Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Emanuele Ottolenghi to Address the Henry Jackson Society

1st November 2011 - 1:00 PM

Now is a decisive moment in history for the West and its relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Faced with tough trade sanctions from the international community, repeated questioning over its nuclear agenda, reports of internal political division and accusations of a recent plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Iran is once again in the public spotlight.

The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution is more commonly known as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), or the Pasdaran. Sworn by an oath of loyalty to Iran's Supreme Leader, the IRGC is the regime's Praetorian Guard, the custodian of its nuclear program, and now a juggernaut in Iran's economy. Since 1979, the Guards have played a key role in protecting the Revolution internally against domestic opposition while actively seeking to export it abroad. The Pasdaran has been at the forefront of repression every time ordinary Iranians have protested their lack of freedoms, including after the fraudulent presidential elections of June 2009. Iran's sponsorship of terrorism abroad is also executed through the Pasdaran's overseas operations' branch, the Qods Forces. A proper understanding of this organisation, therefore, is vital in order to properly understand Iran and its foreign policy.

By kind invitation of Henry Smith MP, the Henry Jackson Society is pleased to invite you to a discussion with Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, Author and Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Dr Ottolenghi’s vast experience and expertise in Iranian politics enables him to offer a fascinating account of its current political climate and the prominent role of the Pasdaran, which rose to a position of prominence in Iran's current power structure, penetrated Iran's economy and is working to help Iran attain nuclear weapons. This repressive yet influential group is likely to play a key role in Iran for decades to come. Dr. Ottolenghi visit to London comes at a time of heightened international interest in Iran’s political ambitions, not least on account of recent apparent acts of state sponsored terrorism, on-going speculation over Iran’s nuclear agenda and political changes occurring across the Middle East and North Africa.

TIME: 1-2pm
DATE: Tuesday 1st November 2011
VENUE: Committee Room 9, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
To attend please RSVP to: sarah.rooney@henryjacksonsociety.org