Professor Raymond Tanter Op-Ed: 'Mr. Sarkozy, Convince Bush to Help the Iranian Opposition'

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Prof. Raymond Tanter,
 President of the Iran Policy Committee, had an Op-Ed article published in
 Le Figaro on 6 November 2007: "Mr. Sarkozy, Convince Bush to Help the
 Iranian Opposition."
 
     Prof. Tanter commented on the upcoming visit to Washington by French
 President Nicolas Sarkozy and the importance of developing a unified
 position regarding Iran. Prof. Tanter wrote: "To reinforce western
 diplomacy and forestall military action, President Sarkozy is in a position
 to develop a new European-American option -- an Iranian solution to the
 threat from Tehran."
 
     Prof. Tanter goes on to evaluate the options facing the United States
 and Europe in dealing with a radical regime intent on acquiring nuclear
 weapons: "The more Europe stresses a diplomatic option that is failing, the
 more it would increase the prospect for Washington to select the military
 option, which Europe correctly wants to avoid. To avoid a nuclear armed
 Iran or war, both the United States and Europe have a common interest to
 emphasize the third, or the Iranian solution."
 
     Regarding the role of the Iranian opposition, Prof. Tanter writes, "The
 EU and the United States can realize their latent leverage over the Iranian
 regime by recognizing the independent Iranian opposition groups, in
 particular the Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK) and National Council of Resistance
 of Iran (NCRI). The EU and the United States can do so by lifting the
 terrorist designation of the MEK. And because the NCRI is not on the EU
 list, Paris should convince Washington to remove that group from its list.
 President Sarkozy has an opportunity to help President Bush move in that
 direction. Now is the time to reinforce the unilateral American sanctions
 against the Iranian regime with a common EU-American approach."
 
     For the full length version of this Op-Ed in French, see:
     http://www.lefigaro.fr/debats/20071106.FIG000000027_monsieur_sarkozy_co
 nvainquez_bush_d_aider_l_opposition_iranienne.html
 
     Prof. Tanter is available for interview.
 
 
 
 

SOURCE Iran Policy Committee