The United States and Britain are discussing democratic regime change for Iran, the only possible way that the nuclear row will ever be solved without potential violence. This is very good news for both the international community as well as the Iranian people. The benefit for us is that we won’t have to worry about a hostile Iran with nuclear weapons, and the benefit for them is that they get to live in a free society. It works both ways. The only criticism I have of this policy is that it should have been implemented much, much sooner.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – American and British diplomats held talks this week on ways to promote democracy in Iran amid concern that Tehran is skillfully exploiting a row over it’s nuclear ambitions to fan anti-Western hostility, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

The discussions in Washington involved Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, who is coordinating U.S. policy on Iran, and British diplomats who are serving or have served in Tehran, the officials and diplomats told Reuters.
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American and British officials are leaning to the view that the West must create links with Iranians who oppose the Islamic cleric-led government of President Mohammad Ahmadinejad and are receptive to democracy.

“Obviously there is increasing interest both on Capitol Hill and in the administration in seeing what actually could be done to strengthen civil society in Iran,” said a British diplomat.

The United States cut diplomatic ties with Iran after the 1979 revolution, but Britain has an embassy in Tehran and encourages development of a civil society through activities like technical assistance and seminars.

U.S. officials, with $10 million to spend this year on promoting democracy in Iran, were interested in “knowing about our experience and working out how it might most effectively spend the funds it has available,” the British diplomat said.
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Bush’s administration has been divided over just how strongly it should encourage political change in Iran. But in recent weeks it has increased the number of appearances by senior U.S. officials on media, like the BBC Persian service, which broadcast to Iranians.

“There’s been a conscious effort to try to speak directly to the Iranian people and explain what is happening” within the international community on Iran, a senior U.S. official told Reuters. Iran’s government often blocks foreign broadcasts.

Maybe they should be talking to Gary Metz over at Regime Change Iran.