THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN DEMOCRACY PROMOTION TO SUPPORT POLITICAL CHANGE IN IRAN UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION (2001 - 2008)

Abstract

United States (U.S) has three national interests concerning Iran constructed from their past history of relations and interactions,. Since U.S and Iran's discord after Iran Islamic Revolution in 1979, their latest stances and interactions had changed: U.S had included Iran in list of state sponsor of terrorism since 1984, the assistance from U.S to Iran in the framework of developing peaceful nuclear technology had stopped, and the cleric regime in Iran is believed as abusive to human rights and corrupting democracy. U.S had implemented several sanctions for each of the issues concerning Iran. The shocking incident of 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 became one of momentums in U.S - Iran relations. It reminded U.S to re-utilize its infamous public diplomacy to communicate and engage Arab and the Muslim worlds. Iran's involvement behind 9/11 terrorist attacks and Al-Qaeda brought attention upon them. When President George W. Bush came to presidency he had included Iran in the statement of "axis of evils". Moreover, the revelation of Iran's hidden nuclear facility in Natanz almost a year afterwards 9/11 in 2002 grew the size of threat Iran concealed for Washington. President Bush's official speeches on several occassions constantly impressed on Iran's regime's oppressivens, especially for the development of democracy there. Thus, U.S came to the decision of utilizing its international broadcasting in an attempt of engaging Iran's public for a long-term relations with the grand objective of bringing political change in Iran. In 2002, U.S through Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) expand VOA TV by adding a new TV program in VOA TV in Persian and established a new international radio broadcast to Iran named Radio Farda. Iran Freedom Support Act 2006 stated about U.S' eagerness and possible methods to support people of Iran in striving for democracy, for instance through international broadcasting. By the end of President Bush's administration, VOA TV and Radio Farda had developed progressively in the sense of its programming and gaining more viewers or listeners.