"Nuclear Technology meanwhile had become a national pride in Iran. Far from cowing the regime, US threats had assisted Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad in using it to boost his populist appeal."
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Iranian Imbroglio by Sir Eldon Griffiths with Fred Ameri GM Books
book review by Lee Ware
A timely book, Iranian Imbroglio lends insight into President Obama's potential courses of action in Iran by illustrating the country's history and political development over the 20th century. As Iran moves ahead with its nuclear energy campaign, be it for weapons or not, the U.S. can no longer afford to remain at an impasse in its dealings with the country. At the heart of his book, Sir Eldon Griffiths seeks to find a common ground between Iran’s inalienable right to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes as laid out by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the West's promise to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He proposes widening the course of the dialogue between these two countries rather than pigeonholing the conversation to this one overly heated and passionate debate. However, expanding the discussion as Griffiths suggests will mean difficult compromises and global cooperation.
With his political experience in British Parliament coupled with his journalistic experience at Time magazine and Newsweek International, Griffiths is well versed in Iranian history and culture and has a deep-seated love for the Iranian people starting from his early school days as a young boy. His co-author, Fred Ameri, has held several local and state positions in California and is actively involved in the Persian Community. Not only do their backgrounds lend credibility to their bold ideas, but also their arrangement of the information provides a clear background and compelling lead-up to the ideas they are presenting. Together, the two authors have written an informative and engaging book about one of the more pressing foreign policy issues facing the Obama administration.