(Financial Times-UK) Guy Dinmore - The Bush administration has put the democratization of Iran out to tender - offering money to groups and individuals inside the Islamic republic - in what officials describe as the start of a long-term effort to pay for opposition to the ruling clerics. A notice posted on the U.S. State Department website is soliciting bids for grants totaling $3m for "promotion of democracy and human rights in Iran." Priorities include development of political parties and media, labor rights, civil society, and human rights, particularly women's rights. Iranian analysts say there is little chance of groups inside Iran accepting U.S. money. They would risk retaliation from the government, and also their credibility among some sectors of society. However, the tender does not exclude funding for Iranian opposition groups in exile.
2005-05-06 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive