Iran Policy

The report on Iran by Robin Wright (Opinion, Feb. 27) was fine, but she only paid passing reference to the third force, the “guardians of the revolution,” ostensibly under orders of the conservative clergy. The problem with them can succinctly be explained by an analogy in the sequel to Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” where the guardian dogs terrorize both the ruling and servant animals.

The collective “guardians of the revolution”--Basij, Pasdaran and Hezbollah--are out of control, and followers of both liberal [President Mohammad] Khatami and conservative [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei fear them, even for their lives. An understanding of this danger will aid us in formulating policy toward Iran.

RICHARD N. FRYE

Emeritus Prof. of Iranian

Harvard University

Los Angeles

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With the result of the recent national election in Iran overwhelmingly defeating the hard-line clerics, this would be the perfect opportunity for the U.S. government to attempt to normalize relations with Iran for several reasons--the large numbers of Iranians living in the U.S., particularly California, and also to blunt any further aggression by Saddam Hussein of Iraq.

GARY TRAXLER

Oxnard