inflame sectarian tensions within Iran, with serious consequences for Iranian national
security interests.
Our limited contacts with Iran’s government lead us to believe that its leaders are
likely to say they will not participate in diplomatic efforts to support stability in Iraq.
They attribute this reluctance to their belief that the United States seeks regime change
in Iran.
Nevertheless, as one of Iraq’s neighbors Iran should be asked to assume its respon-
sibility to participate in the Support Group. An Iranian refusal to do so would dem-
onstrate to Iraq and the rest of the world Iran’s rejectionist attitude and approach,
which could lead to its isolation. Further, Iran’s refusal to cooperate on this matter
would diminish its prospects of engaging with the United States in the broader dia-
logue it seeks.
RECOMMENDATION 10: The issue of Iran’s nuclear programs should continue
to be dealt with by the United Nations Security Council and its five permanent members
(i.e., the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China) plus Germany.
RECOMMENDATION 11: Diplomatic efforts within the Support Group should
seek to persuade Iran that it should take specific steps to improve the situation in Iraq.
Among steps Iran could usefully take are the following:
- Iran should stem the flow of equipment, technology, and training to any group
resorting to violence in Iraq. - Iran should make clear its support for the territorial integrity of Iraq as a unified
state, as well as its respect for the sovereignty of Iraq and its government. - Iran can use its influence, especially over Shia groups in Iraq, to encourage
national reconciliation. - Iran can also, in the right circumstances, help in the economic reconstruction of
Iraq.
SYRIA. Although the U.S.-Syrian relationship is at a low point, both countries have
important interests in the region that could be enhanced if they were able to establish
some common ground on how to move forward. This approach worked effectively in
the early 1990s. In this context, Syria’s national interests in the Arab-Israeli dispute
are important and can be brought into play.
Syria can make a major contribution to Iraq’s stability in several ways. Accord-
ingly, the Study Group recommends the following:
RECOMMENDATION 12: The United States and the Support Group should en-
courage and persuade Syria of the merit of such contributions as the following:
- Syria can control its border with Iraq to the maximum extent possible and work
together with Iraqis on joint patrols on the border. Doing so will help stem the
flow of funding, insurgents, and terrorists in and out of Iraq. - Syria can establish hotlines to exchange information with the Iraqis.
- Syria can increase its political and economic cooperation with Iraq.
540 IRAQ AND THE GULF WARS