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How to deal with the Iranian Regime?

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Haus der Begegnung Mariahilf, Königseggasse 10, 1060 Vienna
(between Otto-Bauer-Gasse and Loquai-Platz, U3 Zieglergasse, Bus 13A, 14A, 59A)

The Western policy toward Iran currently wavers between hesitation, offers for dialogue with the Iranian regime and the preparation of new sanctions. The symposium intends to outline a reasonable approach toward the regime in Tehran. What has changed since the eruption of tensions within different fractions of the regime and the rise of the freedom movement after the election fraud of June 12? What is the current stage of the Iranian nuclear program? What is the role of the Revolutionary Guards in the nuclear program and in Iran’s economy? What could be the effects of tougher sanctions against the regime and whom should they be directed at? Is a regime change the only way to avert the danger emerging from the Iranian regime for the Iranian people, Iran’s neighbors, Israel and the West?

Schedule:

17:30
Ilan Berman (American Foreign Policy Council, Washington):
The nuclear program and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps in Iran’s economy

18:30
Amir Taheri (Journalist, London):
Conditions for Regime Change

20:00
Panel discussion: How to deal with the Iranian Regime – Western appeasement, sanctions and the Iranian opposition
with Amir Taheri, Ilan Berman, Jana Hybaskova and Simone Dinah Hartmann
Chair: Christian Ultsch (Foreign Editor "Die Presse")

Participants:

Amir Taheri was executive editor-in-chief of Kayhan, Iran's main daily newspaper, until 1979 and has written for International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Pakistan Daily Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Der Spiegel, La Repubblica, Nouvel Observateur and many others. Taheri is a commentator for CNN and BBC and has published several books about Iran and the Middle East. His most recent book Persian Night: Iran under the Khomeinist Revolution was published by Encounter Books (New York and London 2009).

Ilan Berman is Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC. He is author of Tehran Rising: Iran's Challenge to the United States (Rowman & Littlefield, 2005) and editor of Taking on Tehran: Strategies for Confronting the Islamic Republic (Rowman & Littlefield, 2007). His latest book, Winning the Long War: Retaking the Offensive Against Radical Islam, was published by Rowman & Littlefield in July 2009.

Jana Hybaskova is the leader of the European Democratic Party in the Czech Republic. She was ambassador of the Czech Republic to Slovenia, Kuwait and Qatar and member of the European Parliament until 2009.

Simone Dinah Hartmann is the spokesperson of the STOP THE BOMB-coalition, co-editor of "Der Iran – Analyse einer islamischen Diktatur und ihrer europäischen Förderer" (Studienverlag 2008) and has written for Der Standard, Die Presse and Jerusalem Post.