The Redhunter

The invaluable MEMRI has the transcript of their "confessions". What's interesting is that they don't "confess" to stealing military secrets or anything important at all.

Haleh Esfandiari says that her role was to provide information to the American government on Iranians who came to speak at the Woodrow Wilson Center. The speakers were from Iran, but are not further identified. As to her involvement with the Woodrow Wilson Center and other similar organizations,

"There is a connection between the government, the government officials, and the heads of these research centers. It is like a revolving door." ...

"I have been in Iran for nearly five months now. I have had an opportunity to think about the issues I have discussed with you. I have come to the conclusion that these people - myself included - have become links in a chain created by foundations, research institutes, and universities, that have, in the name of democracy, in the name of the empowerment of women, and in the name of dialogue, created networks in Iran, which should eventually bring about fundamental changes in the Iranian regime. In fact, they should shake the system."

Kian Tajbaksh says that his job with the Soros Foundation was to act as a laison between his organization and Iran.

"The fact that the American government allowed the Soros Foundation to have this project on Iran indicates that despite the differences in policy that Mr. Soros and his foundation have with Mr. Bush's Republican Party, they are in agreement with regard to their plans concerning Iran." ...

"The long-term goal of the Soros Foundation is to achieve an open society [in Iran]. The way to achieve this is to create a rift between the rulers and the people. Through this rift, those parts of civil society which were formed and strengthened according to the concept of open society will exert pressure on the rulers to change their conduct."

Ramin Jahanbaglou "admits" to having contacts with Haleh Esfandiari, who's Woodrow Wilson Center "receives most of its funding from the U.S. Congress, and therefore, it had connections there." He concludes that

"Now, when I look back on all my activities during the years I spent in America until I reached Iran, I realize that my activities served the interests of Iran's enemies, and not the interests of the Iranian people. I regret this very much, and I think I should make amends for this."

These are "confessions"? What a joke.

All they really did was say that they're working with the US government to promote democracy in Iran. Some crime.

As upset as televised "confessions" are to Westerners, Iranian leaders are said to be quite pleased with the spectacle:

Government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham told reporters on July 22 that the televised confessions did not constitute "legal" evidence but rather revealed "the nature of a cultural assault" on Iran by the United States. At the same time, he said the security-related "criminal" charges against Esfandiari and Tajbakhsh are separate issues to be dealt with by the judiciary and investigators. He suggested that "the issue of their being spies and charges against them concern judges and the judiciary," adding that "they have committed a criminal offense, an act against national security with the methods they used."

The head of the parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Alaeddin Borujerdi, argued on July 21 that the program provided "outstanding" evidence of alleged U.S. "interference in Iran's internal affairs," the "Javan" daily reported. He said the detainees' statements showed how the United States is allocating what he described as "enormous sums" to "obstruct" Iran.

Borujerdi also claimed that the hostages "have made these confessions voluntarily and in a fully free atmosphere."

The government is so confident that it recently announced that it had arrested several associates of Esfandiari and Tajbakhsh.

What is Going On?

As I've said numerous times, I certainly hope that the CIA is aiding Iranian democracy groups. Our best hope for avoiding a Middle East holocaust is to get rid of the current government in Iran and replace it with one that is genuinely representative of the will of the people. Unlike with Iraq, however, regime change in Iran is not official U.S. government policy.

Looking at the biographies of the people being held, though, I find it very hard to believe that they're the sort who would work for the CIA, even on a non-violent project like supporting democracy movements.

More likely, the Iranian authorities know that the CIA and other Western intelligence agencies are hard at work trying to subert their government, and as such need to arrest someone, if for no other reason than to feel like they're doing something. Likely the counter-intelligence fellows are under intense pressure to come up with arrests, and since they can't find any genuine spies these will have to do.

The other probable motive is to send a warning to Western governments any anyone considering working for their intelligence agencies: spy on us and this is what will happen to you - if you're lucky.

Finally, it just seems to be in the nature of totalitarian regimes to put on show trials. I grew up reading about Andrei Vyshinsky and the Moscow Show Trials of the 1930s. Things never seem to change
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What Are We Doing?

Not much, from what I can tell. "Quiet diplomacy" seems to be the order of the day. This exchange between Press Secretary Tony Snow and an unnamed reporter

Q Will there be talk about the four Iranian American scholars and activists that are being held?

MR. SNOW: No. The conversations are restricted to security matters within Iraq proper. That is the channel that has been opened up. This is not a way of broadening diplomatic contacts between the nations.

Q And about the five Iranians being held inside Iraq?

MR. SNOW: Well, again, what we're talking about are those who have been trying to destabilize Iraq. That is going to be a topic of conversation.

Yes well we wouldn't want to upset the talks by bringing up uncomfortable topics like hostages. We all know the Iranians are so interested in a stable Iraq.

Sigh.