Those steps include freeing hundreds more political prisoners, ending the often violent repression of democracy advocates and ethnic groups, and clarifying the country's illicit cooperation with North Korea on developing ballistic missiles and, possibly, nuclear technologies.
But a former senior Treasury official, Matthew Levitt, said in a telephone interview that the designations were also meant "to demonstrate and expose Iran's illicit cooperation" with Al Qaeda, by harboring Qaeda operatives under very loose house arrest arrangements.
Among the issues Mrs. Clinton will raise are suspicions of illicit military cooperation with North Korea on missile technology and possibly nuclear technology, and the continued detention of at least 1,600 political prisoners.
In the Sahel, A.Q.I.M. seems to have won some support from local Tuareg tribes, Mr. Porter said, through cooperation in illicit traffic of weapons, drugs, cigarettes and especially hostages.
Pheromones may also help to attract a member of the opposite sex and thus illicit the female's cooperation in the reproductive process.
Among other agreements detailed by today's joint statement were the decision, "based on humanitarian considerations," to allow a visit to the Falkland Islands cemetery by close relatives of Argentines buried there; the mutual abolishing of visa requirements, and cooperation against illicit drug abuse.
In some instances, cooperation involves the illicit exchange of cash.
Judge Velasco said the case "demonstrates Venezuelan governmental cooperation in the illicit collaboration between the FARC and ETA".
In June, when the country crushed its seized ivory, senior minister of state for national development and home affairs Desmond Lee said (pdf): "Tackling this illicit trade requires close international cooperation, and also the assistance of the public and NGOs.
Imports, exports and manufacturing would be licensed, legal sanctions against smugglers and others engaged in the trade would be strengthened and international cooperation of the illicit trade, and action against it, would be enhanced.
They have reached agreement on three of the five planks of the talks: cooperation on eradicating the illicit drug trade; agricultural reform; and the rebels' legal participation in politics once a comprehensive agreement is reached.
