In These New Times

The exposure of Werrity fits in, then, with the moves against the Murdoch press in that it is consistent with the marginalization of pro-Zionist elements within ruling circles. This would, then, be, not a move against an attack on Iran, but against an association of any such attack with Israel. In fact, it would be a move to facilitate an attack on Iran by removing any association with Zionism and even by pushing Israel to a compromise with  the Palestinians. The liberal imperialists know that pro-western elements inside Iran’s green movement are not pro-Zionist and that, therefore, Israel is an obstacle to mobilising them against Ahmadinejad.

Rory MacKinnon

Morning Star

16th October, 2011

Disgraced defence secretary Liam Fox’s self-styled “adviser” stood accused of conspiring to overthrow the Iranian government today.

A Whitehall source told a Sunday paper they believed Mr Werritty had used his close relationship with Mr Fox and funds from Israeli lobbyists to orchestrate a secret foreign policy on Iran – despite having no security clearance or place on the Ministry of Defence’s payroll.

It emerged on Saturday night that MI6 had questioned Mr Werritty about his recent travels, which have included Iran, war-torn Iraq and Sudan.

The newspaper’s source claimed that Mr Werritty, who also directed the US-British neoconservative think tank Atlantic Bridge until last month, had acted as if he had a “licence” from the government.

“You are inviting people to believe you have the government’s resources behind them, and in fact the opposition is likely to be brutally crushed,” the source said.

The allegation, reported in the Independent on Sunday, follows revelations that Mr Werritty privately arranged and attended a meeting in May between Mr Fox and a senior lobbyist with ties to the Iranian government, while Iranian exiles told reporters Mr Werritty had met them to discuss Iranian politics and was a regular fixture at seminars on Iran.

It also builds on reports that Mr Werritty attended an Israeli defence conference with Mr Fox in February where calls for further sanctions against Iran were made and where he privately organised a dinner for Mr Fox, British ambassador Matthew Gould and Israeli politicians and top officials.

Mr Werritty previously attended the same conference in 2009 as a speaker on Iran – with the British-Israeli lobby group Bicom footing the bill.

rorym@peoples-press.com