oung women in tight tresses, salon-styled hair falling own their bare shoulders. The wedding reception was Ike so many - except that it took place in Tehran, the capital of an slamic republic whose ruling lerics take a dim view of such dis- lays of skin and secular, Western- riented tastes. "We represent

, pets, even Deepak Chopra But accusations prompted least two st California les 20 BY SHASHANK BENGALI AND RAMIN MOSTAGHIM barriers to Gov. has vetoe TEHRAN - The groom wore a gal dead navy blue tuxedo, the bride a cus- suits ov tom-made gown with a fish-scale must no pattern inspired by pictures she abol

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ll "alive and kicking" and growing even stronger. But there is good news too. Israel is the strongest country in the region, from Tripoli in Libya to Tehran. It's the strongest militarily, strategically, and economically, and if we know act wisely-diplomatically too. Equally important: Israel will continu

and weapons from Iran and Syria, Hizbullah managed to force Israel out of South Lebanon in 2000, after an 18- year occupation. From this was born the Tehran-Damascus-Hizbullah axis, which over the years grew into the principal regional challenger of the United States and Israel. Both the United States an

s hostile. The Iran-led regional alliance, sometimes called the muqawama ("resistance") bloc, consisted of a coalition of states and movements led by Tehran and committed to altering the US-led dispensation that pertained since the end of the cold war. It included, in addition to Iran itself, the Hezboll

n on 25 February in Kazakhstan. What are the prospects of success? In a nutshell, that would seem to depend more on the climate in Washington than in Tehran. Iran is gesturing that it wants to negotiate, but Washington has not yet signalled any greater flexibility than in the past. In a major speech in T

ney doing business with Israel and Iran, countries shunned by other Arab states. The city's finessing of simultaneous friendships with Washington and Tehran is as deft as it is precarious. Dubai's government wrings efficiencies using schemes from Harvard Business School and General Electric. Its use of s

spect of daily interactions with Iranian officialdom, that it is no longer noteworthy. For those in the West who seek to better understand what makes Tehran tick, though, the regime's curious fixation on sex cannot be ignored. To paraphrase the late U.S. House Speaker Tip O'Neill, in the Islamic Republi

ications of a deal are significant, especially for European corporates eager to get back into Iran marketplace (i.e. Italian PM Renzi already visited Tehran as has German FM). - Iran wants to build 400 four & five star hotels in next five to ten years. - But do not expect any significant oil export incr

rget it the next time the U.S. tries to reach out diplomatically to Iran. We're speaking of the Administration's latest effort to come to terms with Tehran over its nuclear programs, which Mr. Biden made last weekend at the Munich Security Conference. The U.S. offer of direct bilateral talks, he said, "s

y talks, over Iran's disputed nuclear program. As the two perennial adversaries eye one another, there are competing paradigms about how to deal with Tehran. An emerging school of thought suggests that the best means of "testing" Iran is to offer it a final nuclear agreement that presumably promises measu

n on 25 February in Kazakhstan. What are the prospects of success? In a nutshell, that would seem to depend more on the climate in Washington than in Tehran. Iran is gesturing that it wants to negotiate, but Washington has not yet signalled any greater flexibility than in the past. In a major speech in Te

orget it the next time the U.S. tries to reach out diplomatically to Iran. We're speaking of the Administration's latest effort to come to terms with Tehran over its nuclear programs, which Mr. Biden made last weekend at the Munich Security Conference. The U.S. offer of direct bilateral talks, he said, "s

ll "alive and kicking" and growing even stronger. But there is good news too. Israel is the strongest country in the region, from Tripoli in Libya to Tehran. It's the strongest militarily, strategically, and economically, and if we know act wisely-diplomatically too. Equally important: Israel will continu

mean that an Iranian invasion is likely. Yet Iranian bullying and influence-peddling is going on all the time, and if Iraq can't defend its borders, Tehran will have an extra element of coercive leverage. Under these circumstances, leaving Iraq entirely would be an act of folly. We are still in Kosovo,

Al-Azhar. The Iranian leader reciprocated by offering to provide Egypt with a "big credit line" to help its lagging economy, a telling indication of Tehran's desire for a rapprochement. The reaction on the Egyptian street, however, was generally negative, revealing thedisconnect between a dominant Muslim

ed explosive devices (IEDs) against U.S. troops in Iraq. Gulf states will no doubt judge that if the United States was unable and unwilling to attack Tehran under these circumstances, then it is certainly not going to attack Iran in the future, when it will be able to retaliate with nuclear weapons. HOUSE

ed explosive devices (IEDs) against U.S. troops in Iraq. Gulf states will no doubt judge that if the United States was unable and unwilling to attack Tehran under these circumstances, then it is certainly not going to attack Iran in the future, when it will be able to retaliate with nuclear weapons. HOUSE

y talks, over Iran's disputed nuclear program. As the two perennial adversaries eye one another, there are competing paradigms about how to deal with Tehran. An emerging school of thought suggests that the best means of "testing" Iran is to offer it a final nuclear agreement that presumably promises meas

wrong) the decision-making and implementation protocols of the Iranian government, how the Iranian people and military would react to an attack, what Tehran would ask its allies and proxies to do, and what in fact they will do. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_018104 --- PAGE BREAK --- 21 Enemy disinformation, as well