The Latest from Iran (29 August): The "Hidden Imam" Circle

2050 GMT: Larijani v. Ahmadinejad (Foreign Policy Edition). Well, we started the day with a story of Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani against the President, so let's close with one....

On Sunday, Larijani implicitly criticised Ahmadinejad's appointment of four special representatives, including Chief of Staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, for foreign policy affairs, telling reporters, “I have not had the chance to ask the Foreign Ministry about the rationale behind this decision."

Larijani added to the jibe by saying that under current conditions, foreign policy issues must be dealt with more vigilantly.

Larijani is far from alone in his concern. On Saturday, Alaeddin Boroujerdi said Parliament's National Security Commission, which he chairs, is concerned over the appointment of Mashaei due to his lack of expertise and the number of posts that he holds.

The former Iranian ambassador to China and Pakistan, Javad Mansouri, has also said the appointment of inexperienced people as special envoys is “irrational”. He added that the role of the Foreign Ministry, as Iran’s ambassadors do not know whose orders they should follow.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, appearing on Sunday before Parliament, was caught up in heated exchanges over the issue.

NEW Iran: Ahmadinejad Attacks Rafsanjani & “Corrupt” Foes; “Overthrowers Have Not Been Punished Yet” (Kamdar)
UPDATED Iran: Tehran Declares Readiness for Nuclear Talks?
NEW Iran: An Ayatollah's "Larijani is a Jew" Declaration
Iran: Obama Rejects a Public “Red Line” on Nuclear Capability (Porter)
Iran Music Special: The Kanye West No-War Rap
The Latest from Iran (28 August): Music, Sanctions, and Science

2045 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Women's rights activists Maryam Bidgoli and Fatemeh Masjedi have each been given one-year sentences for “spreading propaganda against the state, through collection of signatures for changing discriminatory laws and publication of materials in support of a feminist group which works in opposition to the Regime.”

Bidgoli and Masjedi are both members of the One Million Signatures Campaign for women's rights.

1850 GMT: No Religion in the Islamic Republic? Kalemeh, the website linked to Mir Hossein Mousavi, reports that Mousavi supporters were prevented by security forces from holding a Ramadan religious ceremony in Mashhad.

1845 GMT: And the Answer Is.... You cannot imagine my excitement just now when I read the Press TV headline, "Ahmadinejad Reveals Source of All Crises".

I'm thinking Britney Spears. Or Justin Bieber. Yes, definitely Justin Bieber.

Alas, not only am I wrong but the President's answer is far more mundane: "Monarchic regimes and hegemonic powers are the source of all global crises."

1835 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Shohreh Taghati, the wife of imprisoned lawyer Mohammad Oliyaifard, has said her husband cannot appeal his one-year sentence --- handed down for speaking to foreign media about Iranian juveniles facing the death penalty --- because the verdict has not been formally given to him.

Oliyaifard was sentenced in February and has been in detention since March.

1830 GMT: The Gasoline Squeeze. Ali-Reza Zeighami, the managing director of the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company, has said Iran is about to increase its gasoline production significantly, reaching a target of 191 million litres of gasoline a day.

Iran, according to Zeighami, currently produced 45 million litres of gasoline daily, with 64 million litres being consumed. He warned that, if a gasoline rationing plan is not implemented, the consumption will increase to 100 to 120 million litres a day.

Zeighami said most of the increase in gasoline production plan will occur by the end of the Fifth Development Plan (2015).

1820 GMT: The Purge of the Universities. Minister of Science, Research and Technology Kamran Daneshjoo, who is responsible for higher education, says, "The enemies are making efforts to replace the Islamic atmosphere in [Iranian] universities with their liberal democratic environment."

Daneshjoo's remarks follow last Sunday's statement by Ayatollah Khamenei to university students in Tehran that higher education institutions have become the main "target" of plots by foreign powers.

Daneshjoo said Tehran would publish evidence proving the involvement of several foreign intelligence agencies in efforts to "negatively influence" students.

The Press TV article quoting Daneshjoo does not mention that Iranian authorities have replaced about 20 heads of higher education institutions in recent months.

1440 GMT: Parliament v. Government. Sources report to Tabnak that the impeachment effort against Minister of Energy Majid Namjoo has been halted.

1418 GMT: Protesting Executions. Footage has been posted of a protest in Washington DC yesterday, with EA's Josh Shahryar criticising the stoning of prisoners.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrzKlAxwQ4I[/youtube]

The International Committee Against Stoning has posted reports of demonstrations in other cities around the world.

1415 GMT: Education Watch. Teachers have protested in front of the Parliament over the dismissal of 120,000 colleagues across Iran.

1410 GMT: Lots happening in Iran on both the domestic and international fronts --- we've got two new features. An update brings the latest on Iran's confused but possibly hopeful position over nuclear talks with the US, while Nazanin Kamdar reports on an apparent Ahmadinejad outburst threatening former President Hashemi Rafsanjani and "corrupt" foes.

0915 GMT: Economy Watch. Iran's Statistics Centre reports that 730,000 land labourers have lost their jobs during the last five years. Causes include no loans, no government support for purchase of harvests, and escalating imports.

0905 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch (Nokia Siemens Edition). Kaveh Shahrooz provides extensive legal background on the lawsuit filed by detained journalist Isa Saharkhiz and his son Media against Nokia Siemens Networks for selling and providing surveillance technology to Iranian authorities.

0805 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Persian2English reports on detained Kurdish activist Rahim Rashi, who is on Day 38 of a hunger strike.

0800 GMT: We've got a story you don't see everyday: "An Ayatollah's 'Larijani is a Jew' Declcaration".

0720 GMT: Oops! The President's Foreign Policy Guys. Khabar Online reports the first mis-step for the four special representatives appointed by the President's office this week. Hamid Baghaei, Ahmadinejad's deputy for Asia, called he mass murder of Armenians a "genocide". That caused an uproar in the Turkish media, and Foreign Minister Mottaki's explanatory phone call reportedly did not convince his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu.

705 GMT: Too Dangerous to Remember Khomeini? For the second year in a row, Iranian authorities have cancelled all religious ceremonies for "Qadr nights" at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini, scheduled for mid-September. Clerics who normally preside include former President Mohammad Khatami, former Presidential candidate Nategh Nouri, and Hashemi Rafsanjani ally Hassan Rohani.

0635 GMT: Reconciliation? Last Sunday we were watching as President Ahmadinejad and Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani, brought together by the Supreme Leader, declared co-operation.

This Sunday we are reading the statement of Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei, the spokesman of the Guardian Council: "We have to pray that the Government implements the Majlis' laws. The Guardian Council cannot do anything else."

Kadkhodaei added that Parliament has abided to the laws and that there has to be a resolution between the Government and Majlis within weeks. If that did not come, then the Supreme Leader had to make decisions.

MP Elyas Naderan, a leading critic of the Government, has protested that the President is trying to establish "unilateral unity". Naderan said that, as the Supreme Leader declared, unity does not mean the constant retreat of one side.

Mehr reports that an arbitration committee is trying to resolve the disputes.

0630 GMT: Khatami Intervention. Former President Mohammad Khatami has declared that a just Government cannot use its monopoly on arms to oppress its citizens and that its most important duty is to defend their rights.

0615 GMT: We start today by noting a most provocative report: Mohammad Javad Haghshenas, the manager of the Etemade Melli newspaper, raided by Iranian authorities and closed last autumn, claims there is an "Urumiyeh Circle", consisting of President Ahmadinejad and close advisors. This group all believe in and pursue policies based on the return of the 12th "hidden" Imam.

According to Haghshenas, the circle began with Ahmadinejad, key advisor Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi, and 2005 Presidential campaign manager. Later adherents include Sadegh Masouli, now Minister of Welfare, and the President's controversial Chief of Staff Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai.

Haghshenas adds that Rahim-Mashai was in the Minister of Intelligence but was dismissed because of his messianic views. He says "Ahmadinejad loves [Rahim-Mashai] more than normal and gives him multitude of offices to solidify his position as next President".

Wow, what a claim. Who could dare publish this? Surely some newspaper outside Iran, connected to the Greens, reformists, and/or Ahmadinejad's bitterest foes?

Nope. The report is featured in Khabar Online, connected to Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani and now --- given the sweeping ban on reformist and Green media --- the effective opposition newspaper inside Iran.

Comments

[Catherine]

RE: 0720 GMT: Hamid Baghaei, Ahmadinejad’s deputy for Asia, called he mass murder of Armenians a “genocide”.

This is rich! The Armenians are overjoyed, with headlines like: "Iran’s leadership recognizes Armenian Genocide, PAP member says; Ottoman Government committed Armenian Genocide, Iranian Vice-President says".

The Israelis are also feeling smug: "Turkey fumes over Iran VP's 'genocide' remark; Turkey ruffled by Iranian official's comment on Armenian genocide".

His remarks, as quoted by IRNA, were: “A hundred years ago the Ottoman Government committed genocide against a certain number of Armenians. Although the Ottoman Government does not exist now, Armenians demand official apologies and restitution from Turkey,” said Hamid Baghaei, Vice President and head of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, at a conference on Wednesday entitled “Iran: A Victory Bridge.”

Now, although Baghaei was just using Armenia as an example of the kind of steadfastness with which Iran should also pursue and demand official apologies and restitution for its own WWII damages, obviously a much larger genie was let out of the bottle.

Aram Safaryan, MP of the Prosperous Party of Armenia (PAP), stressed that according to the orientalist Emma Bekijanyan’s research, Iran’s society has been repeatedly raising the issue on the Armenian Genocide within the recent 18 years. “This means the Iranian nation accepts the historic truth and the Iranian Vice-President’s recent statement is based on public opinion and numerous studies of the Iranian scientists,” Safaryan said. http://news.am/eng/news/29008.html

The impression I got from visiting both Iran and Armenia was that Safaryan may actually be right.

[Catherine]

Here's another good one: Hard-Line Iran Daily Calls French First Lady A Prostitute

Well, I don't know if what the headline claims is literally true, but....

In a report titled "French Prostitutes Also Entered the Human Rights Cry" the daily, which often expresses the views of the Iranian establishment, wrote: "Recently, Carla Bruni, the infamous wife of Nicolas Sarkozy, and Isabelle Adjani, the morally corrupted French actress, expressed support for S.M. Bruni managed to break up Sarkozy's marriage and become France's first lady, yet recently there's been news about her having an affair with a singer."
More: http://www.rferl.org/content/HardLine_Iran_Daily_Calls_French_First_Lady_A_Prostitute/2139933.html

[Catherine]

Tehran Bureau publishes more on the lawsuit being brought by Isa Saharkhiz against Nokia

"...the history of the law that might permit Saharkhiz's action is fascinating in itself. And it might give Iranian victims of human rights abuses a new avenue by which to hold Iran's leaders accountable.

No one knows for sure why, in 1789, the authors of the U.S. Judiciary Act decided to include the following provision in the law: "the district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any civil action by an alien for a tort only, committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States."
More: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/08/suing-repressions-service-provider.html

[Catherine]

Iranian student groups in Europe are to gather in Free University of Berlin in October 2010 at a conference entitled: “dialogue.”
http://www.zamaaneh.com/enzam/2010/08/berlin-will-host-iranian.html

[Catherine]

Two Iranian Activists Win International Press-Freedom Awards
The two are jailed blogger Kouhyar Goudarzi and prominent women's rights activist Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh.
More: http://www.rferl.org/content/Two_Iranian_Activists_Win_Press_Freedom_Awards/2139469.html

[Observer]

Rooz Online: http://bit.ly/b9rgRZ

Ahmadinejad: I Revealed the Names of Corrupt Politicians in the Debates

[Catherine]

Larijani: Iran never ruled out talks with P5+1, Vienna Group http://www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-1602980&Lang=E
and
Talks with P5+1 to be formally declared by Iran if scheduled: Top MP http://www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-1603202&Lang=E

[Catherine]

Tweet a few hours ago from LaraABCNews

Hikers' lawyer in #Iran told me that if they face trial it'll likely be for illegal border crossing, they'd likely be released soon after
http://twitter.com/LaraABCNews/status/22428104677

[Catherine]

Earthquake planning watch

Four months ago, Rooz Online reported that interior minister Mostafa Mohammaad d-Najjar announced the finalisation of plans to move the capital from Tehran: “The plan to move the capital has been on the table for years, but in this administration we are serious about implementing it.”

On February 6, 2010, during a visit to an emergency shelter in western Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that an earthquake is imminent and ... asked the capital’s residents to seriously consider migrating from Tehran. Alternate locations proposed for the new capital included Semnan and Shahroud.

Now, it turmes out that three people were killed and 40 injured in an earthquake that shook Semnan Province last Friday night. The Tehran seismological centre announced that the 5.9 magnitude quake was followed by 14 aftershocks in Damqan region.

Where is Damghan? Right between Semnan and Shahroud. New location for Tehran? Go figure! I've been to Semnan, Damghan and Shahroud. The scenery is great and there are some very interesting monuments and shrines to visit, but that's about it. As our travel agency later admitted, we were the only clients of theirs who had included these places on our route. :-)

http://www.roozonline.com/english/news/newsitem/article/2010/may/27//plan-to-move-capital-from-tehran-finalized.html
http://www.zamaaneh.com/enzam/2010/08/3-dead-and-40-injured-in.html
http://asemangasht.com/images/iran_map.jpg

[Ange-Paris]

Josh
I am very proud of you ! thank you ! for being so brave ; thank you for showing the anger of our people to Obama and his administration; As soon as , AN, after having oppressed people of Iran, will go to NY walking on the red carpet, in order to state his crazy words as usual; I hope, with what you do and generally what all iranians abroad do, he will be welcomed as he deserves ; Hugs
Ange

[Ange-Paris]

Here you are an interesting video of Sazegara from today
http://videos.wittysparks.com/id/3370042405

[Guest]

Strange things are going on. Masha'i and others will dupe to nothing to solidify power. In the U.S. liberal anti Israel sentiments and more are using the excuse of religious tolerance to change norms by giving in to Islamist ideology. Rational people must see how flawed is their positions on the ME peace process. And, the IRI is destroying Iran and any hope of democracy. Wake up people.

[Arshama]

@ 1850 GMT: No Religion in the Islamic Republic?

No religion and no fashion! Mizan News reports that dozens of fashion shops were closed on Mashhad's main streets without apparent reasons by security forces: http://www.peykeiran.com/Content.aspx?ID=21062
Mizan complains that oppression does not only affect political opponents, but also 'normal' citizens, forced to pay heavy fines for ridiculous "bad hijab" accusations such as wearing sun-glasses in Mashhad. All these actions are increasing the people's refusal of religion Mizan concludes.

[Arshama]

@ 1850 GMT: No Religion in the Islamic Republic? #2

False News reports from police officials that arresting people for not following the Ramadan fasting has increased by 101% this year. Also an increase of 85% for closing shops not following the instructions of Ramadan.

There is no need for a "soft war" by the Green movement, the regime is already doing all it can to increase its supporters...

[Modern Furniture]

This is the main problem of many countries nowadays.

[Baz]

Observer

There has to be mixed dances - because we have been told that there are no gays in Iran.

Barry

[Catherine]

Scott,
RE 1845 GMT: You cannot imagine my excitement just now when I read the Press TV headline, “Ahmadinejad Reveals Source of All Crises“.

Dang! He forgot to mention politics and religion!

[Catherine]

RE: Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, appearing on Sunday before Parliament, was caught up in heated exchanges over the issue.

What did he say? What was his position on who should be making these appointments?

[Catherine]

The last time I was in Mashad (2008), street merchants were selling tanga underwear on the large avenue leading to the Imam Reza Shrine. Admittedly it was at night, but not more than a few hundred meteres away from "hallowed ground". :-)