INTELLIGENCE GATHERING ON IRAN

"... the sheer breadth and depth of US intelligence activities in Islamic Iran are rarely acknowledged... hundreds (possibly thousands) of Iranian expatriates in western Europe, North America and the Middle East have been effectively recruited by the CIA (and other US intelligence agencies) without their knowledge.... these people are highly educated and often come from the very top of their professions; which ranges from medicine, engineering and the law to more politically oriented careers such as journalism and political and military analysis. The great majority of these people are apolitical,... (they are made to) feel like a "consultant" rather than an "informant" or "agent".... The relationships are handled by subcontractors, and the CIA only assumes direct control when the target is either beginning to produce intelligence-quality information... or has managed to secure access to people who can..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IG21Ak06.html