THE State Department will reportedly soon announce the opening of an Interests Office in Tehran. It may prove to be a major mistake.

For starters, the Interests Section exists now, operating as part of the Swiss Embassy. The move would simply upgrade it with the appointment of at least two senior US diplomats.

....Certainly, the regime would use the Interests Section to get visas for some of its own members, flooding the US with shady characters. (In fact, a whole regiment of Islamic Republic officials and apologists have already struck roots in the US, lobbying for the regime.)

Rice should also shed any illusions that Interest Section diplomats will gain access to real decision-makers in Tehran: Even the most favored ambassadors have no access to the secretive regime's real sources of power. No Western ambassador has ever met 'Supreme Guide' Ali Khamenei. Even Ahmadinejad doesn't receive any ambassadors for anything more than a formal courtesy call.

Finally, many Iranians might see the US move as a sign that Washington is endorsing the regime, warts and all. That would only improve Ahmamdinejad's chances of winning re-election next June.

It would be odd indeed to see the Bush administration, in its last days, helping Ahmadinejad get re-elected.