Conclusion
86. Our visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran provided
us with an excellent opportunity to see and experience a country
which is still half in and half out of the international community.
Iran's failure to engage constructively with so much of the world
has deprived it of much investment and other benefits; it has
also meant that outsiders have been denied access to an astonishingly
rich culture, a talented, well-educated people and a huge economic
potential.
87. Iran's position at the borders of the Middle
East and Central Asia lends it potentially great strategic significance
in its region: militarily, politically and economically. When,
as we believe they eventually will, the Iranian people put in
place the reforms necessary to realise that potential, the United
Kingdom will have much to gain from being in an already established
relationship with Iran.
88. For the present, Iran remains very much a moving
target for commentators. There is competition for dominance among
different power clusters, with the clerical establishment currently
in the ascendancy. In the short term, the clerics and their allies
may make advances, but in the long term they will surely not be
able to hold back the aspirations of the younger generation.[63]
Young people and women are said to have formed the reformist majority
in the 1997 election, and it appears that it may have been their
abstention in large numbers which removed that majority in last
month's elections.
89. We have previously concluded that the United
Kingdom has been right to engage with Iran, even in the face of
strong signals from Washington that such a policy was misguided,
and even in the face of setbacks to the process of reform, such
as the flawed election of February 2004. Having visited Iran,
and having spoken at some length and with a degree of frankness
to people of influence in that country, we stand by our earlier
comments. We conclude that Iran will surely complete its journey
towards reform, but at its own pace and in its own way, having
regard to its proud history and strong national identity. We recommend
that the Government act as a good friend to Iran in that journey,
criticising when necessary, but supporting where it can.
63 60 percent of Iran's population is aged under 25 Back
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