The Latest from Iran (14 April): Ahmadinejad's Struggle

1720 GMT: Ahmadinjead Brings Culture to the World; Students Aren't Sure. The President's adivsor, Somreh Hashemin, has told university students that "world discourse" has changed because of Ahmadinejad's statements --- therefore it now has culture, science, and ethics.

Students at Allameh Tabatabei University may not have been convinced, however, as both reports and video indicate:

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

Iran’s Nukes: Can Tehran and the US Make A Deal?
The Latest from Iran (14 April): Ahmadinejad’s Struggle

1715 GMT: Out of Jail and On-Line. Former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, jailed for several months after the election and selected for a high-profile "confession" in August, has resumed blogging.


1710 GMT: Economy Watch. MP Alireza Mahjoub has predicted a continuation of the poor situation, with 40% inflation, poverty, and economic "suffocation".

1700 GMT: Absence or Protest? Khabar Online reports that one-third of MPs were missing from the Majlis today.

1555 GMT: The Corruption Case. MP Elyas Naderan, the leading Parliamentary critic of First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi, has sarcastically thanked the Government for accusing him of making false charges. Naderan assured that he will continue to press the corruption case.

1545 GMT: The Row Over the 15 June Demonstration. Morteza Tamaddon, the Governor of Tehran Province, may have denied his reported statement that the large 15 June protests were authorised. Kalemeh, the website of Mir Hossein Mousavi, however, is persisting with the claim. The website documents Tamaddon's apparent approval of 15 June rally.

1525 GMT: The "Other" Khamenei. Continuing his show of support for reformist leaders, Seyed Hadi Khamenei, the brother of the Supreme Leader, has visited Mohsen Mirdamadi, the chairman of the Islamic Iran Participation Front. Mirdamadi is on temporary release from his prison sentence.

1510 GMT: But China Eases the Pressure? And while there is the ongoing public show over Beijing's will-it-won't-it join international sanctions, this news --- coming as other oil firms stop imports to Iran --- is striking:

State-run Chinaoil has sold two gasoline cargoes for April delivery to Iran, industry sources said on Wednesday, stepping into a void left by fuel suppliers halting shipments under threat of U.S. sanctions....

While others back out, Chinaoil has sold a total of about 600,000 barrels worth around $55 million to the Islamic Republic.

The cargoes were Chinaoil’s first direct sales to Iran since at least January 2009, according to Reuters data. Chinese firms have previously sold through intermediaries, traders said.

1445 GMT: Is Third-Party Enrichment Back On? Reading President Ahmadinejad's bluster in recent days, we asked (1040 GMT), "Is the President actually holding the door open for another push at a deal on uranium enrichment?"

Well, have a look at Iranian state media's presentation of the latest words from the head of Iran's atomic energy organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, in an interview with a Russian newspaper:

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says Tehran would accept a nuclear fuel swap, should the West manage to win back its trust.

The US-proposed UN-backed deal requires Iran to send most of its low-enriched uranium abroad for further processing and conversion into fuel rods for Tehran's research reactor....

Salehi said that Iran had agreed to the IAEA-backed proposal [for third once it was proffered but needed guarantees from the West that it would deliver the fuel in a timely manner — a demand shrugged off by the West.

"We did not refuse. We agreed at once and we agree now. The only problem is guarantees. They suggested that we hand over a thousand pounds of our 3.5% low-enriched uranium. And wait until the entire amount of uranium has been enriched to a level of 20%," he said. 'Suppose we have given all our uranium. But where is the assurance [that we receive the fuel in a timely manner]?"

1430 GMT: The German Squeeze. The German carmaker Daimler has announced that it will
almost entirely cease business in Iran.

Daimler's chief executive Dieter Zetsche  told shareholders, The policies of the current Iranian leadership have compelled us to put our business relationship with that country on a new footing. In general, our business activities with Iran will now be limited to meeting our existing contractual obligations and continuing our cooperation with established customers."

Daimler will relinquish its 30 percent stake in Iranian Diesel Engine
Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Iranian Khodro Diesel.

The move is further testimony that behind the public rhetoric of leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for state-based sanctions on Iran, the real pressure is coming from the disinvestment of private companies. Daimler's move following the pullout from Iran of two of Germany's largest insurance companies.

1110 GMT: And, cutting through the Presidential rhetoric and posturing, we've posted an analysis by Julien Mercille on the possibility of a US-Iran deal on enriched uranium for Tehran's medical research reactor.

1040 GMT: Blowing Smoke. How many dramatic foreign policy pronouncements do we get to enjoy from President Ahmadinejad this week?

Following his assessment of foreign leaders as "retarded" and his letter to the United Nations implying that the US Government set up 9-11 for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the President has said that "[US President Barack] Obama cannot do anything in Palestine, they won't let him do anything and he has no chance" and there is no possibility of success in Iraq and Afghanistan: "What can he do in Iraq? Nothing. And Afghanistan is too complicated."

So Ahmadinejad concludes, "Mr. Obama has only one chance and that is Iran. This is not an emotional comment, it's scientific."

Which only leaves the question, success with Iran through what? Is the President actually holding the door open for another push at a deal on uranium enrichment?

1000 GMT: The 15 June March. Still some confusion over whether Iranian authorities --- specifically, Morteza Tamaddon, the Governor of Tehran Province --- said they had authorised the mass demonstration three days after the election.

The Green Voice of Freedom repeated the claim of Parleman News, itself taken from an alleged Tamaddon interview with a magazine, that the march "was actually held with legal authorisation". It appears, however, that GVF has not noted Tamaddon's subsequent denial, which we reported yesterday, of the supposed statement. His line remains that the protest, which brought hundreds of thousands and possibly millions on the streets, was illegal.

0245 GMT. Rafsanjani Watch. Make of this what you will: Hashemi Rafsanjani has made a well-publicised visit this week to Seyed Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the late Ayatollah Khomeini.

Hassan Khomeini has been under sustained pressure from the Government throughout the post-election crisis over his apparent support for opposition demands,

0240 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Ashura protester Hossein Vahed has received a two-year prison sentence.

0230 GMT: Economy Watch. Khabar Online reports that Iran has "lost" $2 billion on oil fields.

0215 GMT: You Can't Keep A President Down (Or Can't You?).

The President-Parliament battle over economic plans escalates. Ahmadinejad has insisted that all changes will be implemented this year.

Key legislators and Ahmadinejad critics are not being so positive, Ahmad Tavakoli has declared that an agreement between two or three MPs and the President doesn't mean an agreement between the Majlis and the Government. That line is also taken by Elyas Naderan.

How serious is the dispute? Vice President Fatemeh Badaghi has threatened MPs by asserting that immunity for their actions exists only in Parliament.

Comments

[Catherine]

OK. Since there's no 15 April thread yet, I'm going tot p[ost this here. Does anyone know more about this?
Iran’s Parliament Limits Its Power as a Watchdog
Taking the unusual step of limiting its own authority, Iran’s Parliament on Wednesday adopted a law that would curb its ability to review regulations issued by the most powerful, unelected institutions of the state.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/world/middleeast/15iran.html

[Catherine]

Illegal interference of Ministry of Intelligence interrogators in judicial process 1

Illegal Arrest, Prison Abuse, And Unfair Trial– Latest News on Heshmatollah Tabarzadi From His Lawyer

Tabarzadi’s most important grievance is the actions of an intelligence officer who has made certain “recommendations” to the judge. His lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh calls this action “astonishing,” and added, “In an illegal move, this Ministry of Intelligence officer has made a recommendation to the case judge to consider maximum punishment with exile to locations with a bad climate, as well as deprivation of all manners of political, social, and cultural activities for the rest of my client’s life.”

“Let’s assume that this individual had no legal knowledge. This action is a crime according to law, as a non-judicial agent has made a recommendation to the judge. This individual has no judicial positions, and he is neither a judge nor a party to this case. Such an action has taken place in many cases and unfortunately we have observed that the judge has not only accepted the recommendations, he has taken further steps to issue an even heavier sentence than the one the Ministry of Intelligence had requested.

Full article: http://en.irangreenvoice.com/article/2010/apr/14/1675

[Catherine]

Illegal interference of Ministry of Intelligence interrogators in judicial process 2

Alarming Report about Influence of Interrogators in Evin

Kalame website close to reformists released a report about the condition of political prisoners and behind-the-scenes interrogation practices in Iran’s prisons. .... “An examination of the experience of prisoners that are currently held in the intelligence ministry’s ward in Evin prison shows that interrogators, who identify themselves as experts on prisoners, determine the ultimate fate of these detainees. In many cases their authority exceeds that of the judiciary’s prosecutors, the court and even judges.”

Full article: http://www.roozonline.com/english/news/newsitem/article/2010/april/15//alarming-report-about-influence-of-interrogators-in-evin.html

[Bill]

Rev. Magdalen ,

As a side bar you might want to read the Cario Decleration of Human Rights to find out those values in Islam that the Universal one did not cover. Hint it had to do with equal rights regardless of gender and freedom of religion. Note in several places it also replaces the word rights with diginity and its only source is Sharia! Here is the link: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/cairodeclaration.html.

For me this quite clearly demonstrated we have huge issue namely that being a huge ideological gulf visa via the West and Islam. It also showed, puritanically speaking, Islam is inherently against Western liberal democracy. It is against it simply because Islam does not truly recognize equal rights regardless of faith. Instead all decision must be made through the lens of Islam for them to be valid--quite bad for us non Muslims.

Thx
Bill

[Rev. Magdalen]

Bill, thanks for the link! But I still say this is only one interpretation of Islam, there are many clerics out there who believe that Islam can fit into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, through a more modern understanding of it. I'm sure if we took the Old Testament of the Bible and based a set of rights off of it, it wouldn't meet the Universal Declaration's standards either! People might not even have the right to wear cotton-lycra blends! ;-)

I think the problem isn't the religion of Islam itself, it's trying to make ancient interpretations of it fit into our modern world. When the whole "Muslim world" consisted of one man and his family and friends, maybe it made sense to have a strict and warlike attitude that now, when there is no chance that the religion of Islam could ever be forgotten, there's no need for. Today, forcing people to live by ancient rules that no longer fit our world only serves to turn many people away from even looking into Islam as a religious choice.

[Catherine]

Every religion is what its followers make of it. Religious writings are guidelines, but it is humans who interpret them. That goes for Catholic pedophile priests as much as it goes for the Taliban and Al Qaida.
Dixit :-)

[Kiterunner]

I THINK Ahmadinejad adivsor is called Mojtaba SAMAREH-HASHEMI

[Rev. Magdalen]

Catherine, exactly! Bad people use any available excuse to get away with their crimes. If religion is handy, they'll use that. The majority of people following any religion are trying to be good people!

[Barry]

Bill and Rev Magdalen - you are both correct in what you say - but additionally---

Christianity is a religion - which to an extent espouses a certain way of living. Part of that comes from a very ancient Jewish concept of how people should live their lives. In the pulpits of churches around the world, Christians are encouraged by their pastors to live the enlightened aspects of these scriptural verses. There is little promotion of the very ancient aspects which are readily recognized as being not relevant today.

BUT - Islam could I think be similarly described - EXCEPT that the institutionalized sector of the religion (ie the Mullahs) do NOT only emphasize the enlightened aspects of the religion , but also insist that the medieval aspects of the way of living espoused should also be lived in the same way today! This to me is a BIG difference - and is the inherent problem.

Suicide - although a fairly common human characteristic - is not universal ie many would contemplate it theoretically for some reason, but not many actually do it. So - why are these Islamic suicide bombers so prevalent? They probably/possibly have their personal reasons to contemplate it- but I am sure that someone is behind them, encouraging them. Islamic teachers???

Barry

[Bill]

Rev. Magdalen and Catherine,

You are partly correct but I think you may be falling into the trap of viewing Islam from your own ideological, societal, and religious beliefs(something I first did unitl I read the Quran, a Hadith source, the Sira, and number of other works.) Islam is(and Catherine you have seen a variation of this before :) HA HA) -

1) A prescriptive religion that denotes everything by what is permitted, not permitted, recommended, and not recommened

2) The Quran itself is considerd the word of God and thus a perfect message, not to be questioned one bit, and transcendent in its message. The Quran even states this and warns of dire consequences for questioning it--ie apostasy. Simply put you can never critique the core message of Islam and it is why you see the Defamation of Relgions legislation being forced on the UN by the OIC--even us non believers are not supposed to question it either

3) Does not seperate religion and state but posits itself as a complete blue print for all aspects of life

4) Its golden rule is not "live and let live" but that "all must submit to Allah." This does not mean all must convert but all must at least submit at the very least to its rule. Its why you so often hear Muslims saying Sharia must span the globe

5) The greatest evil in Islam is unbelief and the Quran even mandates that all Muslims are to never accept the other unbelief.

6) It's scripture amazingly spends over 50% of its time on the unbeliever and the overwhelming majority of it is negative. It does have some tolerant verses, such as no compulsion in religion, but those were later abrogated by the later ones commanding all must submit to Allah

7) Is the only world religion to have a doctrine for war and yes offensive war is encouraged when possible to spread faith. The proponderance of evidence is a long list of Muslim conquests. The Ottaman empire itself was at war almost every year of its existence

8) Sharia law trumps all man made laws and especially so if they contradict. It's why Islamists often block honor crime and child marriage legislation across the Islamic world. Islam itself even demands that non believers must be under Sharia

9) Clearly holds the believer as above the non believer. The entire concept of the Dhimmi and the vestiges of Dhimmi laws rife across the Islamic world provide the best example of this. An example is the prohibition of missionary work by non Muslims in most Islamic states. To do so means prison or even death

In contrast almost all world religions:

1) Go by the golden rule saying live and let live. They want to convert you but their focus is not dominated by that. We are not commanded to have everyone live by our way of life or rules

2) Have no doctrine for war and almost all world religions condem violence. The Christian concept of love thy enemy and neighbor is a perfect example. People will point to the Crusades but it must be noted this was a learned concept from Islam itself and has no foundational support or encoragement in anyway from scirpture

3) Are not looked at wholesale prescriptive mandates but more as narratives on how to live ones life

4) Their scripture is focused on the believer mostly instead of fixating on the other and how to bring him under their power

5) All clearly believe in the primacy of secular law granting eqaul rights to all regardless of religious belief. In fact secularism was largely born out of early Greek thought merged with the Christian concept of "leave unto Cesar's what is Cesar's"

6) The greatest evil is not unbelief but commiting evil against another and thy self

7) None have scripture relegating the non believer to second class status

It is important to realize Islam is the religion of submission and once that submission is complete you have the peace bit come into play. Islamic scirpture commands the believer to make this happen through struggle by the pen, word, mouth, and the sword when neccesary. The first three are done through Dawah in the form of an invitation. When that fails, as history shows, offensive force(sword) was often used to bring them into the fold. This why the concept of Dawah and Jihad have gone hand in hand throughout the history of Islam. In all sincerity it is why the die hard Islamists actually denote Jihad as a mercy for the unbeliever--they are bring us out of ignorance, jahiliyyah. This is not medieval but pure Islam and as I noted Islam is beyond being changed because it is already a perfect message.

In closing, as Rev noted many view this as "medieval" but it is not so because the message is old but because to a Muslim it is still the only message they know as prescribed by the Quran. It is why Sharia law has essentially been unchanged for about a 1,000 years. Even if they Muslims want scirptural reform they cannot do puritanically speaking because Islam forbids it. It is why Muslims felt the need to issue their own decleration of human rights--simply because it went against the Sharia by guranteeing equal rights to all regardless of gender or faith. Islam does not respect secular law and religious freedom because the central message of Islam commands them to abolish it period no exceptions.

Sorry if I am being a bit pedantic(or harsh) and I always encourge you not to take my word as the truth but to find out for yourself. I also encourage you to also ask yourself why only Islam uniquely is in the only religion that seems to be embroiled in so much conflict across the world. I think once pursue the aforementiond suggestions you will be able to connect some dots on your own.

Thx
Bill

[Bill]

Oops just realized Barry made the reference to "medieval."

[Bill]

opps under the first point 4 meant to say rule not worship.