Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

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16 Dec 2010

The Battle Within and The Protests Are Still The Stories (Miller)

This week, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed his Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, for no given reason. The problem is that the mainstream media, and most politicians, haven't stopped to ask why the Foreign Minister was dismissed. Instead, they've wondered whether this will result in a change of direction with respect to Iran's nuclear program.
This week, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed his Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, for no given reason....
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ahmadinejad, demise, internal politics, larijani, mottaki
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13 Dec 2010

Mousavi’s Call for The Religious Month of Moharram

In these critical times, let us take action as Zeynab [the sister of Imam Hossein] did and give the true message of religion with its spiritual face to those who are thirsty for truth. It is our responsibility to learn and to teach others that the false claims of those pretending to be religious should not be considered as what the religion truly is. It is our responsibility to tell the true story of the Revolution for this generation...and in this telling the facts we should not be afraid from fairly criticising the past and at the same time we should avoid denying its great achievements.
In these critical times, let us take action as Zeynab [the sister of Imam Hossein] did and give the true message of...
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ashura, islam, mousavi, protests
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13 Dec 2010

Messages, Confessions , and Those Behind Bars

Economist Mohsen Renani, in comments published in the conservative Aftab, has alleged that academic studies on effects of subsidy cuts are censored and media are not allowed to publish data. He asserts that subsidy cuts will stop development for several generations and cause social crisis.
Economist Mohsen Renani, in comments published in the conservative Aftab, has alleged that academic studies on effects...
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economy, subsidy cuts
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8 Dec 2010

If a Protest Occurs and No One Notices, Does It Make a Sound

For some, it is as if the demonstrations on National Student Day --- 16 Azar --- never happened. You will not, for example, find any reference in Iranian state media to the protests on campuses across the nation. Press TV's top story prefers the relative security of the nuclear discussions, with Iran's National Security Council "call[ing] on Western powers to exercise commitment to agreements they make with the Islamic Republic".
For some, it is as if the demonstrations on National Student Day --- 16 Azar --- never happened. You will not, for...
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16 azar, protests, western media
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8 Dec 2010

What Now for the Greens and the Government

Let me be clear: today was a grand success for supporters of the Green Movement and a day of utter shame for those who kept blowing their horns of disagreement for months, blaring about the supposed demise of the opposition. Another set of demonstrations, another round of slogans, another group arrested. The protests are over, and now it's the task of sifting through websites, tweets, Facebook posts, and blogs to figure out how many people were arrested, if anyone was injured or killed, what the government did to block the protesters....
Let me be clear: today was a grand success for supporters of the Green Movement and a day of utter shame for those who...
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16 azar, green movement, protests
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7 Dec 2010

Resistance and National Students’ Day

But in Iran's capital, the developments were far from scripted: on the eve of National Students Day, hundreds of those students turned out at Tehran University to shout defiance. For the first time in many weeks, mass chants of "Ya Hossein Mir Hossein", "Free the Political Prisoners", and even "Marg Bar Dictator" (Death to the Dictator) were heard.
But in Iran's capital, the developments were far from scripted: on the eve of National Students Day, hundreds of those...
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16 azar, protests, student day
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7 Dec 2010

The Regime’s Ninja Assassins

In September 2009, an Iranian political source --- who also happens to be trained in martial arts --- tells the US Embassy in Azerbaijan that the regime is pressuring martial arts clubs, despite suspicions that they could be assisting opposition groups, to provide instruction for the Ministry of Intelligence and the Revolutionary Guards.
In September 2009, an Iranian political source --- who also happens to be trained in martial arts --- tells the US...
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assasins, revolutionary guards, wikileaks
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29 Nov 2010

Wikileaks-Iran Analysis What This Means For Tehran and Arab States (Tehrani)

The latest Wikileaks "dump" of previously secret US diplomatic communication gives us little in the way of new information on the Islamic Republic of Iran. There is no smoking gun on the atomic programme nor any new revelation on the Iranian meddling in Iraq, Lebanon and beyond. However, the documents provide an illuminating confirmation of what many could have previously sensed to be the prevailing mood within the Middle East regarding the regime run by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ali Khamenei
The latest Wikileaks "dump" of previously secret US diplomatic communication gives us little in the way of new...
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ahmadinejad, khamenei, wikileaks
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22 Nov 2010

Judiciary’s Larijani on Sakineh, Nukes, and Israel

In the American tour of Mohammad Javad Larijani, the high-level official Iran's judiciary, this is a fine example of how not to conduct an interview. CNN's Fareed Zakaria, with the nominal "head of the human rights section" before him, reduces all the human rights issues in Iran to one case --- that of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the woman condemned to death for adultery and then complicity in the death of her husband. Unsurprisingly, Larijani is ready for this headline example and knocks back Zakaria's portrayal of the cruelty of stoning.
In the American tour of Mohammad Javad Larijani, the high-level official Iran's judiciary, this is a fine example of how...
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american media, human rights, larijani
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22 Nov 2010

Judiciary’s Larijani on Detained Sotoudeh and on US Hikers

In his public-relations tour in New York, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of the human rights section of the Iranian judiciary, explains to NBC television that attorney Nasrine Sotoudeh was detained in early September as "a threat to national security". The threat? "She indulged in propaganda against Islam."
In his public-relations tour in New York, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of the human rights section of the Iranian...
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human rights, islam, larijani
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19 Nov 2010

Lawyer Shadi Sadr What Do We Mean By Violations of Human Rights

Choosing a topic for my speech tonight was both easy and difficult. It was easy because I knew I will be speaking to a crowd well aware of the violations of human rights in Iran. And it was difficult because I was not sure what comes to your minds when I say violation of human rights in Iran. Would it be the violent crushing of the demonstrators after the 2009 election? Would the torture and violation of the rights of the prisoners be what comes to your minds? Will you be reminded of the stoning sentences carried out? Would you remember the legal and executive discriminations against women? What about the details? How many names come to your minds? How many faces have been burned on your mind? How many victims? How many human rights violators? Do you remember any names at all or just an overall picture; somewhere in the world that we can find on the map, with difficulty at times, human rights in general are being violated and in general, we oppose violations of human rights.
Choosing a topic for my speech tonight was both easy and difficult. It was easy because I knew I will be speaking to a...
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human rights
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5 Nov 2010

Revolutionary Guards Speak Out Against Ahmadinejad

The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has come under harsh and unprecedented criticism from his usually close supporters, the Revolutionary Guards, in a move that suggests rifts among the Islamic Republic's power centres are widening
The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has come under harsh and unprecedented criticism from his usually close...
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ahmadinejad, demise
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27 Oct 2010

The Small Exchanges of Currency and Politics

Ever since the sanctions materialized, money transfers have become very knotty. In the old days, we would provide our bank s foreign rep and routing information (another bank in Europe for example), and our account number, and then waited for notification of the transfer, but those days are gone. Even currency exchange shops are no longer providing this service. They used to receive money in their accounts on foreign soil and pay us Rials out of their accounts in Iran, making a profit in the exchange. These days, their accounts are under scrutiny, frozen, or they re just afraid to make such moves.
Ever since the sanctions materialized, money transfers have become very knotty. In the old days, we would provide our...
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economy, sanctions
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26 Oct 2010

Why It is Vital to Speak Out for the US Hostages

I have never looked at the detention of the American hikers as anything but hostage-taking. Iran has had past experience with this: in the first years of the Islamic Republic, the Government brazenly broke international laws and held American diplomats and citizens. It is a strategy that has paid off in the past, and to the leaders in Tehran, it is a tried and tested method of getting back at their adversaries.
I have never looked at the detention of the American hikers as anything but hostage-taking. Iran has had past experience...
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american hikers, usa
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20 Oct 2010

Meanwhile, The Economy….

Iranian authorities have again postponed the lifting of subsidies on gasoline, maintaining a monthly quota of 60 litres (13 gallons) per motorist at subsidised prices of about 10 US cents per litre until November 21.
Iranian authorities have again postponed the lifting of subsidies on gasoline, maintaining a monthly quota of 60 litres...
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economy, freedom of press, human rights
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18 Oct 2010

Witness Journalist Jalali Farahani We Knew That Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Was Not Re-Elected

In February, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence announced seven members of "counterrevolutionary satellite network organizations and Zionist media", whom it said were affiliated with the Green Movement, had been arrested. Specifically, the seven were supposedly trained in "various soft subversion and other sabotage techniques abroad" and had links to the US Government-backed Radio Farda.
In February, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence announced seven members of "counterrevolutionary satellite network...
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crackdown, elections
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16 Oct 2010

Ahmadinejad Plays Second Fiddle to Hezbollah’s Nasrullah (Younis)

The support that Ahmadinejad enjoys in Lebanon's Shia heartlands can be compared to the support that a corporate sponsor might expect from Manchester United fans: bored gratitude. The biggest cheer that Ahmadinejad's speech managed to raise out of the crowd came when he thanked Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, as a "dear warrior and scholar".
The support that Ahmadinejad enjoys in Lebanon's Shia heartlands can be compared to the support that a corporate sponsor...
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ahmadinejad, hezbollah, lebanon
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14 Oct 2010

Interview Mehdi Karroubi The Green Movement Runs Very Deep

There is a widespread perception outside Iran that the Green Movement has been defeated. We no longer hear about millions-strong demonstrations, and a great many opposition figures have been imprisoned or forced out of the country. Is there still a Green Movement in Iran? Does it have an organized structure and a strategy for achieving its goals?
There is a widespread perception outside Iran that the Green Movement has been defeated. We no longer hear about...
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green movement, karroubi, opposition
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10 Oct 2010

Tensions Rise over Subsidy Cuts

This is unlikely to be a headline story in non-Iranian press --- where is the drama in subsidy cuts? --- but it should be. The Ahmadinejad Government's high-profile plan to reduce subsidies on food, energy, and other goods, softening the blow for those on lower incomes by handing out Government cheques, was supposed to be implemented in September. Then it was supposed to begin in October. Now it is scheduled for November.
This is unlikely to be a headline story in non-Iranian press --- where is the drama in subsidy cuts? --- but it should...
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economy, subsidy cuts
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4 Oct 2010

A Beginner’s Guide to the Currency Crisis

It is no secret that the Iranian rial/toman is overvalued --- the real surprise in recent years is how or why the Iranian government has kept the rate relatively stable. The current foreign exchange crisis is not a planned move towards much-devaluation; instead, it is indicative of poor preparation by the Iranian Government for recent developments.
It is no secret that the Iranian rial/toman is overvalued --- the real surprise in recent years is how or why the...
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currency, economy, regime incompetence
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30 Sep 2010

Hillary Clinton Announces Rights-First Sanctions

Hillary Clinton condems human rights abuses by the Iranian regime and targets 18 iranian officials for human rights violations. They are denied visas and furthermore financial sanctions are targeted at individuals, institutions and businesses.
Hillary Clinton condems human rights abuses by the Iranian regime and targets 18 iranian officials for human rights...
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human rights, sanctions, usa
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28 Sep 2010

Naming the Officials in the Attacks on Karroubi’s House and Qoba Mosque

In the five nights before Qods (Palestine) Day on 3 September, the residential complex of opposition cleric Mehdi Karroubi was surrounded by a pro-regime crowd. Violence escalated until, on the fifth night, a group tried to storm Karroubi's apartment. Several people were injured; Karroubi's bodyguard was reported to have been seriously wounded.
In the five nights before Qods (Palestine) Day on 3 September, the residential complex of opposition cleric Mehdi...
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crackdown, karroubi
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25 Sep 2010

Ahmadinejad, the UN, and The Society of the Spectacle (Pedestrian)

Ahmadinejad was there for the show, and as the lead performer, he was not going to leave the room disappointed. He had kept his end of the bargain, given us a magnificent spectacle which the world will be a buzz with for weeks to come --- much to his delight. And he was not going to leave the stage without that final, majestic farewell, even if he himself had to create it. The men clapped like crazy, and he could pretend they were real. The spectacle became the real, and we could no longer tell the difference.
Ahmadinejad was there for the show, and as the lead performer, he was not going to leave the room disappointed. He had...
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ahmadinejad, un speech
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22 Sep 2010

Mahmoud’s New York Sideshow

The Iranian President is being portrayed as a villain, of course; to do otherwise would ruin the dramatic narrative of conflict. However, like the villain in any long-running pantomime, he is never actually vanquished. The media's blows are those of soft bats rather than hard questions, letting the audience boo and hiss but leaving Ahmadinejad to take his bows at the end of the performance.
The Iranian President is being portrayed as a villain, of course; to do otherwise would ruin the dramatic narrative of...
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ahmadinejad
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22 Sep 2010

Top Tehran Analyst Zibakalam: Sanctions Have Worked

These remarks from Professor Sadegh Zibakalam, one of Iran's top analysts of international affairs are striking, especially when set against President Ahmadinejad's all-is-well assurances. They were featured in Aftab News last week: We should not wonder why the Koreans have joined the group of countries sanctioning us....South Korea exports $40 billion worth of car parts to the United States. Should Korea not give into American pressure, it could lose the American market....
These remarks from Professor Sadegh Zibakalam, one of Iran's top analysts of international affairs are striking,...
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sanctions
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18 Sep 2010

Karroubi Intervenes with Letter to Rafsanjani Take Charge

BBC Persian is reporting that opposition figure Mehdi Karroubi has made a pointed intervention with a letter to former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, in Rafsanjani's capacity as the head of the Assembly of Experts. Karroubi's letter, sent to Rafsanjani just before this week's bi-annual Assembly meeting, called on the Assembly to exercise its powers to "monitor the functions and institutions under the auspices of Iran's Supreme Leader". Karroubi cited problems such as "a lack of independence of the judiciary and courts", the interference of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and Basij militia in political issues, and the IRGC's expanded involvement in Iran's economy.
BBC Persian is reporting that opposition figure Mehdi Karroubi has made a pointed intervention with a letter to former...
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economy, karroubi, khamenei, opposition, rafsanjani
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13 Sep 2010

Latest on Detained US Hiker Sarah Shourd

Masoud Shafii, the lawyer for the US detainees Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Josh Fattal, has said he is upset at the delay in Shourd s release, declaring that her family s emotions are being abused . Shafii said, Put yourself in her mother s shoes. It s been more than year and she has no idea why her daughter was arrested and what will happen to her. The lawyer continued, "There's obviously a difference of opinion as to what to do within the government. Legally the prosecutor has the final say in this matter, but I ask you, has anything about their arrests and treatment been legal so far?"
Masoud Shafii, the lawyer for the US detainees Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Josh Fattal, has said he is upset at the...
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american hikers
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