Tuesday
Jun292010
The Latest from Iran (29 June): Grading the Supreme Leader
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 17:46 
2000 GMT: The Burning of Baha'i Houses. Radio Farda and BBC Persian Service report that the houses of dozens of Bahais were demolished and/or set ablaze in Mazandaran Province in northern Iran.Radio Farda has an interview with an eyewitness, and the Baha'i spokeswoman in Geneva, Diane Allai, confirmed the story in a live interview with BBC Persian.
NEW Latest Iran Video: Harassment of Karroubi in Mosque (29 June)
NEW Iran: Can the Green Movement Ally with Workers? (Maljoo)
NEW Iran Snap Analysis: Waiting for the Crumbling?
Thinking Human Rights: Citizens, Technology, and the “Right to Protect” (Mazzucelli)
The Latest from Iran (28 June): Remembering 7 Tir?
1945 GMT: Threat of the Day. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says Britain has a “thick file of biased action” against Iran, so the Foreign Ministry is in agreement with complete severing of all cultural and educational relations with Britain.
Surprisingly, the news has not caused a mass outbreak of fainting and gnashing of teeth in the United Kingdom.
1930 GMT: Today's All is Well Alert. It comes from the head of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, Farid Ameri, who says Iran sees no risks to its gasoline imports.
Up to 10 foreign oil companies have cut shipments to Iran, but Ameri insisted, "Under any conditions we are able to supply the country's gasoline needs and there is no problem in producing or importing gasoline."
1900 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Amir Kabir University student activist Behzad Heydari, detained on 22 Khordaad (12 June), has been freed after 15 days in solitary confinement.
Mahboubeh Karami, a member of the One Million Signatures Campaign, will appear in Revolutionary Court on 28 June , 120 days after her arrest. Association for Women's Rights in Development has further information.
1800 GMT: The Battle over "Neda". The Los Angeles Times picks up on last week's story, noted on EA, of the "official" Iranian state media documentary on the death of Neda Agha-Soltan. The Times summary of Tehran's approach is complemented by Green Correspondents' dissection, in Persian, of the claims (Neda killed by mystery woman, Neda killed by "terrorist" Mujahedin-e-Khalq, Neda killed as part of "Western" plot, and so on).
1730 GMT: We have posted claimed video of Basiji harassment of Mehdi Karroubi --- and Karroubi's reaction --- at a mosque in Tehran today.
1400 GMT: Ahmadinejad to Rafsanjani "Go". Curious story of the day comes out of the President's latest news conference: he allegedly said, when asked his reaction to Hashemi Rafsanjani's declaration that he was ready to retire, Ahmadinejad replied, "Very grateful".
1210 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. RAHANA reports that journalist Mahboubeh Khansari has been released on bail after four weeks in detention.
Mokhtar Asadi, a teacher’s union activist, was detained yesterday in Karaj.
1200 GMT: Labour Front. We've posted an assessment by Mohammad Maljoo of the relationship between the Green Movement and workers.
Rah-e-Sabz, via Peyke Iran, claims that about 10o oil refinery workers in Abadan held a protest; two were arrested.
0815 GMT: Watching the Diplomats. An important line buried in a Wall Street Journal article on former nuclear negotiator Hossein Mousavian, who is now a visiting scholar at Princeton University....
"Javad Zarif, a pro-engagement former ambassador to the U.N., is under virtual house arrest in Tehran, said Western officials."
Zarif was the key Iranian diplomat in talks, broken off by the Bush Administration in spring 2003, between Tehran and Washington. At one point, he was supposed to join the staff of Tehran University's Institute of North American and European Studies --- now headed by Dr Seyed Mohammad Marandi --- but the post never materialised.
0805 GMT: Regime Spinning. Iranian state media has used comments of Iran's Ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, to declare that the "terrorist" Mujahedin-e-Khalq "is at the end of its line".
But the better entertainment value comes out of the Revolutionary Guard's Javan, which warns, "3000 corrupt tourists from East Asian states heading for Iran".
0745 GMT: The International Front. Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, has again drawn Washington's lines on Iran and its nuclear programme.
Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, Mullen said he believes Iran will continue to pursue nuclear weapons, despite sanctions, and that its achievement of that goal would be "incredibly dangerous". However, he asserted that a military strike against Iran would be "incredibly destabilizing" to the region.
0740 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Ali Tabi, a member of Mir Hossein Mousavi's campaign, has been released from detention.
0730 GMT: Labour Front. Rah-e-Sabz reports on a rally of dismissed and unpaid workers of Tehran's Pars Metal in front of the President's office.
0710 GMT: The Oil Squeeze. Khabar Online takes note of the 10 foreign companies who have halted gasoline exports to Iran.
0655 GMT: Execution Watch. Zahra Rahnavard has issued a statement expressing her hope that reports of the imminent execution of Zeinab Jalalian, a Kurdish woman sentenced to death for membership of the separatist PKK, are just rumours.
0645 GMT: Budget Front. Reports indicate that a Parliamentary commission will finally approve the details of the President's 5th Budget Plan.
So will that stop the sniping against Ahmadinejad by a number of high-profile MPs?
0530 GMT: We start this morning with a quick analysis of signs of stagnation and even crumbling in the Iranian regime.
Meanwhile, more signs....
Secularism and the Supreme Leader
Two articles to note from the opposition Rah-e-Sabz. The website ventures into new ground with a commentary from Arash Naraghi, on the question, "Is it possible to be a secular Muslim?" The reply: "Yes, secularism is an appropriate condition for a good Muslim in a civil society."
And, in a rare English article, Rah-e-Sabz turns from secularism to Iran's top religious figure. It reports that a poll of readers shows 82% marked the Supreme Leader's performance as "very bad" (77.56%) or "bad" (4.52%) while only 4% thought he had been "good".
Keyhan and the CIA v. The Green Movement
Rah-e-Sabz also features a notable and "cheeky", as the British would call it, intervention by Ataollah Mohajerani, a minister in the Khatami Government and ally of Mehdi Karroubi.
Turning the regime's standard argument of foreign support for regime change,Mohajerani links the "hard-line" Keyhan to none other than the Central Intelligence Agency. He notes a provocative editorial by former CIA operative Reuel Marc Gerecht in The New York Times and claims, "Gerecht and those like him [including former Presidential candidate John McCain] support the Green Movement in order to hurt it."
Parliament v. President
The fallout from the dispute over control of Islamic Azad University, complete with demonstrations in front of Parliament, continues. MP Akbar Aalami asserts that the retreat of the Majlis retreat in front of uproars "is a novelty".
The Government Warns Its Own Officials
An advisor in the President's office has declared that officials who are challenging the Government, by creating blogs and not working enough, will be identified.
Earlier this spring, Government outlets said a special unit would be established to monitor officials for inappropriate behaviour.
Khabar Online adds that the main sites for Ahmadinejad supporters are www.valatarin.net and www.nasrclub.com.
tagged Akbar Aalami, Arash Naraghi, Aspen Security Forum, Association for Women's Rights in Development, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, BBC Persian, Baha'i, Behzad Heydari, Britain, Central Intelligence Agency, Diane Allai, Farid Ameri, Green Correspondents, Hashemi Rafsanjani, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Hossein Mousavian, Iran, Iran Elections 2009, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Javad Zarif, Javan, Keyhan, Khabar Online, Los Angeles Times, Mahboubeh Karami, Mahboubeh Khansari, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Manouchehr Mottaki, Mike Mullen, Mohammad Maljoo, Mujahedin-e-Khalq, National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, Neda Agha Soltan, New York Times, One Million Signatures Campaign, PKK, Peyke Iran, Radio Farda, Rah-e-Sabz, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, Tehran University, Zahra Rahnavard, Zeinab Jalalian in Middle East & Iran
Akbar Aalami, Arash Naraghi, Aspen Security Forum, Association for Women's Rights in Development, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, BBC Persian, Baha'i, Behzad Heydari, Britain, Central Intelligence Agency, Diane Allai, Farid Ameri, Green Correspondents, Hashemi Rafsanjani, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Hossein Mousavian, Iran, Iran Elections 2009, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Javad Zarif, Javan, Keyhan, Khabar Online, Los Angeles Times, Mahboubeh Karami, Mahboubeh Khansari, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Manouchehr Mottaki, Mike Mullen, Mohammad Maljoo, Mujahedin-e-Khalq, National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, Neda Agha Soltan, New York Times, One Million Signatures Campaign, PKK, Peyke Iran, Radio Farda, Rah-e-Sabz, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, Tehran University, Zahra Rahnavard, Zeinab Jalalian in Middle East & Iran
Reader Comments (25)
@ Execution Watch
Zeynab Jalalian’s Brother: “We haven’t heard from her for a month.”
In an interview with RAHANA, her younger brother stated that after their follow-ups, the authorities have stated that her file has been lost.
Pasha Jalalian, Zeynab’s other brother, stated that “the family has no news in regards to her case and her attorneys have not been able to follow up on her case.” According to Pasha, they had “hired two attorneys for Zeynab; however, her lawyers were not able to do anything since the court never provided them with the case file.”
Pasha criticized the human rights activist and stated that “many have contacted them to help; however, no one has done anything.”
He mentioned that “the attorneys have not been able to do anything but we expect more from the activists.” He also added that “if nothing changes, Zeynab will be executed soon since her sentence has been upheld.”
More: http://www.rhairan.in/en/?p=4862" rel="nofollow">http://www.rhairan.in/en/?p=4862
@ 0710 GMT: The Oil Squeeze. Khabar Online takes note of the 10 foreign companies who have halted gasoline exports to Iran.
FACTBOX-Foreign companies stepping away from Iran
(Reuters) - A growing number of oil companies, trading houses and other international companies have stopped doing business with Iran this year amid a U.S. drive to isolate Tehran and international efforts to impose tougher sanctions. Here are some of the companies: http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE65R1O220100628" rel="nofollow">http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idA...
@ An Ahmadinejad Vice President has declared that officials who are challenging the Government, by creating blogs and not working enough, will be identified.
Islamic Republic government offices to identify "elements of sedition"
Lotfollah Forouzandeh, Deputy Chief of Management and Human Power Development of Islamic Republic’s President’s Office announced that the “elements of sedition” must be identified in government offices.
Mehr news agency reports that Forouzandeh claims that in the past year, “elements of sedition” have been “creating weblogs, working less and creating problems” in the executive offices of the government.
More: http://www.zamaaneh.com/enzam/2010/06/islamic-republic-governme.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.zamaaneh.com/enzam/2010/06/islamic-r...
Ange,
Link fixed....
Scott
@ But the better entertainment value comes out of the Revolutionary Guard’s Javan, which warns, “3000 corrupt tourists from East Asian states heading for Iran“.
He's absolutely right. Many of them come from Malaysia and stink to high heaven. We waited in line for hours to depart from the Imam Khomeini airport, crushed on all side by these putrescent hordes, who had obviously neither bathed nor changed the voluminous drapery they were clothed in nor brueshed their teeth during the entire time they had spent sweating it out at various shrines and mosques in Iran! :-)
Today's straight face challenge:
Iran slams Canada human rights abuse
Iran has strongly condemned the Canadian police for arresting hundreds of protesters during the recent G20 summit in Toronto, describing the move as an inhuman act.
"The use of various violent tools and ways to counter a peaceful rally is by no means justified. The move by the Canadian government is a blatant breach of basic rights of citizens to freedom of expression," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Tuesday.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=132565§ionid=351020101" rel="nofollow">http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=132565&sec...
Russia calls for U.S.-IAEA-Iran meet on fuel delivery
Russia's Foreign Minister called for a meeting between Iran, the United States, Russia and the IAEA on nuclear fuel delivery for the Islamic Republic's medical reactor, Itar-TASS news agency reported.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100629/wl_nm/us_russia_iran_nuclear" rel="nofollow">http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100629/wl_nm/us_ru...
My first comment : "Thanks to KH 708 prisoners were released ! "; he's not used to doing this kind of fine gestures, because he's not generous; we have witnessed how people of iran are ill treated by this regime and I am very sceptical about this news; what's more,it's nowhere, in the other media ! if it was true , it would be " the beginning of the end " or " bye bye , the last Ayatollah" !
" Renewed protest calls in Iran capital ", look at the picture, the messenger of our people :
http://www.iranfocus.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20894:renewed-protest-calls-in-iran-capital&catid=32:tehran-grapevine&Itemid=47" rel="nofollow">http://www.iranfocus.com/en/index.php?option=co...
There will be war , The time to support Iran's people is now. :
http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/21/iran-nuclear-israel-war-opinions-reza-kahlili.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/21/iran-nuclear-i...
Arshama - what do you think they're going to discuss? :-)
Chairman of the German parliament foreign policy committee will arrive in Tehran next week.
The top German lawmaker, heading a parliamentary delegation including some members of the German foreign policy committee, will arrive in Tehran on July 3 for a three-day visit. The German MP has been invited by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee. In the three-day visit the German lawmakers will meet with Boroujerdi and some other Iranian parliamentary and political officials
http://www.tehrantimes.com/Index_view.asp?code=222150" rel="nofollow">http://www.tehrantimes.com/Index_view.asp?code=...
Catherine, good question! Reuters had this to report on the 10th of June: "Turkey and Brazil made a "big mistake" by voting against the latest round of U.N. sanctions against Iran since this may have encouraged Tehran to think it was not isolated, a senior German legislator said on Thursday.
Ruprecht Polenz, who chairs the foreign policy committee in the Bundestag (lower house), told Reuters the "no" votes by Brazil and Turkey had blunted the impact of a fourth round of sanctions passed by the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday. "Iran doesn't want to be isolated," Polenz, a senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), said in an interview. "Therefore it was a big mistake that Brazil and Turkey weakened the joint message of the Security Council by voting against," he said, adding that Lebanon's decision to abstain was understandable due to domestic pressure.
Despite the failure of recent diplomacy, Polenz urged the international community to explore other ways of extending joint cooperation with Tehran, citing moves to stamp out the heroin trade from Afghanistan as a possible avenue. Moreover, international efforts should be stepped up to identify "objective guarantees" that the Iranian nuclear programme remains peaceful without becoming fixated solely on the question of uranium enrichment, Polenz said.
The lack of progress towards a peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians had also played into the hands of countries like Iran that opposed a negotiated solution, he said. "It's clear that Israel must give up its blockade of economic goods (to Gaza)," Polenz said, adding that the blockade was counterproductive and only strengthened Hamas, the Islamist rulers of the Palestinian enclave.
Haaretz has another theory - or a hint of a theory, though... "Germany's role in the crisis caused by Iran's nuclear program typifies a kind of split national personality. On the one hand, already in early 2006 Chancellor Angela Merkel, of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), drew a diplomatic line in the sand when she declared, "A president who questions Israel's right to exist, a president who denies the Holocaust, cannot expect to receive any tolerance from Germany." (...) "But Merkel's tough political rhetoric stands in sharp contrast to the pricey business deals German firms have closed with the Tehran regime, to the tune of $5.7 billion in 2006. That makes Germany Iran's most important trading partner in the European Union."
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/germany-s-iranian-secret-1.230962" rel="nofollow">http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/ge...
For Ange-Paris,
Back in June 2009, immediately following initial protests, Fars News Agency published an article stating that the SL, in response to some holiday, had freed over 17000 prisoners. Yes over 17000. That article was referenced by one other English 'semi' official paper, can't recall which. Was new to the game the, by my, over 17000 prisoners released had to be a lie. Am unaware if any followup ever happened on this, didn't see and I was looking! So, 708, why not -- apparently any number will do,
PS At the time, someone, can't recall who, said perhaps SL released hardened criminals to help suppress the demonstrations. Now to me, that's no wilder a concept than the SL releasing over 17000 prisoners! No help for it, they just lie a lot ....
King Abdallah , King of Saudi Arabia has said :
" Iran and Israel don't deserve to exist" !!
Is the illness of AN contagious ??
http://www.slate.fr/story/23895/abdallah-iran-et-israel-ne-meritent-pas-exister" rel="nofollow">http://www.slate.fr/story/23895/abdallah-iran-e...
The Football World Cup :
Mr Mottaki, the minister of foreign policy of Iran is very happy ! ; the ennemies of Iran, France, UK and USA were eliminated at the beginning of the games:
http://www.lejdd.fr/International/Depeches/CdM-L-Iran-se-rejouit-de-certaines-defaites-203771/" rel="nofollow">http://www.lejdd.fr/International/Depeches/CdM-...
Europe must impose tough oil sanctions on Iran: US :
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100629/pl_afp/irannuclearpoliticseuussanctions" rel="nofollow">http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100629/pl_afp/ira...
Mullen: Iran will continue to strive for nukes
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/28/1705766/mullen-iran-will-continue-to-strive.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/28/1705766/m...
It would be "the" news of day in all the media especially media of opposition, or VOA ; there was nothing !
Ruprecht Polenz, the chairmen the foreign policy committee in the Bundestag (there is just only the Bundestag and the different advisory committes, never heard about lower house)
is a “colourful” conservative politician: It’s the only one of this political spectrum who clearly wants to have Turkey inside the EU. This opinion he shares with Hans Dietrich Genscher, the famous ex - minister of foreign affairs.
Ruprecht Polenz had also visited Hamas at the End of the last year.
The journey to Iran he is going to make together with other members of the foreign policy committee with different political memberships.
Sanctions and german economical relations: After the Siemens Nokia Deal was carried out on a legal base the policies changed: With the new sanctions it is possible to create clear structured laws, made by the authority of foreign economy (Amt für Außenwirtschaft).
Good overview about former economical relations:
http://www.matthiaskuentzel.de/contents/who-is-who-im-iran-business" rel="nofollow">http://www.matthiaskuentzel.de/contents/who-is-...
I think we are just only “lost” in translation according “upper house “and “lower house”. This used notions reminds me a little bit of the English constitution – therefore the terms “upper” and “lower” maybe leads into the wrong direction.
In German Parliament (Bundestag) and the Federal Assembly (Bundesrat) are both organs of the state of an equal level. The fathers of the Constitution decided in 1948 that the German Republic should have a federalist system. The Parliament is nearly the same as in other countries. But the Federal Assembly (Bundesrat) represents the 16 different governments
of the countries.
As you know this constitution was the answer against Nationalism and Fascism – the Germans have had historically “every reason in the world” to minimize the power of the chancellor.
Therefore – my suggestion – better not to use “upper” and “lower”- because the Germans don’t want to have the constitutional problems back of the “ Weimarer Republic“.
Thanks for your advice of the constituion of Indonesia
Catherine,
After Witte's and Gunni's replies there is not much to add ;-)
I believe that Polenz visits Tehran to check out the situation after the new sanctions and urge Boroujerdi as chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee to convince the decision makers to return to negotiations with the international community.
Time for a peaceful solution is running out...
Arshama
I was just gonna post this article under the "Joke of the Day" section.
Are they actually serious? I'm assuming they're releasing this moreso as self-affirmation rather than actual news. This is so ridiculous that i'm at a loss for words.
I live in Toronto and have seen many many videos of the protests and the subsequent reaction. I can't deny that there was abuse of power, but nothing CLOSE to what the IR has done in iran. My friend who has taken part in protests in Iran said it himself as well (he lives in Toronto now).
Dchoubak,
Yeah really. 'Joke of the Day'would have been an excellent caption!
Here's a comparison of the recent protests in Toronto and those in Tehran last year which echoes what you've seen:
Toronto Was No Tehran – A report on the G-20 protests
http://persian2english.com/?p=12338" rel="nofollow">http://persian2english.com/?p=12338
RE The Football World Cup :
Mr Mottaki, the minister of foreign policy of Iran is very happy ! ; the ennemies of Iran, France, UK and USA were eliminated at the beginning of the games:
Ha-ha! Here's a report about this in English
Ahmadinejad Foreign Minister: 'Iran enemies deserved to fail in world Cup'
http://en.irangreenvoice.com/article/2010/jun/29/2125" rel="nofollow">http://en.irangreenvoice.com/article/2010/jun/2...
RE King Abdallah , King of Saudi Arabia has said : " Iran and Israel don't deserve to exist" !!
Hmmmm .... I wonder if Obama would still have that huge smile on his face if he knew the man whose hand he is so warmly clasping made that remark just a few weeks ago :-) See photo:
http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Saudi_King_Abdullah_Urge_Iran_Over_Nuclear_Program/2086551.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Saudi_King_A...