Sunday
Jan312010
The Latest from Iran (31 January): No Backing Down
Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 8:18
2240 GMT: We close tonight by posting a video of the comments of Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, defending the regime's approach in the Presidential election and against subsequent protests, on CNN.
2155 GMT: News from Evin Prison. Another demonstration tonight by families of detainees and their supporters --- Peyke Iran reports hundreds present. The website claims 23 detainees have been released to the cheers of the crowd.
2020 GMT: All is Well! All is Well! Today's award goes to a Brigadier General Hassan Firouzabadi, who offered this assessment of the current situation:
So, Mr Firouzabadi, we pass over to you the EA All is Well Trophy Video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDAmPIq29ro[/youtube]
2015 GMT: The speaker of the reformist minority group in Parliament, Mohammad Reza Tabesh, resigned to protest restricitons such as the filtering of the party's website Parleman News and the banning of its reporter from the Parliament and preventing guests of MPs from entering the Parliament. (Those guests include family members of political prisoners. One delegation was turned away today.)
The Deputy Speaker and members of the party intervened and requested Tabesh to remain in his post.
1920 GMT: Mahmoud, They Haven't Forgotten You. Just in case anyone was wondering if the "conservative" opposition to the Government had gone quiet, a refresher on a story from yesterday....
High-profile member of Parliament Ahmad Tavakoli, in a letter to Ahmadinejad through the website Alef News, has criticised the warnings handed out to newspapers by the Press Supervisory Board: "In most of the cases the reasons mentioned were very unsound and unbelievably unjustified." Tavakoli also derided the Ministry of Intelligence's list of 60 international organisations, involved in "soft war" with whom Iranians were to have no contact: "In the spheres of politics and media, it is the duty of the government to enhance freedom and to ban illegal limitations and narrow-minded restrictions."
1915 GMT: On the Economic Front (cont.): The Central Bank has issued a gloomy report about Iran's economic performance in recent months, with declining investment, output, and exports. The report has appeared in both the Green movement's Rah-e-Sabz and the pro-Rafsanjani Ayande News.
1800 GMT: On the Economic Front. The Swiss engineering group ABB AG has stopped taking new orders in Iran with a view to ending operations in the country.
1755 GMT: Iranian Labor News Agency reports that 218 members of Parliament have signed a motion calling on "prominent figures" to support the Supreme Leader:
“We must give stern warning to the enemies and bullying powers that their conspiracies will be thwarted by Iranian wise and vigilant nation as before. We advise the prominent figures who fanned the flames of dispute to make good on their mistakes and remain committed to rule of law."
1745 GMT: Detainee News (cont.). Dr. Alireza Beheshti, Mir Hossein Mousavi’s top advisor (not to be confused with Alireza Beheshti Shirazi, another Mousavi advisor) and son of the late Ayatollah Beheshti, has complained about unacceptable prison conditions in a short telephone call to his family. Beheshti's wife said that the regime is still searching for charges against her husband; one of the possibilities is that he has multiple mobile phone numbers.
Beheshti, detained in the new wave of arrests after Ashura, has suffered a heart attack while in custody. He reportedly has not been able to meet his lawyer or study his file.
1645 GMT: Larijani, Tough Guy. An English translation of the remarks of Sadegh Larijani (see 1445 GMT), head of Iran's judiciary, from Rah-e-Sabz's original report:
Larijani, while defending the execution of a number of people, particularly those accused of being a Mohareb (enemy of God), said: "These people were Moharebs and members of terrorist groups, had weapons or were found with explosives when arrested."
Sadegh Larijani once again reiterated the resolve of the judiciary in dealing with Mohareb groups and said, "Legal criminal procedures were meticulously followed during every phase of the investigation with regards to the cases of these individuals."
With regards to those who seek to create an illusion that there was negligence by the judiciary system in dealing with the defendants and who suggest that they were arrested hastily and without respect for the law, Larijani said, "The criteria by which the judiciary addresses all judicial cases is based only on Sharia (religious and divine law)."
1615 GMT: Detainee News. Seyed Alireza Beheshti Shirazi, a senior advisor to Mir Hossein Mousavi senior advisors and the chief editor of his Kalemeh Sabz newspaper, is still in solitary confinement. Beheshti, detained in the Ashura demonstrations, has not been charged, has not been given a lawyer, and has not been allowed to contact his family.
Dr. Ali Arab Mazar, another imprisoned Mousavi advisor, has finally spoken to his family in a two-minute phone call.
1445 GMT: Defending the Executions. A quiet news day has been interrupted by a statement from the head of Iran's judiciary, Sadegh Larijani, justifying Thursday's executions of Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour.
1015 GMT: Colleagues at Iran Review in Tehran have notified us of a series of analyses, from their staff and from the Iranian press, offering insight into Iranian positions on Afghanistan, on the West's approach to Tehran's nuclear programme and Russia's position, and on Iraq's forthcoming elections.
0935 GMT: Fist-Shaking of the Day. Officials in the Obama Administration use their favourite reporters at The Washington Post and The New York Times, to show they are getting very tough with Iran.
With further sanctions on Tehran complicated both by the resistance of other countries and by differing views of the White House and the US Congress, "military officials" have proclaimed that anti-missile defences are being accelerated in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.
There are other motives in the posturing. An administration official declares, “Our first goal is to deter the Iranians” if Tehran gets a bit miffed about tougher sanctions. That's a pretty weak line, since Iran is unlikely to launch an overt military attack (to my knowledge, Tehran has not done so since the 1979 Islamic Revolution). The official's second aim, "to reassure the Arab states", is more a pointer to the ongoing political battle between Iran and the US for influence in the region. The third objective, however, may be the most significant, beyond the appearance of toughness, "There is certainly an element of calming the Israelis as well.”
0850 GMT: Spinning Hashemi. Iran's state outlet, Press TV, gives the "appropriate" reading for Hashemi Rafsanjani's cautious, balanced statement on the marches of 22 Bahman (11 February). Setting aside any notion of a challenge to the regime, the website headlines, "Hashemi-Rafsanjani: February 11 rallies will foil outside ploys".
0820 GMT: The website of the Holland-based Radio Zamaneh, a key location for news and analysis in the post-election crisis, has been attacked by the "Iranian Cyber Army", the same group that diverted traffic from the Green website Mowj-e-Sabz, Twitter, and the Chinese service Baidu.
0805 GMT: Another Show of Defiance. More than 2000 people --- detainees' families, Mothers of Mourning, and supporters --- reportedly gathered outside Evin Prison on Saturday night to call for an end to executions.
After the killing of two detainees on Thursday and rumours of more hangings, the demonstrators demanded not only an end to executions but also the unconditional release of all political prisoners. The families of prisoners were told that 23 detainees would be freed, and a few were released, including a 23 year-old woman who expressed her thanks to the crowd.
0800 GMT: The biggest news story on Saturday was the statement of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, responding to the regime's threats, trials, and executions, as they maintained their criticism of the Government and called on followers to march on the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution, 22 Bahman (11 February). We have posted a separate analysis.
Amidst our continuing discussions of the relationship between the Green movement and those outside Iran, we have also posted an incisive comment from Mahmood Delkhasteh, proposing the policy of "active neutrality".
And we have posted a video of a Tehran University academic, speaking on Al Jazeera English, defending last Thursday's executions of two political prisoners.
2155 GMT: News from Evin Prison. Another demonstration tonight by families of detainees and their supporters --- Peyke Iran reports hundreds present. The website claims 23 detainees have been released to the cheers of the crowd.
2020 GMT: All is Well! All is Well! Today's award goes to a Brigadier General Hassan Firouzabadi, who offered this assessment of the current situation:
The Islamic Republic of Iran is looking at a bright future under the aegis of the visionary leadership of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the support of a considerable number of devotees inside and outside the country...
“Ceremonies marking the 31st anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution will kick off this year at a time when Iran has made great progress in various fields of science and technology. The global powers, along with their supporters inside the country, desperately sought to undermine the principles of the Islamic Revolution.
So, Mr Firouzabadi, we pass over to you the EA All is Well Trophy Video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDAmPIq29ro[/youtube]
NEW Latest Iran Video: Foreign Minister Mottaki on Elections & Protests (31 January)
NEW Iran Analysis: Mousavi and Karroubi Answer the Regime — “Defiance”
NEW Iran From the Outside: Helping Through “Active Neutrality”
Latest Iran Video: Defending the Executions (30 January)
Iran Document: Mousavi-Karroubi Declaration on Rights and 22 Bahman (30 January)
Iran’s Executions: The Reformist Participation Front Questions to Sadegh Larijani
Iran Patriotism Special: Wiping the Green From The Flag
The Latest from Iran (30 January): Threat
2015 GMT: The speaker of the reformist minority group in Parliament, Mohammad Reza Tabesh, resigned to protest restricitons such as the filtering of the party's website Parleman News and the banning of its reporter from the Parliament and preventing guests of MPs from entering the Parliament. (Those guests include family members of political prisoners. One delegation was turned away today.)
The Deputy Speaker and members of the party intervened and requested Tabesh to remain in his post.
1920 GMT: Mahmoud, They Haven't Forgotten You. Just in case anyone was wondering if the "conservative" opposition to the Government had gone quiet, a refresher on a story from yesterday....
High-profile member of Parliament Ahmad Tavakoli, in a letter to Ahmadinejad through the website Alef News, has criticised the warnings handed out to newspapers by the Press Supervisory Board: "In most of the cases the reasons mentioned were very unsound and unbelievably unjustified." Tavakoli also derided the Ministry of Intelligence's list of 60 international organisations, involved in "soft war" with whom Iranians were to have no contact: "In the spheres of politics and media, it is the duty of the government to enhance freedom and to ban illegal limitations and narrow-minded restrictions."
1915 GMT: On the Economic Front (cont.): The Central Bank has issued a gloomy report about Iran's economic performance in recent months, with declining investment, output, and exports. The report has appeared in both the Green movement's Rah-e-Sabz and the pro-Rafsanjani Ayande News.
1800 GMT: On the Economic Front. The Swiss engineering group ABB AG has stopped taking new orders in Iran with a view to ending operations in the country.
1755 GMT: Iranian Labor News Agency reports that 218 members of Parliament have signed a motion calling on "prominent figures" to support the Supreme Leader:
“We must give stern warning to the enemies and bullying powers that their conspiracies will be thwarted by Iranian wise and vigilant nation as before. We advise the prominent figures who fanned the flames of dispute to make good on their mistakes and remain committed to rule of law."
1745 GMT: Detainee News (cont.). Dr. Alireza Beheshti, Mir Hossein Mousavi’s top advisor (not to be confused with Alireza Beheshti Shirazi, another Mousavi advisor) and son of the late Ayatollah Beheshti, has complained about unacceptable prison conditions in a short telephone call to his family. Beheshti's wife said that the regime is still searching for charges against her husband; one of the possibilities is that he has multiple mobile phone numbers.
Beheshti, detained in the new wave of arrests after Ashura, has suffered a heart attack while in custody. He reportedly has not been able to meet his lawyer or study his file.
1645 GMT: Larijani, Tough Guy. An English translation of the remarks of Sadegh Larijani (see 1445 GMT), head of Iran's judiciary, from Rah-e-Sabz's original report:
Larijani, while defending the execution of a number of people, particularly those accused of being a Mohareb (enemy of God), said: "These people were Moharebs and members of terrorist groups, had weapons or were found with explosives when arrested."
Sadegh Larijani once again reiterated the resolve of the judiciary in dealing with Mohareb groups and said, "Legal criminal procedures were meticulously followed during every phase of the investigation with regards to the cases of these individuals."
With regards to those who seek to create an illusion that there was negligence by the judiciary system in dealing with the defendants and who suggest that they were arrested hastily and without respect for the law, Larijani said, "The criteria by which the judiciary addresses all judicial cases is based only on Sharia (religious and divine law)."
1615 GMT: Detainee News. Seyed Alireza Beheshti Shirazi, a senior advisor to Mir Hossein Mousavi senior advisors and the chief editor of his Kalemeh Sabz newspaper, is still in solitary confinement. Beheshti, detained in the Ashura demonstrations, has not been charged, has not been given a lawyer, and has not been allowed to contact his family.
Dr. Ali Arab Mazar, another imprisoned Mousavi advisor, has finally spoken to his family in a two-minute phone call.
1445 GMT: Defending the Executions. A quiet news day has been interrupted by a statement from the head of Iran's judiciary, Sadegh Larijani, justifying Thursday's executions of Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour.
1015 GMT: Colleagues at Iran Review in Tehran have notified us of a series of analyses, from their staff and from the Iranian press, offering insight into Iranian positions on Afghanistan, on the West's approach to Tehran's nuclear programme and Russia's position, and on Iraq's forthcoming elections.
0935 GMT: Fist-Shaking of the Day. Officials in the Obama Administration use their favourite reporters at The Washington Post and The New York Times, to show they are getting very tough with Iran.
With further sanctions on Tehran complicated both by the resistance of other countries and by differing views of the White House and the US Congress, "military officials" have proclaimed that anti-missile defences are being accelerated in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.
There are other motives in the posturing. An administration official declares, “Our first goal is to deter the Iranians” if Tehran gets a bit miffed about tougher sanctions. That's a pretty weak line, since Iran is unlikely to launch an overt military attack (to my knowledge, Tehran has not done so since the 1979 Islamic Revolution). The official's second aim, "to reassure the Arab states", is more a pointer to the ongoing political battle between Iran and the US for influence in the region. The third objective, however, may be the most significant, beyond the appearance of toughness, "There is certainly an element of calming the Israelis as well.”
0850 GMT: Spinning Hashemi. Iran's state outlet, Press TV, gives the "appropriate" reading for Hashemi Rafsanjani's cautious, balanced statement on the marches of 22 Bahman (11 February). Setting aside any notion of a challenge to the regime, the website headlines, "Hashemi-Rafsanjani: February 11 rallies will foil outside ploys".
0820 GMT: The website of the Holland-based Radio Zamaneh, a key location for news and analysis in the post-election crisis, has been attacked by the "Iranian Cyber Army", the same group that diverted traffic from the Green website Mowj-e-Sabz, Twitter, and the Chinese service Baidu.
0805 GMT: Another Show of Defiance. More than 2000 people --- detainees' families, Mothers of Mourning, and supporters --- reportedly gathered outside Evin Prison on Saturday night to call for an end to executions.
After the killing of two detainees on Thursday and rumours of more hangings, the demonstrators demanded not only an end to executions but also the unconditional release of all political prisoners. The families of prisoners were told that 23 detainees would be freed, and a few were released, including a 23 year-old woman who expressed her thanks to the crowd.
0800 GMT: The biggest news story on Saturday was the statement of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, responding to the regime's threats, trials, and executions, as they maintained their criticism of the Government and called on followers to march on the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution, 22 Bahman (11 February). We have posted a separate analysis.
Amidst our continuing discussions of the relationship between the Green movement and those outside Iran, we have also posted an incisive comment from Mahmood Delkhasteh, proposing the policy of "active neutrality".
And we have posted a video of a Tehran University academic, speaking on Al Jazeera English, defending last Thursday's executions of two political prisoners.
tagged ABB AG, Ahmad Tavakoli, Al Jazeera English, Alef News, Ali Arab Mazar, Alireza Beheshti, Alireza Beheshti Shirazi, Arash Rahmanipour, Ayande News, Baidu, David Sanger, Eric Schmitt, Evin Prison, Hashemi Rafsanjani, Hassan Firouzabadi, Iran Review, Iranian Cyber Army, Iranian Labor News Agency, Kalemeh Sabz, Mahmood Delkhasteh, Manouchehr Mottaki, Mehdi Karroubi, Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani, Mohammad Reza Tabesh, Mohammad Sadegh Larijani, Mothers of Mourning, Mowj-e-sabz, New York Times, Parleman News, Peyke Iran, Press TV, Radio Zameneh, Rah-e-Sabz, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, Twitter, Washington Post in Middle East & Iran
ABB AG, Ahmad Tavakoli, Al Jazeera English, Alef News, Ali Arab Mazar, Alireza Beheshti, Alireza Beheshti Shirazi, Arash Rahmanipour, Ayande News, Baidu, David Sanger, Eric Schmitt, Evin Prison, Hashemi Rafsanjani, Hassan Firouzabadi, Iran Review, Iranian Cyber Army, Iranian Labor News Agency, Kalemeh Sabz, Mahmood Delkhasteh, Manouchehr Mottaki, Mehdi Karroubi, Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani, Mohammad Reza Tabesh, Mohammad Sadegh Larijani, Mothers of Mourning, Mowj-e-sabz, New York Times, Parleman News, Peyke Iran, Press TV, Radio Zameneh, Rah-e-Sabz, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, Twitter, Washington Post in Middle East & Iran
Reader Comments (22)
For those who read Persian, is this article saying that - in effect - five public executions of Ashura protesters are being planned before their trials are over and their sentences passed?
http://ayandenews.com/news/18035/
French Greens at Neauphle le Château apparently today - do our French readers know what they're up to?
http://tweetphoto.com/10078655
Scott,
Have you heard this rumour:
Khamenei is a recent meeting with top Guards and/or intelligence officials and high ranking members of his own office has apparently said that he no longer trusts Rafsanjani. He is supposed to have said that, Rafsanjani is not with us, but ensure that he does not join the opposite side.
I am afraid no real source for it; just recounting what is supposed to have leaked from that meeting.
It is a little strange that stuff like this would leak from such meetings.
Could it be genuine?
Or could it be a rumour put out to affect the public in the run up to 22 Bahman: don’t worry about going out on 22 Bahman, we are in serious trouble already, so you just stay safe and warm at home and we’ll have our rally our way.
Greeny,
Haven't picked up on rumour of SL office meeting with Guards/Ministry of Intelligence. My immediate hunch is that this could be propaganda for "hard-line" propaganda to break Rafsanjani or keep him in his box.
S.
greeny
The real source about this rumour could be a profound summary about the political history of the "shark" written in the "asia times" by Mahan Abedin.
His forecast about his fate is also impressive - and matches the rumous you have heard. This should be a " tidebit " for all "shark - specialists" on this page........
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LA29Ak01.html
Gunni/Greeny,
Does anyone know Abedin's major connections who would have assisted him with this line?
S.
Scott
Mahan Abedin is the editor of Terrorism Monitor ( Jamestown foundation)
don`t know his connections into Iran
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/author.asp?id=4298
Scott, gunni,
Re. gunni’s link (thank gunni):
“It is widely believed that Rafsanjani and his ultra-wealthy family had largely funded Mir Hossein Mousavi's expensive electoral campaign.... Rafsanjani's intervention merely played into the hands of his deadliest enemies.”
and
“Nearly a month later, on July 17, Rafsanjani stood at the same podium at Tehran University... In hindsight, it was all an elaborate trap by his enemies.”
I have heard this quiet a few times from various people. They keep on saying that Rafsanjani has fallen in Khamenei’s trap in the pre- and post- election issues and events. Every time this subject has been brought up the discussion has been quite vague. It has been almost like, we know more than you about all this, don’t ask questions just trust us. I don’t really know what to make of it: is it something quite real and accurate that they don’t want to discuss for the fear of revealing their good sources? Or is it just wishful thinking? Or is it trying to sound clever?
The people I have hear it from: they are not exactly with the coup or in the camp of Khamenei and/or Ahmadinejad& co, but from the conversations, it seems they have affiliations with them (by affiliations I mean either have connections which gives them good benefits, or maybe a long term agenda).
Scott
Little bit more about Abedin..........................
http://pipl.com/directory/people/Mahan/Abedin
Scott, Gunni,
[edited by moderator]
Mahan Abedin is a frequent contributor to Radio Zamaneh....
And Alireza Nourizadeh comments on Abedin's allegations that the IR is only giving ideological and moral help to Hezbollah: http://www.nourizadeh.com/archives/003739.php
Arshama
I was holding on to that article by Mahan Abedin on Rafsanjani and was going to post it today when the appropriate moment came - then I went for a long walk :-). Thanksto Gunni for getting it out there. I have only followed Iranian politics for a few years and I thought it was quite valuable in sorting out for the non-initiated the role of Rafsanjani in Iranian politics and laying bare all the rivalries between him and other factions. As for Abedin's prediction that Raf will be swept away in a third purge, I don't know enough to speculate.
The author writes a lot for Asia Times, where in November 2009 he is described as ".. a senior researcher in terrorism studies and a consultant to independent media in Iran. He is currently based in northern Iraq, where he is helping to develop local media capacity". In 2007 RFE/RL described him as "director of research at the London-based Centre for the Study of Terrorism and editor of "Islamism Digest" journal".
The Centre for the Study of Terrorism is an organisation studying Islamism, democratization and extremism in the Muslim world. He was born in Iran but raised and educated in the United Kingdom (according to http://hootsbuddy.blogspot.com/2007/03/fareed-sabri-interview-by-mahan-abedin.html)
Here are some more of his pieces for everyone to analyse:
http://tinyurl.com/y96obr3
IRI ambassador to France attacks Green protestors and hits a French police officer and is beaten by police and almost arrested (Sounds like comedy, but apparently is not)
From Radio France International:
http://www.rfi.fr/actufa/articles/121/article_10700.asp
Thanks to all for follow-ups on Abedin....
S.
Thank you, Greeny, for your news about the IRI ambassador to France.
I had a similar experience, when taking photos of an IRI employee in a public space about six or seven years ago. He attacked me violently, and I only got saved by an Iranian compatriot. It's about time that these criminals, serving as "ambassadors" or whatever get unmasked.
Bad news from our region: U.S. Speeding Up Missile Defenses in Persian Gulf
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/world/middleeast/31missile.html
[...] Quelle Veröffentlicht in News. Kommentar schreiben » [...]
Totally off topic to everyone else!
Arshama did you see the answer I left for you on yesterday's blog about the Ferdowsi quote - that I found what something very similar in English - but I don't have the Farsi for it?
Here is a link to an article about the incident which took place yesterday (saturday):
http://www.7sur7.be/7s7/fr/1505/Monde/article/detail/1061305/2010/01/30/Manifestation-contre-Ahmadinejad-devant-l-ambassade-d-Iran.dhtml
The article says a score of protesters from the CNRI (National Council of the Iranian Resistance) gathered in front of the Iranian embassy to protest against the execution of Aresh Rahmanipour et de Mohadali Zammani
Mehdi Mobari, one of the representatives of the organization, calls for a boycott of all diplomatic and economic relations between Europe , usa and Iran "so that Iran can't buy weapons against the Iranian people"
They will be there again next saturday as well as on february 11th.
Isn't CNRI linked to MKO?
Greeny
I was not able to find the article about Ambassador to France attacking Green protestors; in your link there is only an article about people in iran sentenced to death penalty .
ange paris,
Re. Radio France International: IRI Ambassador link
They seem to have pulled the link from their site. There is no mention of the news on any of the Radio France Persian pages (if you click on the original link in my post now, you’ll get a page not found error).
It may be that it was a lie made up by someone (either for or against IR) and Radio France took the bait and ran with the story before checking for facts. A waste of time really...
Greeny
It was on 24 dec 2009, :
Des opposants au régime auraient été violemment pris à partie mercredi soir, lors d'une cérémonie religieuse dans une annexe de l'ambassade iranienne.
C'est la première fois qu'un tel incident se produit. Mercredi soir, au cours d'une cérémonie religieuse dans une annexe de l'ambassade d'Iran à Neuilly-sur-Seine, des opposants au régime auraient été victimes de menaces de mort et de violences.
Ils étaient onze septs garçons et quatre filles appartenant au Comité indépendant contre la répression des citoyens iraniens à participer à une célébration chiite, correspondant au début du mois de Moharram, en Iran. Munis de brassards et d'écharpes vertes, la couleur de la révolution iranienne, les jeunes comptaient participer à la prière tout en affichant pacifiquement leur opposition au régime de Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mais dès leur arrivée, aux alentours de 19h30, les choses se sont gâtées. «On nous a tout de suite fait comprendre que nous n'étions pas les bienvenus», explique au figaro.fr Yashar Mohtashem, présent lors des incidents. «Mais on a quand même insisté pour entrer».
A la fin du prêche de l'imam, dans l'espace réservé aux hommes où environ cent personnes étaient réunies, l'un des participants s'est levé et a pris la parole. «Il nous a traités de ‘pourritures d'opposants' et a juré qu'il nous massacrerait tous, hommes et femmes», assure Yashar Mohtashem. «Je ferai couler le sang des impies», aurait déclaré l'homme. Les sept garçons, qui assurent avoir été surveillés pendant toute la durée de la cérémonie, auraient alors été poussés violemment vers la sortie.
«Méthode à l'iranienne»
Dans l'espace réservé aux femmes, la situation a aussi pris une mauvaise tournure. « Une femme est venue, elle a dit qu'elle était la femme de l'ambassadeur», relate une jeune opposante. «Elle a crié: ‘Pourquoi vous êtes ici ? Partez, ce n'est pas votre place!'». Avant d'entraîner les quatre jeunes filles vers la sortie.
«Comme on sortait, trois hommes sont entrés, nous ont insultées, ont demandé nos téléphones portables et effacé toutes les images. L'un d'eux a tiré mon sac, j'ai résisté et j'ai été blessée à la main gauche. Une autre fille a aussi été blessée», explique la jeune femme. «Ils nous ont prises en photos, nous ont demandé nos cartes d'identité, les ont photocopiées. Ils ont tenté de nous faire peur en nous disant que si on ne le leur donnait pas, ils nous emmèneraient dans une chambre au sous-sol», assure-t-elle.
Les jeunes opposantes assurent avoir été interrogées pendant plus d'une heure. «Ca a pris du temps car l'ambassadeur voulait les forcer à signer une lettre dans laquelle elles promettent d'arrêter de protester contre le régime d'Ahmadinejad. Une méthode à l'iranienne… Elles ont été contraintes de signer», explique Yashar Mohtashem.
Alertées par des participants à la cérémonie, les forces de police sont arrivées sur place aux alentours de 21 heures. Les policiers «ont demandé à l'ambassadeur de sortir de la salle dans laquelle il retenait nos amies», affirme Yashar Mohtashem. Refus du diplomate, «sûr de son immunité. Il a fallu que les policier s'imposent» pour entrer dans la salle et faire sortir les jeunes filles.
Pétition sur Twitter
Libérés, les onze jeunes opposants se sont rendus au commissariat de Neuilly pour porter plainte.Yashar Mohtashem indique que onze plaintes ont été déposées pour menaces de mort, trois pour violences volontaires, et deux pour coups et blessures contre la femme de l'ambassadeur et le premier consul. Le commissariat de Neuilly refuse de communiquer sur le sujet. Quant au parquet de Nanterre, il se contente de préciser que «des plaintes ont été déposées de part et d'autre».
Alerté jeudi matin, le Quai d'Orsay n'a pas officiellement réagi. Quant à l'ambassadeur d'Iran, il se refuse pour le moment à tout commentaire.
Sur internet, les jeunes opposants au régime iranien se sont rapidement emparés de l'affaire. Sur Twitter, une pétition tourne déjà pour demander à la France de sanctionner l'ambassadeur d'Iran.
http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2009/12/24/01016-20091224ARTFIG00548-altercation-a-l-ambassade-d-iran-a-neuilly-sur-seine-.php
Totally off topic, too ;-)
Roe Lassie,
Thank you for looking up Shahnameh. For the moment I only found this verse from Yazdegerd's Reign, part I, verse 161, which might fit yours: http://tinyurl.com/yanqm5q
To jange chenan padshahi majuy / ke farjame kar andah ayad be ruy
If you have the exact quotation in English, I can look it up in my Persian Shahnameh.
@ 2155 GMT
Sobh be kheyr to all
Good News: Peyke Iran reports on a total of 40 released prisoners from Evin :-)
http://www.peykeiran.com/Content.aspx?ID=12908