  Ms. Lopez is Vice President of the Intelligence Summit and also a professor at the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies.

Ms. Lopez, noted that “the pattern outlined in this paper is one of penetration of our national security infrastructure by agents of influence, be they witting or unwitting, whose actions, intentionally or unintentionally, serve to support the objectives of a hostile foreign power. To date, however, there has been no serious public review of the activities of this Iran Lobby or its affiliates from a counterintelligence perspective. And yet, given the serious nature of the complex challenges that Iran –and especially a nuclear-armed Iran — can be expected to pose in coming months, it is more important than ever to consider the consequences of appointing aggressive advocates, or at least apologists, for this terrorist regime to high posts within U.S. national security leadership.”

“Serious questions must be posed about whether U.S. national security interests are being jeopardized through an insidious influence operation directed by or supportive of the Iranian mullahs.  The Iran lobby threatens incalculable damage not only to our own national security posture but to the millions of Iranians seeking U.S. solidarity, if not help, with their opposition to the regime,” said Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., President of the Center for Security Policy.

“Rise of the ‘Iran Lobby'” can be found online here:

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