[Thermalseeker]

The CIA has some good people but as an organization is crippled by political correctness and limited competence in human intelligence operations.

Something similar could be said about Iran. They have some good people, but are crippled by a whacked out religious ideology which limits the competence not only in their human intel operations, but at the top of their leadership as well.....

[Rockingham]

Even crazy, dysfunctional regimes can be good at intelligence, especially human intelligence, because survival requires it and ideological or religious fervor is a potent motivator. During the Cold War, for example, the Soviets repeatedly beat the West at human intelligence despite communism's profound rottenness.

As for Iran, after the Shah was overthrown, the mullahs made peace with and kept on many of the veterans of the Shah's secular minded intelligence agency, SAVAK, which had considerable experience with US and Western intelligence methods and thinking. As far as Iran's ruling mullahs are concerned, staying in power and looting Iran's wealth is more important than religious and ideological consistency.