Latest Iran Video/Translation: Karroubi on Events in the Iran Media Fair

Iran: The Karroubi Effect
Iran: Karroubi Statement on Events at Iran Media Fair
Video: Karroubi & Crowd at Iran Media Fair (23 October)
Video: The Media Fair Demonstrations (25 October)
Latest from Iran (26 October): After the Fair

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English translation follows video --- many thanks to HomyLafayette:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CLJfmkEqYM[/youtube]

In the name of God, most gracious, most merciful.

Three points must be stressed concerning the events that took place at the press fair last Friday: One has to do with the circumstances, another with the motives, and the last with myself.

As for the circumstances, I have always gone to exhibitions and continue to do so. This time when I visited, on the one hand the people generously expressed their kindness and I would even turn around and ask them not to chant slogans, and on the other, a few individuals began --- and they're the ones who started it --- saying, "Death to the hypocrite", trying to provoke the people. The great mass of the people was standing and chanting, and the other individuals chanted too, and then we left the exhibition after a while. But on the way out, and this is the scheme that certain individuals had planned, they guided us in a direction through which the people behind us could not freely follow us, and in this manner they became a bit more radical.

The second point is about the motives. This is not the first time [this has occurred, it also happened] during my visit to Masoumeh's shrine on the occasion of Imam Sadegh's martyrdom. Wherever I go, such actions are becoming commonplace. Fortunately, the people are responding spontaneously. Their intention is to prevent me from attending gatherings and to isolate me, in the same way that they closed the offices of the party and [inaudible]. [The offices of Karroubi's Etemade Melli political party and his newspaper were shut down in early September.] They want me to sit at home and not venture outside. So they're taking these steps to prevent me from going outside.

The third point that I want to mention is that I'm amazed that they're carrying out these measures with respect to me. I'm not new to these actions, and I haven't started making these types of comments recently. In 1989, after the death of Imam Khomeini, I clashed with the 3rd Majlis [Parliament], I denounced the deviation of the Assembly of Experts....In all those cases, I maintained a clear position, I constantly spoke out, and I went through difficult situations. Even back then, many of my friends were summoned daily to the Special Clergy Court or normal courts. I stood strong and endured those hardships.

On top of which, in those days, I was isolated and the people were not aware of the issue of oversight and the Assembly of Experts....But today, the people are standing as one, or at least a majority of the people are and they have a position and are standing firm.

In such circumstances, I shall be present on any stage....Be it a demonstration, the commemoration of the 22nd of Bahman [11 February,date of the victory of the 1979 revolution] or Ashura [holiday marking the martyrdom of Hossein]. Whatever the day, whatever the place, we shall be present. But we're going to take an additional step. Previously, we wouldn't tell our friends where we'd be going and other details. Now we announce it, though we may be the object of our friends' criticisms. We will not retreat. Keeping in mind our pact with the Imam and the people, we remain loyal to the Islamic Republic and the constitution. We are standing firm on this path, with God's blessing, and we fear nothing.

God willing, we shall see who has remained true and who has not. In appropriate conditions, when either both factions are in power or neither one is, we shall see who has to repent and who does not need to. When you have one faction in power and the other faction has nothing at all, they can talk about repentance as much as they want. Those who need to repent are the traitors to the Islamic Republic who have deviated it, who have emptied it of its Islamic nature and destroyed its republican identity, and left nothing but its name.

Iran: Rafsanjani Statement on "False News" (13 October)

The Latest from Iran (14 October): Watching Karroubi, Rafsanjani, and the Supreme Leader’s Health
The Latest from Iran (13 October): Government Threatens Karroubi

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Former President Hashemi Rafsanjani's latest statement, published by the Iranian Labor News Agency, is brief and --- without further context --- somewhat vague.

The key reference is to an alleged letter from Rafsanjani and Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani from Mir Hossein Mousavi on 28 September. This appears to be a reference to the dramatic revelation by Fars News at the end of September of a supposed "National Unity Plan". In heated debate over subsequent days, it was claimed that this version was at best an early draft and at worst a false document.

It appears that Rafsanjani is trying to kill off any idea that he was associated with this draft initiative. What is unclear --- because Rafsanjani makes no reference to it --- is whether he associates himself with a second, different "National Unity Plan" that emerged a week later. Therefore, this appears to be a "hold-the-line" letter, holding off Government pressure on Rafsanjani through rumors and deceptions, rather than a political move.

The translation is by Persian2English:

Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, and following the sixth session of the Assembly of Experts, this trend [of mis-information] has intensified. Some media and supporting sites with politically motivated intentions have attempted to publish false news regarding some meetings that have taken place, and even mentioning meetings that have never taken place.

There are also quotes attributed to specific people; some that are true and others false. Of course, they base their political analysis on rumors and create side issues in order to achieve their political goals.

The quotes are a mix of true-and-false. There are also incomplete and selective statements regarding private meetings of the head of the Assembly of Experts with the members of this assembly; and the meeting between subcommittee of the fundamentalist clergies in parliament and Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani. There are other articles quoting “informed sources” where even the people interviewed have expressed regret and surprise by the way their words have been misquoted. Some have even been forced to deny their statements.

This is outside the law. Ethics and manners are expected of the media. They take place in an atmosphere where most news about Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani that is officially published is partially or completely censored by the newspaper.

The news published on the first page of the official government newspaper, “Iran” on September 28, 2009, titled “Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mahdavi Kani’s messages to Mir Hossein Mousavi” is an example of false news lacking any validity. It is not clear what their purpose is of printing false news. It is not even clear if they have good intentions. They can quote my statements in Friday Prayers insisting that everything by all sides be done according to law.

I have insisted on this many times; and instead of faking the news, they can print this statement.

Misquoting me regarding the presidential election, or publishing opinions of my relatives are both examples of false news reporting. Their supporting chain media immediately follows up on the false news and creates a huge side issue.

In order to calm the public who asks a lot of questions regarding this matter and respected media (and I hope this includes all the supporting media), we are officially declaring that quoting anyone but Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, or printing selective statements, lacks any credibility and validity

The only valid statements come directly from the office of Hashemi Rafsnajani and the public relations office of the Expediency Council. The statements are published to the public.

Mohammad Hashemi