The Latest from Iran (21 November): Mousavi, Khomeini, and Ahmadinejad

NEW Latest Iran Video and English Text: Mousavi Interview with Kalemeh (21 November)
NEW Latest Iran Video: “The Stone Victory” over the Basiji on 13 Aban
Iran: The Ahmadinejad Speech in Tabriz (19 November)
Iran: Green Message to Obama “Back Us Instead of Dealing With Ahmadinejad”
The Latest from Iran (20 November): Manoeuvres in Washington

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2035 GMT: An advance copy of Michael Slackman's article on Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, published in Sunday's New York Times, is on-line.

2030 GMT: An Iranian activist is offering a running summary of the Government's crackdown on students through arrests and detentions as well as disciplinary action by Universities.

1840 GMT: A Mousavi Trial? Mohammad Nabi Habibi, Secretary-General of the conservative Islamic Coalition Party, has demanded that Mir Hossein Mousavi be prosecuted for claiming that the Presidential election was rigged, "I believe both Mousavi and all those who propagated this big lie must face trial in a court of law."

1810 GMT: We've posted the video and Engish text of Mir Hossein Mousavi's interview with Kalemeh (see 1550 GMT for summary).

1600 GMT: Magically Appearing Crowd. We opened this morning (0745 GMT) with photographic confirmation of the disappointing crowd at President Ahmadinejad's Thursday speech in Tabriz. Kayhan, the firmly pro-Government newspaper, has published pictures, but suddenly the empty bleachers are filled with people.

No one around here is saying Photoshop. Really.

1550 GMT: 1st summary of Mousavi Interview....

People should know what the government has done with $200 billion of oil revenues in the last two years. The Majlis [Parliament] should be criticized for not controlling and overseeing Government expenditures. It is not possible to have consumer prices based on international market prices and wages based on national standards and remove subsidies.

The scope of deployment of forces on the streets on #13Aban was unprecedented. When I walked out of my office on 13 Aban [4 November demonstrations] and saw the number of forces deployed, I thought this in itself is a victory for the Green movement. [Mousavi was under effective detention throughout the day, surrounded in his offices by pro-Government activists.]

1520 GMT: Copies of Mir Hossein Mousavi's interview with Kalemeh are now circulating. We'll have a summary within an hour.

1210 GMT: Today's Media Nonsense. David Frum, the Bush speechwriter who claims to have given the world the phrase "Axis of Evil", wields an aggressive pen in Canada's National Post over "Tehran's Last Chance".

Frum begins by misunderstanding the dynamics of the current negotiations over uranium enrichment. That's OK, his forte is words rather than any comprehension of politics. But then he goes overboard with his Sketch of Doom: The Iranians could not make their message clearer if they had sent a crayoned letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency: 'We're building a bomb--and you don't dare stop us. Boom boom, suckers.'"

And the solution? Just a few missiles from Tel Aviv: "Once again --- as with the Israeli strike on Iraq's Osirak reactor in 1981, and the Israeli strike at Syria's nuclear reactor in 2007 --- the peace of the region and possibly the world will depend on Israeli strength and courage."

0940 GMT: A Bit More on the Iran-Turkey "Big Push". Yesterday we paid a great deal of attention to the Turkish Foreign Minister's visit to President Ahmadinejad in Tabriz, linking it to Tehran's counter-proposal for an uranium enrichment agreement. Mr Smith noted the pay-off of the Nabucco gas pipeline deal, which would link Turkey and Iran in one of the biggest projects of the 21st century.

Today's Press TV story: "More support for Iran to join Nabucco"

0930 GMT: Nukes, Nukes, Nukes. President Ahmadinejad, pushing for the deal that will shore up his legitimacy, followed up his Thursday address in Tabriz with a nationally-televised speech on Friday night. He embraced more talks with the "West" while contining the theme of negotiating from strength:

Today, the only tool in the hands of [our] enemies is to wage a psychological war and raise the hue and cry; but they know well that threats will have no impact on the Iranian nation....The resistance of the Iranian nation has repelled threats against Tehran.

The Iranian nation welcomes talks and interaction and presses any hand extended for cooperation. But if its dignity and rights are not respected, the nation will not give up its rights.

0900 GMT: A well-placed EA source gives us an exclusive:

This week is the Week of Basij [militia]. What is interesting is that General Naqdi, the new Basij commender, and his companions went to Imam Khomeini's shrine, but Seyed Hassan Khomeini [the Imam's grandson] did not show up to welcome them.

Seyyed Hassan did not welcome Ahmadinejad, his Cabinet, or the head of police, but when Hashemi Rafsanjani visited the Shrine he warmly greeted him. This is could be why Ayatollah Khamenei invited Seyyed Hassan to see him on Thursday "to give him some advice".

0815 GMT: Former Minister of Culture Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi, who was dismissed by the President in the controversy over the choice of First Vice President Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai, has criticised Ahmadinejad in Ayande News. He claims that the President is arrogant, too easily trusts people such as Mashai, and does not accept advice.

0810 GMT: More Rumblings from Parliament. Ahmad Tavakoli, the high-profile member of Parliament and ally of the Larijanis, has declared that Ahmadinejad’s demands from the Parliament are illegal. He warned that if those demands were accepted, this would lead to the closure of a Parliament which was failing to function.

0755 GMT: Salaam News has a lengthy interview with Hossein Marashi, who is close to former President Hashemi Rafsanjani. What is interesting, beyond the clear disappointment with the Iranian system accompanied by the declaration that Rafsanjani "more than anyone else" is loyal to that system and its leadership, is Marashi's attention to the "reformists" and the Green Wave. While emphasizing that "public anger is serious", he is equally emphatic about the need for "communities of leadership" for the movement.

(Note: given what I think is a significant interview and our attention to the development and future of the opposition, I would be grateful for any comments and further translation of key sentences of this article.)

0745 GMT: Catching up with bits and pieces. An EA reader finally gave us the visuals we wanted on the crowd for Ahmadinejad's Thursday speech in Tabriz.

Picture 1 is from the Presidential campaign; pictures 2 and  3 are from Thursday.

Comments

[Catherine]

Interesting tidbit from Tehran Bureau's 20 Nov Press Roundup that ties into the current wait-and-see attitude of western powers re Iran's final response to a LEU/20% enriched nuclear fuel exchange deal:

"According to Russian sources, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed when they met in Moscow in mid-October to concentrate on diplomatic engagement with Iran through the end of November, with Lavrov agreeing that if diplomacy hadn't produced any tangible results by early December, then it would be time to move on a track towards further sanctions in the Security Council.

After meeting with President Obama in Singapore on November 15, President Medvedev told the press that he thought the diplomatic process was "moving forward" but at a pace "that we are not entirely happy with."

"At the same time, as politicians acting, I hope, on the basis of common sense, we realize that no process can go on forever," Medvedev added. "Negotiations exist not for the sake of enjoying the process itself, but in order to reach practical objectives."
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/11/iranian-judiciary-exercising-double-standards.html

[Scott Lucas]

Catherine,

Thanks for locating this. I agree that US and Russia are co-ordinating moves --- Russia's Foreign Ministry try to broker the deal while Medvedev talks tough.

I disagree --- strongly --- that this means a December deadline. Russia may be working with US to get the deal but that doesn't mean they ally with Washington on sanctions. (And of course China is a major obstacle.)

What is more interesting to me now is how Iran is trying to outflank this move by bringing in Turkey as a broker for the counter-proposal.

S.

[Catherine]

I'm not an expert at all, but my interpretation of this was that, if they're willing to wait for one face-saving response from Iran (this being a western and in particular US face that doesn't want the egg of ineffective unilateral sanctions on it), they'll be willing to wait for whatever other equally face-saving route that might emerge from the Tehran-(El Baradei?)-Turkey talks. ;-)

[Scott Lucas]

Catherine,

You sure sound like an expert to me.... I agree with the read.

S.

[Azadi]

Based on the received information, MirHossein Mousavi will be having his second internet interview in a about an hour or so. This will be a short interview in which Mr. Mousavi will talk about the events (including conflicts) which took place on 13th of Aban of this year in Iran as well as Ahmadinejad Subsidised Reduction bill to Parliaments and the problem with this bill (plan).
In this interview Musavi emphasis that obeying Islamic republic constitution, and avoiding violence are two special elements of Green Movement.

[Samuel]

On Basij week:

"One hundred thousand Basij militiamen to gather in the Azadi Stadium to celebrate “Basij Week” – According to IRGC Commander in Tehran Province, Hossein Hamedani, 100 thousand Basij militiamen from Tehran Province will gather in the Azadi Stadium on November 26, on the occasion of Basij week. Hamedani said the IRGC in Tehran managed to recruit 1.5 million volunteers to the Basij organizational framework."

http://jssnews.com/2009/11/19/25-exclusive-news-from-iran/

Let's see the Greenies try to hijack this.

[Scott Lucas]

We've gotten word that the text of the interview is available and are trying to access. Video to follow later....

S.

[ange paris]

Thanks to Samuel, we could see our very beautiful first lady, the honour of our homeland and a soldier who is urinating on the picture of Khamnei; thank you samuel jan !!

[Rev Magdalen]

@Samuel Hmm, do you really think everyone who signed up for Basiji benefit cards is going to place themselves in a crowd of other Basiji in a big fat target that I frankly always worry about when the Greens go into, because it's such a security nightmare in a stadium? Stop trying to incite violence!

Obviously this is an attempt to get the Greens to attack the Basiji with violence so the Regime can justify some overwhelming force, but people are not that stupid. Let the Basiji have their football party or whatever it is. All the people have ever asked for is to be let alone to walk together in the streets, to mourn their dead and cry out to the Almighty. You won't fool them with dumb tricks like this.

Oh and by the way, I thought the boast was FOUR million Basiji a few weeks back. Recruiting drive didn't work out like they thought, huh? How come only 100,000 are expected at the stadium? It's almost like you have no idea how many Basiji volunteers will show up when you call them, but you know it's getting fewer and fewer every time!

[Barry]

“One hundred thousand Basij militiamen to gather in the Azadi Stadium to celebrate “Basij Week”

AAAH! That sounds like a good time for Greens to Rally somewhere at the opposite end of town. Bassiji cannot be in 2 places at once.

Barry

[Barry]

"Thanks to Samuel, we could see a soldier who is urinating on the picture of Khamenei; thank you Samuel"

I cannot see any context anywhere in that online Journal for that amusing picture http://jssnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/iran-cingles-teheran-L-1-240x300.jpg

Any care to offer where it was taken - and what is the uniform?

[Connie]

Reporters Without Borders appeals for donations to help Iranian journos/bloggers who have fled Iran.  http://tinyurl.com/yd4onrg

[Cecil]

Maybe the next time you see that picture, the soldier is no longer wearing a uniform but a green T-shirt, ha!ha!ha! They are very good at that.. Stupid Samuel. I thought you're smart...

[Connie]

Reporters Without Borders donation appeal, direct link. http://www.rsf.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=34929

[Samuel]

Hey Rev Magdalen,

You don't seem to be aware of the fact that Basij Week is an annual event. It was a tradition initiated by the Ayatollah Khomeini over 25 years ago. There were Basij Weeks during the presidency of the Green hero Khatami, there will be a basij week in 2009 and there will be a Basij week in 2057.

Enjoy:

http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_mhasgallery&func=viewcategory&catid=92&startpage=1&Itemid=33#category

[Samuel]

Ange,

Urinating seems to be one of the few things the Green supporters do well. I'm sorry... they are also good at whining and appealing to Master Obama.

[Samuel]

From the article on Montazeri:

"He is also the architect of Velayat-e Faqih, or guardianship of the jurist, the foundation of Iran’s theocracy and the source of the supreme leader’s legitimacy."

Who wrote this article, Montazeri's cook??? The archictect, the engineer and the builder of Velayat-e Faqih was--SURPRISE!!--- Imam Khomeini. This sentence is pure fabricated garbage. The whole doctrine first came to light in a series of lectures which the Ayatollah Khomeini gave to his students in Najaf, Iraq during his long years of exile.

Montazeri is the architect of this doctrine in the same sense that I am the architect of the Pyramids in EGYPT.

[Barry]

Hmm - nobody has answered my question. The fact that somebody IN UNIFORM is urinating on Khamenei is interesting and perhaps significant.

Of course - it could be a Photoshopped photo - but if so, it is a very good one (looking at the shadows in the photo)

So - who/what is the uniform??

Barry

[ange paris]

Samuel
If you knew it !!! it's so good !!

[Samuel]

From the Montazeri article:

"The breach with Ayatollah Khomeini became irreparable in January 1988, when Ayatollah Montazeri objected to a wave of executions of political prisoners and challenged the leadership to export the revolution by example, not by violence."

Wrong!!! Montazeri's first objection was to the execution of his terrorrist relative Mahdi Hashemi. Montazeri was and is a hypocrite who wanted SPECIAL treatment for his relative. See the section below from the Ayatollah Khomeini's letter dismissing Montazeri:

"Can you see what valuable services you have offered to arrogance? On the issue of the murderer Mahdi Hashemi [a supporter and relative of Ayatollah Montazeri, who was later executed], you considered him to be the most religious person on earth. Despite the fact that it was proved to you that he was a murderer, you kept
sending messages to me to spare his life. There are so many other examples, similar to that of Mahdi Hashemi, that I cannot be bothered to mention them all."

[ange paris]

Barry
You could ask Samuel ! it's him the creator of this master piece !

Samuel
Sans rancune je plaisante et bisou; I am joking !!

[Somebody]

Stop feeding the troll. Every time you mention his name he gets so excited he has to post another half-dozen times. Just leave him be.

[Samuel]

From the Montazeri article:

"The next month, Ayatollah Khomeini criticized Ayatollah Montazeri in a letter and then forced him to resign as his deputy and heir apparent."

"CRITICIZED"??? This makes it sound like some mild rebuke. What Khomeini did was to call Montazeri a traitor to him and to the Revolution. I thought the Greenies wanted to follow the true path of the Imam??? If so they should be denouncing Montazeri from the rooftops every single day. Interesting that the article quotes Khomeini's "fruit of my life" comment but does not quote a single word from the letter dismissing Montazeri.

Translation of Ayatollah Khomeini Letter Dismissing
Montazeri
The text of Ayatollah Khomeini's historic letter was recently printed in Abrar.
Tehran ABRAR 22 Nov 1997, page 2.

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. To Mr. Montazeri.
My heart is broken and filled with blood now that I am writing a few words to you. Perhaps one day the people will realize the facts by reading this letter.
In your recent letter to me, you said that, in accordance with the Shari ah, you give priority to my views over your own. I consider God my witness when I point out the following issues:

Since it has become clear that after me you are going to hand over this country, our dear Islamic revolution, and the Muslim people of Iran to the liberals, and through that channel to the hypocrites[Mojahedin-e Khalq], you are no longer eligible to succeed me as the legitimate leader of the state.

You, in most of your letters, speeches and stances, have shown that you believe the liberals and hypocrites should rule in this country. It is so clear that your remarks have been dictated by the hypocrites that I did not see any point in sending a reply. For instance, thanks to your speeches and written work, the hypocrites took advantage of your stance in defense of their ilk to promote a
number of their comrades who had been condemned to death on charges of waging an armed struggle against Islam and the revolution to positions of authority. Can you see what valuable services you have offered to arrogance?

On the issue of the murderer Mahdi Hashemi [a supporter and relative of Ayatollah Montazeri, who was later executed], you considered him to be the most
religious person on earth. Despite the fact that it was proved to you that he was a murderer, you kept sending messages to me to spare his life. There are so many other examples, similar to that of Mahdi Hashemi, that I cannot be bothered to mention them all.

You no longer have the power of attorney on my behalf. Tell the people who bring you gold and money to take them to Mr. Pasandideh s [Khomeyni s elder brother] residence in Qom or to me in Jamaran. Praise be to God, you yourself will not have any financial commitments from this date.
If, in accordance with the Shariah, you do consider my views to be superior to yours (which certainly the hypocrites will advise you that it is against your interests to do so; and no doubt you will become busy writing things which will further deteriorate your future), then you should listen to the following words of advice I am giving you. It breaks my heart and my chest is full of agonizing pain when I see that you, the fruit of my life s labor, are so ungrateful. However, by relying on
Almighty God, I give you the following words of advice, and it will be up to you whether you make a note of them or not:
One: Try to change the members of your bureau so as to avoid feeding the hypocrites, Mahdi Hashemi s clique, and the liberals from the sacred charity funds donated to the Imam.
Two: Since you are a gullible [sadeh lowh] person and are provoked easily, do not interfere in political matters, and maybe then God will forgive you for your sins.
Three: Do not write to me ever again, and do not allow the hypocrites to pass state secrets to foreign radio stations. Four: Since you became a mouthpice of the hypocrites and your speeches haveconveyed their wishes and letters to the people via the mass media, you have inflicted heavy blows on Islam and the revolution. This is a great act of treason against the unknown soldiers of the Lord of the Age, may our souls be sacrificed for him, and against the sacrifices made by the illustrious martyrs of Islam and the revolution. If you wish to save yourself from hell fire, you had better confess to all your sins and mistakes and maybe then God will help you.
I swear to God that from the start I was against choosing you as my successor, but at the time I did not realize you were so gullible. To me you were not a resourceful manager but an educated person who could benefit the religious seminaries. If you continue your deeds I will definitely be obliged to
do something about you. And you know me, I never neglect my obligation.
I swear to God that I was against appointing Mahdi Bazargan as the first prime minister, too, but I considered him to be a decent person. I also swear to God that I did not vote for Bani-Sadr, as the president either. On all these occasions I submitted to the advice of my friends. In the midst of my
pain and suffering, I wish to address our dear people from the bottom of my broken heart:
I have made a pledge with my God not to forgive evil individuals ever, if I am not obliged to do so.
I have made a pledge with my God that pleasing Him [God] is much greater priority than pleasing my friends and other people. If the entire world were to rise against me, I would never abandon justice and the truth. I do not care about history and current developments. I am only interested in performing my religious duties. In addition to my pledge with God, I have promised the decent,
noble, and honest people to inform them of the facts when the time is appropriate. Islam's history isfull of instances of treason by its prominent figures against Islam. Try to make sure that you are not influenced by the lies broadcast by foreign radio stations. These radio stations dictate their lies with so much joy and enthusiasm these days. I beseech Almighty God to grant patience and tolerance to
this old father of the dear Iranian people. I beseech God to forgive me and to take me away from this world so that I no longer have to experience the bitter taste of my friends treachery. We all submit to God s will. We have no power without God s will. Everything comes from Him. Wishing you
peace: Ruhollah al-Musavi al-Khomeyni; dated: Sunday 6 Farvardin 1368.

http://www.baabeilm.org/khomeini/montezari.pdf

[Samuel]

Somebody,

You are welcome. Always happy to educate the uninformed. Don't worry your comments are not worth half a dozen responses.

[Barry]

Re that article regarding Montazeri - who cares what it says about Montazeri. The basic concept of Velayat-e Faqih (WHOEVER thought it up first) is flawed. There is no doubt that Khomenei was a charismatic person - who was able to fool the Iranian people into believing the unbelievable. (but even Hitler was charismatic)

Today it is obvious that the "current " SL is not so charismatic or believable - and the basic flaw of Velayat-e Faqih is now blindingly obvious to all (maybe even the Regime??) . Where can the regime find another Mullah to replace Khamenei when his time is up?? - one who all the people of Iran can put their trust in (even if it is misplaced trust as was given to Khomenei)

No - that part of Iran's history is definitely coming to an end. The longer question is - what will replace it?? Most likely military dictatorship I believe - but who will be the military Dictator??

Barry