Sunday
Aug092009
The Latest from Iran (9 August): Once More on Trial
Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 20:49
NEW Video: Hillary Clinton on Iran (9 August)
Iran Special Analysis: The Tehran “Foreign Plot” Trial as a Political Weapon
More Iran Drama: Will Rafsanjani Lead This Friday’s Prayers?
Iran: Ayatollah Sistani Intervenes
How Not to Help Iran: The Folly of US Sanctions
The Latest from Iran (8 August): Regrouping
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1915 GMT: In a meeting that could offer significant clues to his political future, President Ahmadinejad
"will attend the [Parliament] session on Monday to exchange views and interact with lawmakers," according to Principlist MP Vali Esmaeili.
1650 GMT: Fars News English says two more citizens of Western European countries have been arrested for "recording an illegal gathering in Vanak Square [in Tehran] using a hi-tech camera." The pair allegedly also had "footage of some Israeli towns" from a 10-day visit to Israel.
1640 GMT: Etemade Melli, the newspaper of Mehdi Karroubi's party, has summarised a letter written by Karroubi to Hashemi Rafsanjani "10 days ago". Karroubi asked the former President to ensure an investigation was launched into the abuse of detainees, including allegations of rape of women and young boys.
1635 GMT: The Threat Against Mousavi. The move by a bloc in Parliament to convict Mir Hossein Mousavi of "leadership" of post-election rioting has been complemented by the head of the political office of the Revolutionary Guard, Yudollah Javani. Writing in the weekly Sobheh Sadegh, affiliated to the Guard, Javani declared, "If Mousavi, [Mehdi] Karoubi and [Mohammad] Khatami are main suspects behind the soft revolution in Iran, which they are, we expect the judiciary...to go after them, arrest them, put them on trial and punish them".
1625 GMT: To Fire Two Ministers is a Misfortune, To Fire Four is a....The civil war within the Ministry of Intelligence, which we've been following as a marker of even bigger battles inside the Government, continues. Apparently, it is no longer two Deputy Ministers --- as well as the Minister, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejeie, who have gone. According to Mazin News, "the purification project is continuing" with the dismissal of the Deputies for Parlaiment and for Technical Affairs.
1315 GMT: Setting Up a Firebreak. A "firebreak" is where you deliberately burn out a rows of trees to establish a line to check a forest fire. In Iran, this weekend's firebreak is the head of Kahrizak prison, who has just been fired and put in jail (1230 GMT). Getting rid of him draws a line of the head of police, Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, the man who announced the firing, because a leading the "principlist" bloc, which holds the most seats in Parliament, has put responsibility on Ahmadi-Moghaddam. Hamid-Reza Katouzian said, “Unfortunately, the gross misconduct of Kahrizak officials have resulted in the murder of scores of young people. The Iranian Police Chief is duty bound to provide a clear explanation in this regard.”
1230 GMT: Another Limited Concession. In another sign that the Government is balancing pressure on the opposition with some acknowledgement of its errors by sacrificing lower-level officials, Reuters reports, via the Islamic Republic News Agency, the statement of Iran police chief Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam "The head of the [Kahrizak center has been sacked and jailed. Three policemen who beat detainees have been jailed as well."
Ahmadi-Moghaddam also repeated the statement of chief prosecutor Ayatollah Dorri-Najafabadi (0750 GMT) that some post-election detainees had been abused in the prison.
1200 GMT: We've separated out this morning's initial update as a special analysis on the political meaning of the Tehran trial. There is also an analysis of an important criticism of the Supreme Leader by the influential Iraq-based Ayatollah Sistani, and the latest news on whether Hashemi Rafsanjani will lead Friday prayers in Tehran.
1000 GMT: Getting the Story Straight. Last week President Ahmadinejad reportedly told a gathering in Mashaad that he wanted to "take [the opposition] by the collar and slam their heads into the ceiling". This, however, may have been a bit off-line. Forget the impression that Ahmadinejad might have been condoning the rough treatment of detainees: could you picture the President trying to power-lift Hashemi Rafsanjani?
So Ahmadinejad has revised the script to fit the "foreign plot" trial: "After speaking at the meeting a number of media outlets reported that I was referring to my opponents, but I was in fact referring to the bulling and interfering powers."
0955 GMT: Just in case folks hadn't figured out the purpose of the Tehran "foreign plot" trial, a group of pro-Government members of Parliament have lodged a complaint against Mir Hossein Mousavi "as the driving force behind the recent turmoil which swept across the country".
The story, which is on Press TV's website, is very sketchy. The initiators of the complaint are labelled vaguely as "the influential clerics' bloc in Iran's parliament along with a number of other Majlis representatives", with a member of the National Security Commission, Mohammad Karami-Rad, taking the lead: "We are pursuing the complaint against Mousavi and soon this letter of complaint will be handed to the judiciary so that the legal proceeding is conducted [on the matter] and the rioters are brought to justice."
0930 GMT: The Tehran Times reports a statement from the Deputy Head of Majlis [Iranian Parliament] National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Hossein Sobhaninia, that the commission would discuss the case of three detained Americans in its weekly meeting on Sunday. The trio were picked up by Iranian security forces after crossing the border while hiking in Iraqi mountains.
0830 GMT: While Ahmadinejad is choosing his Cabinet, he may want to have another word with his staff handling Iranian media. After pro-government outlets claimed that Ayatollah Nasser Makarem-Shirazi sent a congratulatory message to the President, an official from the Ayatollah's office stated, "His eminence has not congratulated Ahmadinejad and does not intend to do so. These [claims] are perversions of the truth emanating from individuals who until now have been applying pressure to us and are now forced to manufacture and propagate falsehoods."
0810 GMT: During a visit to "the club of young reporters" on Saturday, President Ahmadinejad said that he will introduce his cabinet at the beginning of next week. He promised, "The young will have a prominent presence in the new cabinet."
0750 GMT: The New York Times, however, isn't concerned with Chief Prosecutor Dorri-Najafabadi's statement on Saeed Hajjarian (0740 GMT). Instead their newsflash, overtaking even coverage of the Tehran trial, is that Dorri-Najafabadi "Acknowledges Torture of Protesters". They highlight the passage in the press conference where the prosecutor said, “Painful accidents [had occurred] which cannot be defended, and those who were involved should be punished.”
Dorri-Najafabadi specifically talked about “the Kahrizak incident”, referring to the detention centre whose closure was ordered by the Supreme Leader. He insisted, “Maybe there were cases of torture in the early days after the election, but we are willing to follow up any complaints or irregularities that have taken place.”
0740 GMT: One piece of news which, in the smallest of ways, cuts against the Government's latest moves to break the opposition.Iran's head prosecutor, Ayatollah Dorri-Najafabadi, has recommended that Saeed Hajjarian should be moved and kept under control in his own home. Hajjarian was transferred from detention in late July to a residence owned by the Iranian Government.
Dorri-Najafabadi added that, despite the recommendation of Hajjarian's physician that his patient be released due to his physical state, Hajjarian is in good health.
Iran Special Analysis: The Tehran “Foreign Plot” Trial as a Political Weapon
More Iran Drama: Will Rafsanjani Lead This Friday’s Prayers?
Iran: Ayatollah Sistani Intervenes
How Not to Help Iran: The Folly of US Sanctions
The Latest from Iran (8 August): Regrouping
Receive our latest updates by email or RSS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FEED
Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
1915 GMT: In a meeting that could offer significant clues to his political future, President Ahmadinejad
"will attend the [Parliament] session on Monday to exchange views and interact with lawmakers," according to Principlist MP Vali Esmaeili.
1650 GMT: Fars News English says two more citizens of Western European countries have been arrested for "recording an illegal gathering in Vanak Square [in Tehran] using a hi-tech camera." The pair allegedly also had "footage of some Israeli towns" from a 10-day visit to Israel.
1640 GMT: Etemade Melli, the newspaper of Mehdi Karroubi's party, has summarised a letter written by Karroubi to Hashemi Rafsanjani "10 days ago". Karroubi asked the former President to ensure an investigation was launched into the abuse of detainees, including allegations of rape of women and young boys.
1635 GMT: The Threat Against Mousavi. The move by a bloc in Parliament to convict Mir Hossein Mousavi of "leadership" of post-election rioting has been complemented by the head of the political office of the Revolutionary Guard, Yudollah Javani. Writing in the weekly Sobheh Sadegh, affiliated to the Guard, Javani declared, "If Mousavi, [Mehdi] Karoubi and [Mohammad] Khatami are main suspects behind the soft revolution in Iran, which they are, we expect the judiciary...to go after them, arrest them, put them on trial and punish them".
1625 GMT: To Fire Two Ministers is a Misfortune, To Fire Four is a....The civil war within the Ministry of Intelligence, which we've been following as a marker of even bigger battles inside the Government, continues. Apparently, it is no longer two Deputy Ministers --- as well as the Minister, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejeie, who have gone. According to Mazin News, "the purification project is continuing" with the dismissal of the Deputies for Parlaiment and for Technical Affairs.
1315 GMT: Setting Up a Firebreak. A "firebreak" is where you deliberately burn out a rows of trees to establish a line to check a forest fire. In Iran, this weekend's firebreak is the head of Kahrizak prison, who has just been fired and put in jail (1230 GMT). Getting rid of him draws a line of the head of police, Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, the man who announced the firing, because a leading the "principlist" bloc, which holds the most seats in Parliament, has put responsibility on Ahmadi-Moghaddam. Hamid-Reza Katouzian said, “Unfortunately, the gross misconduct of Kahrizak officials have resulted in the murder of scores of young people. The Iranian Police Chief is duty bound to provide a clear explanation in this regard.”
1230 GMT: Another Limited Concession. In another sign that the Government is balancing pressure on the opposition with some acknowledgement of its errors by sacrificing lower-level officials, Reuters reports, via the Islamic Republic News Agency, the statement of Iran police chief Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam "The head of the [Kahrizak center has been sacked and jailed. Three policemen who beat detainees have been jailed as well."
Ahmadi-Moghaddam also repeated the statement of chief prosecutor Ayatollah Dorri-Najafabadi (0750 GMT) that some post-election detainees had been abused in the prison.
1200 GMT: We've separated out this morning's initial update as a special analysis on the political meaning of the Tehran trial. There is also an analysis of an important criticism of the Supreme Leader by the influential Iraq-based Ayatollah Sistani, and the latest news on whether Hashemi Rafsanjani will lead Friday prayers in Tehran.
1000 GMT: Getting the Story Straight. Last week President Ahmadinejad reportedly told a gathering in Mashaad that he wanted to "take [the opposition] by the collar and slam their heads into the ceiling". This, however, may have been a bit off-line. Forget the impression that Ahmadinejad might have been condoning the rough treatment of detainees: could you picture the President trying to power-lift Hashemi Rafsanjani?
So Ahmadinejad has revised the script to fit the "foreign plot" trial: "After speaking at the meeting a number of media outlets reported that I was referring to my opponents, but I was in fact referring to the bulling and interfering powers."
0955 GMT: Just in case folks hadn't figured out the purpose of the Tehran "foreign plot" trial, a group of pro-Government members of Parliament have lodged a complaint against Mir Hossein Mousavi "as the driving force behind the recent turmoil which swept across the country".
The story, which is on Press TV's website, is very sketchy. The initiators of the complaint are labelled vaguely as "the influential clerics' bloc in Iran's parliament along with a number of other Majlis representatives", with a member of the National Security Commission, Mohammad Karami-Rad, taking the lead: "We are pursuing the complaint against Mousavi and soon this letter of complaint will be handed to the judiciary so that the legal proceeding is conducted [on the matter] and the rioters are brought to justice."
0930 GMT: The Tehran Times reports a statement from the Deputy Head of Majlis [Iranian Parliament] National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Hossein Sobhaninia, that the commission would discuss the case of three detained Americans in its weekly meeting on Sunday. The trio were picked up by Iranian security forces after crossing the border while hiking in Iraqi mountains.
0830 GMT: While Ahmadinejad is choosing his Cabinet, he may want to have another word with his staff handling Iranian media. After pro-government outlets claimed that Ayatollah Nasser Makarem-Shirazi sent a congratulatory message to the President, an official from the Ayatollah's office stated, "His eminence has not congratulated Ahmadinejad and does not intend to do so. These [claims] are perversions of the truth emanating from individuals who until now have been applying pressure to us and are now forced to manufacture and propagate falsehoods."
0810 GMT: During a visit to "the club of young reporters" on Saturday, President Ahmadinejad said that he will introduce his cabinet at the beginning of next week. He promised, "The young will have a prominent presence in the new cabinet."
0750 GMT: The New York Times, however, isn't concerned with Chief Prosecutor Dorri-Najafabadi's statement on Saeed Hajjarian (0740 GMT). Instead their newsflash, overtaking even coverage of the Tehran trial, is that Dorri-Najafabadi "Acknowledges Torture of Protesters". They highlight the passage in the press conference where the prosecutor said, “Painful accidents [had occurred] which cannot be defended, and those who were involved should be punished.”
Dorri-Najafabadi specifically talked about “the Kahrizak incident”, referring to the detention centre whose closure was ordered by the Supreme Leader. He insisted, “Maybe there were cases of torture in the early days after the election, but we are willing to follow up any complaints or irregularities that have taken place.”
0740 GMT: One piece of news which, in the smallest of ways, cuts against the Government's latest moves to break the opposition.Iran's head prosecutor, Ayatollah Dorri-Najafabadi, has recommended that Saeed Hajjarian should be moved and kept under control in his own home. Hajjarian was transferred from detention in late July to a residence owned by the Iranian Government.
Dorri-Najafabadi added that, despite the recommendation of Hajjarian's physician that his patient be released due to his physical state, Hajjarian is in good health.
tagged Abdolreza Mohabati, Ali Tajernia, Ayatalloh Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Clotilde Reiss, Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejeie, Hamid-Reza Katouzian, Hashemi Rafsanjani, Hossan Rassam, Iran, Iran Election 2009, Islamic Republic News Agency, Javad Emaam, Kahrizak Prison, Mehdi Karroubi, Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mohammad Karami-Rad, Mohammad Khatami, Najafabadi, Nasser Makarem Shirazi, Nazak Afshar, Pirouz Mojtahed-Zadeh, Reuters, Revolutionary Guard, Saeed Hajjarian, Shahabeddin Tabatabaee, Sobheh Sadegh, Twitter, Vali Esmaeili, Voice of America, Yudollah Javani in Middle East & Iran
Abdolreza Mohabati, Ali Tajernia, Ayatalloh Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Clotilde Reiss, Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejeie, Hamid-Reza Katouzian, Hashemi Rafsanjani, Hossan Rassam, Iran, Iran Election 2009, Islamic Republic News Agency, Javad Emaam, Kahrizak Prison, Mehdi Karroubi, Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mohammad Karami-Rad, Mohammad Khatami, Najafabadi, Nasser Makarem Shirazi, Nazak Afshar, Pirouz Mojtahed-Zadeh, Reuters, Revolutionary Guard, Saeed Hajjarian, Shahabeddin Tabatabaee, Sobheh Sadegh, Twitter, Vali Esmaeili, Voice of America, Yudollah Javani in Middle East & Iran
Reader Comments (9)
Re Mr Abtahi: despite the fact that he was not wearing his usual clothing, Mr Abtahi's decency shone through his face. He has a kind face and it was terrible to see him in distress. My heart goes out to all in Iran who are suffering injustice so terribly. God bless you all.
Ayatollah Abtahi was robed in sanctity by the Almighty, and all who are pure in heart could see it.
Not sure you are right about Said Hajarian being transferred to a 'safe house'. Iranian official reports made a bit of a fuss about it but Robert Tait in the Guardian reports that he refused to budge, and you will note the report still talks of him being in prison. Might he continue to be so stubborn?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/21/iran-saeed-hajarian-imprisonment
This man is not stuburn, but rather conviction is strong in him. He has been disjoint from his physical been since the assassination attempt. Physical torture has had no effect on him, and as such they want to transfer him from prison to use other mental techniques to break him down. Expect to see him martyred before he breaks down.
As for current people on trial. One side of me justifies their false confessions as a means to end their torture, but another side of me, feels they should have gone down and given their blood for the new seeds of change that we have planted. For the last 30 years we have given martyrs for the cause of revolution, change and democracy. I feel cheated, as we too (regular people) have been tortured beaten and suffered, yet we have refused to submit. Islam means submission and a Muslim is one who submits to god alone. To submit to torture and to say these words is anti Islamic.
If you notice people are getting radicalized and the opinion is changing. Although the trials are watched, in Iran they tend to be very low on the chatter of people as opposed to other issues.
Homer I can empathise with both sides of your response, but have to say that it is possible that these people wouldl, indeed, have 'gone down and given their blood for the seeds of change', had it only been their blood which was in question. But many reports exist of threats made against detainees families. I even read that Abtahi was told his son was in prison and would continue to be tortured if he didn't confess.
Reports have also been made of the use of mind altering drugs being forcefully administered to detainees.
None of us know how we would react under the explosion which must take place in the psyche when one is subjected to the most heinous and depraved abuses, and I believe that compassion and only compassion is an appropriate response.
I also have to question the practical value of martydom. There have been thousands of martyrs in Iran during the past 30 years, but the violent regime still survives, supported by the fear which such deaths instill. What purpose would it serve if Abhati and other detainees allowed themselves to be murdered? Any decent human being is aware of the sham nature of the trials. He may yet live to inspire and lead in the future, or at the very least, be there for his family.
Ahmadinejad seems to be going for it... He behaves like he no longer needs approval or confirmation for official acts. Either he is stupid or he is moving with the assurance of his handlers, who may not necessarily include the Supreme Leader. My understanding is that discontinuity is disfavored by the establishment. This kind of purge is Stalinesque. I know very little... Does the government operate this way? Has it purged one of its major organs in recent years?
Analysis of the purge...
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-intel10-2009aug10,0,3389610.story" rel="nofollow">Iran's president purges intelligence ministry
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