Iran: US-Iran education exchange plans cool over hardliners’ spy charges

Asia/India/ Julio de 2016/The Indian Express

RESUMEN: Justo antes del acuerdo nuclear con Irán 2015, cinco universidades estadounidenses visitaron el país para explorar renovar los lazos educativos que florecieron antes de la Revolución Islámica. El grupo, que incluyó a representantes de Rutgers y la Universidad del Sur de California (USC), encontraron un deseo en ambos lados para más intercambios y llegó a la conclusión de que los estudiantes y académicos estadounidenses serían bienvenidos en Irán. Pero había un hitch- el jefe de la delegación, Allan Goodman, era un ex analista de inteligencia de Estados Unidos. En marzo de este año fue atacado en los informes de los medios de comunicación iraníes de línea dura que han pintado la visita de junio 2015, como un intento de Estados Unidos de construir una red de espionaje y socavar el Estado iraní. Funcionarios de Estados Unidos y el empleador de Goodman, el Instituto de Educación Internacional (IIE), dicen que no es el caso y que no hubo participación del gobierno de Estados Unidos en la trip.Nevertheless, los informes de prensa negativos se han enfriado los esfuerzos para reconstruir los lazos educativos a raíz de la acuerdo nuclear lugar de interés, dijeron dos funcionarios de Estados Unidos. Se dijo que el gobierno de Estados Unidos está advirtiendo a universidades de Estados Unidos contra el movimiento demasiado rápido y que las escuelas mismas está pisando con cautela.

Just before 2015’s nuclear deal with Iran, five US universities visited the country to explore renewing educational ties that flourished before the Islamic Revolution.
The group, which included representatives from Rutgers and the University of Southern California (USC), found a desire on both sides for more exchanges and concluded that US students and scholars would be warmly welcomed in Iran.
But there was a hitch- the head of the delegation, Allan Goodman, was a former US intelligence analyst. In March this year he was attacked in hardline Iranian media reports which have painted the June 2015 visit as a US attempt to build an espionage network and undermine the Iranian state.
US officials and Goodman’s employer, the Institute of International Education (IIE), say that’s not the case and that there was no US government involvement in the trip.Nevertheless, the negative press reports have cooled efforts to rebuild educational ties in the wake of the landmark nuclear deal, two US officials said. They said the US government is now cautioning American universities against moving too fast and that the schools themselves are treading warily.
“People looked at that backlash and said ‘Let’s go slow,’” said one of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Goodman, who lists his intelligence background in his online biography, did not respond to repeated interview requests.
Earlier in his career, he coordinated the daily intelligence briefing President Jimmy Carter received in 1979 and 1980, a period when the Islamic Revolution toppled the Shah and dozens of US diplomats were held hostage in Tehran.
Foto: US-Iran’s attempt to renew educational ties cooled down due to alleged attempt of US at espionage (Representational image
Fuente: http://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/us-iran-education-exchange-plans-cool-over-hardliners-spy-charges-2894586/