American Iranian Council

The American-Iranian Council, is a research and policy think tank "devoted to improving understanding between the peoples of Iran and the United States, and promoting the overall development of Iran" along the lines American capitalism would like to see it go.

It is funded by key US multi-nationals [1] including Boeing, BP, Chase Manhattan, Chevron, Coca Cola, Exxon, Haliburton, Mobil, Shell and several others (and as can be imagined these companies have had a long history of involvement with Iran's natural resources and a disdain for its nationalism). A detailed list of major funders can be found at this link. [2]

The AIC's directors include high level US ambassadors and foreign policy operatives. It publishes propaganda directed at the Iranian government and its directors include:

• Hooshang Amirahmadi Ph.D (Professor, Rutgers University — Founder and President, AIC a consultant with the Aga Khan Foundation (part of the UK's Crown Agents and the World Bank).

• Fereidun Fesharaki Ph.D (Joined the East-West Center in 1979 (a key year — most of the AIC's people left Iran after the Shah was deposed and Fesharaki who "specializes in oil and gas market analysis and the downstream petroleum sector. He serves as consultant to a number of oil, utilities, mining and shipping companies in the US" was clearly part of US/UK backed set-up, the court around the shah and the oil — he is also a member of the CFR and serves on the advisory board of Mitsubishi Oil Company).

Ambassador Chas W Freeman Jr. (Served as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, was Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs from 1993-1994).

Shireen Hunter Ph.D (director of Islamic Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., which is also a founder of AIC. [3] "From 1966-1978, note the date, she was a member of the Iranian Foreign Service, serving abroad in London and Geneva. She attained the rank of Counselor and served as Charge d'Affaires of the Iranian Mission to the United Nations in Geneva." Also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations) [4]

Honorable J Bennett Johnston (a member of the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources from its creation and he was either directly or indirectly responsible for all energy legislation considered by the Congress between 1973 and 1996. "In a front-page article in the National Journal entitled “Power Broker,” Senator Johnston was described as the man to see on all matters involving energy policy." [5]

Judith Kipper (The Director of the Middle East Forum at the Council on Foreign Relations and is a consultant on international affairs for ABC News. During the 1990 Gulf crisis, she testified as an expert witness before congressional committees.)

David J Lesar (Joined Halliburton in 1993 and has served the company in many capacities. Currently, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Halliburton Company. From September 1996 through June 1997 he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Brown & Root, Inc. Joined Halliburton from the disgraced Arthur Andersen Company, where he last served in Dallas as a commercial group director and partner in charge of manufacturing, telecommunications, oil and gas, and retail practices. He is a member of the Upstream Committee of the American Petroleum Institute.)

Ambassador John J Maresca (During his diplomatic career, Ambassador Maresca served as the United States representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was sent as a Special Envoy to open U.S. relations with the newly independent states from the former Soviet Union. He has also served as an Assistant Secretary of Defense.)

Richard H Matzke (Richard H. Matzke is Vice Chairman of the Chevron Corporation, responsible for worldwide oil and gas exploration and production. Previously he was the Assistant to the President, Standard Oil Company of California and General Manager, Foreign Operations.)

Ambassador William G Miller (Served as political officer for the U.S. Embassy in Tehran from 1962 to 1964 as well as the U.S. Consulate in Isfahan, Iran from 1959 to 1962. He spent 14 years on Capitol Hill, where he served as the staff director for three different Senate committees, including the Select Committee on Intelligence. Has led a distinguished career in the U.S. Foreign Service, U.S. Senate staff, academia, foundations, and non-profit organizations.)

Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani (Chairman of Mondoil Corporation, a privately-held company active in international oil and gas operations. A former delegate to OPEC Ministerial Conferences

Mohsen Movaghar (founding member of the Friends of Persia organization.)

Ambassador Richard W Murphy (A career foreign service officer. After service in the U.S. Army he joined the foreign service of the State Department and from 1955-68 served in Beirut, Lebanon, Syria; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Amman, Jordan. He spent 1968-71 in Washington, as Country Director for the Arabian Peninsula. In 1971 President Nixon nominated him as Ambassador to Mauritania and in 1974 he became Ambassador to Syria. He then served as Ambassador to the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. From 1983-1989 he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs. During that period he was particularly active in the Israeli-Arab peace process. Chairman of the Middle East Institute in Washington also CFR.)

Mohammad S Namazikhah D.M.D. (President of the Iranian Muslim Association of North America)

Giandomenico Picco (Served in the United Nations from 1973-1992, most recently as Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs. He played a crucial role in several Middle East negotiations, including the release of Western hostages in Lebanon, the 1988 cease-fire agreement between Iran and Iraq, and the Geneva agreements on the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. Currently serves as president of GDP Associates, a private consulting firm)

Thomas Pickering (Senior Vice President for International Relations for Boeing. Pickering served as U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs since May 1997. Prior to that, he served briefly as the President of the Eurasia Foundation, a Washington-based organization that makes small grants and loans in the states of the former Soviet Union. Pickering held the personal rank of Career Ambassador, the highest in the U.S. Foreign Service. In a diplomatic career spanning five decades, he has served as U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, and Jordan. Another notable assignment was his service as Executive Secretary of the Department of State and Special Assistant to Secretary William P. Rogers and Secretary Henry A. Kissinger from 1973 to 1974. Council on Foreign Relations.)

J. Michael Stinson (Vice President of Business Development and Resources for Conoco’s worldwide exploration and production activities as well as Vice President of Global Business Development. Mr. Stinson is a fellow of the Institute of Petroleum.)

Roscoe S Suddarth (President Emeritus of the Middle East Institute in Washington. He retired in 1995 from the U.S. Foreign Service with the rank of Career Minister.)

Japeh Youssefi (In March of 2000 he created FAIRPAC – the Foundation for American Iranian Rapprochement, a political advocacy council (www.fairpac.org), as a means of informing and educating interested persons everywhere of the benefits of improved US-IRAN relations.)

Marvin Zonis Ph.D (Principal, Marvin Zonis and Associates, Inc., international risk consultants. He has served as a consultant to the Policy Planning Council, the US Department of State, and the National Security Council.)

Ambassador Walter L. Cutler President, Meridian International Center,