A forthright address by Robert Gates, US Secretary of Defense, was the highlight of the fourth IISS Manama Dialogue, held in Bahrain from 7–9 December 2007.
The Regional Security Summit took place just a few days after the US Director of National Intelligence had issued a National Intelligence Estimate concluding that Iran had been conducting a nuclear weapons programme, but that this had been suspended in 2003.
The week, Gates told delegates, had marked a watershed. “Astonishingly, the revolutionary government of Iran has this week, for the first time, embraced as valid an assessment of the United States intelligence community.” He hoped that Tehran would also accept its conclusions on Iran’s support for Hezbollah in Lebanon and insurgents in Iraq, its uranium enrichment programme, its development of ballistic missiles, and other activities.
Iran had committed itself to sending a strong delegation to Manama. However, it notified the Institute on 7 December that it would not attend – thereby, in the eyes of many delegates, missing an important opportunity for
