Iran's ambivalent relationship with Al Qaeda, as described in this interesting Los Angeles Times piece:

Despite its periodic crackdowns on the terrorist network, Iran has served as a refuge for Al Qaeda operatives suspected of plotting attacks in Europe and the Middle East and of playing a central role in the Iraqi insurgency, European investigators say.

Investigations in France, Italy, Spain and other countries since the Sept. 11 attacks point to an increasing presence in Iran of Al Qaeda figures, including suspected masterminds of this year's train bombings in Madrid and last year's car bombings of expatriate compounds in Saudi Arabia . . .

But Iran's complex politics and secretive policies have made it difficult to determine the nature of any relationship between Iranian officials and the terror network, investigators say.

As Osama bin Laden's movement has reconfigured since 2001, Iran has become an intermittent refuge for kingpins who have gained stature and autonomy while Bin Laden has faded from the limelight, European officials say . . .

European investigators think Iranian officials have alternately pursued and tolerated Al Qaeda because the group serves as a tool for Iran's geopolitical interests in neighboring Iraq and against key foes: the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

A fascinating piece, worth reading, and noteworthy as well for the fact that it is sourced to European intelligence officials. I've just finished a long piece on US policy towards Iran that won't see daylight for a couple weeks, but which has had me immersed in interviews on the issue for the past couple months really. And one conclusion I've drawn in it is that, once again, the US won't really have European support for serious pressure on Iran to give up its nuclear program. In the end, it's highly unlikely key European states and Japan are willing to give up their consumption of Iranian oil, for the sake of pressuring Iran as part of multilateral action to give up its nuclear program. The implications for whoever wins in November are stark.

Posted by Laura at August 3, 2004 07:28 PM