Richard W. Cottam (1924–1997) was an American political scientist, Iranist and a

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...

(CIA) operative in Iran. Cottam was a member of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

and served a mission for the Church. He was in the United States Navy during World War II.

References

* * * 1924 births 1997 deaths Latter Day Saints from Utah People from Provo, Utah People of the Central Intelligence Agency CIA operatives in Iran American Iranologists University of Utah alumni Harvard University alumni University of Pittsburgh faculty United States Navy personnel of World War II Deaths from cancer in Pennsylvania 20th-century American political scientists {{Espionage-bio-stub