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communications equipment which would enable Further, they organised the protests at the Iranian opposition groups in Iran to work together and bypass |= Embassy in London, which lasted for 31 days—longer internet censorship by the clerical regime". than anywhere else.” In the midst of the protests, the Iranian government Hossein Rassam, head of the security and political cracked down on dissent, banning foreign reporters and __ division of the British Embassy in Tehran, was arrested blocking websites. As the Washington Times reported: | under suspicions that he played a key role in the "Well-developed Twitter lists showed a constant stream _ protests "in providing guidance to diplomats and of situation updates and links to photos and videos, all reporters of the British media". Further, an Iranian- of which painted a portrait of the developing turmoil. | American scholar, Kian Tajbakhsh, was arrested. Back in Digital photos and videos proliferated and were picked 2007, Iran had arrested "Haleh Esfandiari, head of the up and reported in countless external sources safe from Wilson Center's Middle East program, and Kian the regime's Net crackdown."® Naturally, all of this Tajbakhsh, with links to the Soros institute, on information came from the upper-class Western suspicions of endangering the country's national students who had access to this technology, which they — security". They were released after three months’ were using in English. detention.” According to the New York Times, on 15 June "a 27-year- Of great interest are the statements made in the wake old State Department official, Jared Cohen, e-mailed — of the riots by former high-level American strategic Twitter with an unusual request: delay scheduled _ kingpins of the foreign policy establishment—among maintenance of its global them Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew network, which would have cut Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft. off service while Iranians were Kissinger, former US National using miter to swap On 28 June, the Security Adviser and eeetey information and inform the . : oe of State, was intervi by th ; Iranian Intelligence Minister corthe Hote outside world about the BBC at the outbreak of the riots. mushrooming protests around blamed Western powers, He stated: "Now i i turns out ehran". Ge at it is not possible for a Further, it reported that "Mr specifically the US and government to emerge in Iran Cohen, a Stanford University Britain, for the post-election at can deal with itself as a graduate who is the youngest . nation rather than as a member of the _ State protests and violence. cause...then we have a different Department's policy planning situation. Then we may staff, has been working with conclude that we must work for Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and regime change in Iran from the other services to harness their reach for diplomatic __ outside..."* initiatives”.” Clearly, there were extensive Western interests and On 28 June, the Iranian Intelligence Minister blamed Western powers, specifically the US and Britain, for the post-election protests and violence. outside..." Clearly, there were extensive Western interests and involvement behind the Iranian "democracy" movement that resulted in the protests following the election. However, the attempted "colour revolution" failed, as the ultimate goal of regime change was not achieved. Brzezinski's strategy of "intelligent manipulation"” ultimately failed, and so Kissinger's conclusion to work for "regime change in Iran from the outside" remains. Suspicions and Arrests On 28 June, the Iranian Intelligence Minister blamed Western powers, specifically the US and Britain, for the post-election protests and violence. Iran even arrested British Embassy staff in Tehran.” On 3 July, the head of ran's Guardians Council said that "British embassy staf would be put on trial for inciting violent protests". Iran ad arrested nine "British embassy employees it accused of playing a role in organising pro-democracy demonstrations" but had released seven of them by July. However, one embassy staff member has been accused o| aving “a significant role" in the election riots.” Amidst all the British denials of any involvement, the Telegraph revealed in late July that two exiles, Azadeh Assadi and Vahid Saderigh, "have been providing crucia support to opposition leaders in Tehran from their omes in London". The two exiles "take their cue from Iran's Green Movement which has been the rallying point for an unprecedented challenge to the leadership of the slamic Republic’. About the Author: Andrew Gavin Marshall is a Research Associate with the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG) in Montreal, Canada. He is currently studying political economy and history at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia. His article "The Financial New World Order" was published in NEXUS 16/04-05. Editor's Note: Due to space constraints, we are unable to publish the complete version of Andrew Marshall's article or the accompanying endnotes. To view the full text and endnotes, and to access parts one and two of this article series, go to http://tinyurl.com/yfl7n3w. 34 * NEXUS FEBRUARY - MARCH 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com