Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

Publisher:

Author:

27 Aug 2010

Will Obama Try to Save Iranian Shiva Nazar Ahari

Iranian authorities first arrested Shiva Nazar Ahari in 2001, when she was seventeen. Her crime was attending a candlelight vigil in Tehran that commemorated the victims of 9/11. Since then, she s taught Iranian homeless children and Afghan refugees children. In 2006, after she became the spokeswoman for the Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR), Ahari was kicked out of university, whereupon her troubles really began.
Iranian authorities first arrested Shiva Nazar Ahari in 2001, when she was seventeen. Her crime was attending a...

Publisher:

Author:

27 Aug 2010

Global Campaign in Support of Shiva Nazar Ahari

Shiva Nazar Ahari, a 26-year-old Iranian citizen and human rights defender is illegally detained in one of the world s most notorious prisons for defending the rights of others. Her trial is set for September 4, 2010. She is charged with conspiracy, collusion and most worryingly the charge of Moharebeh (waging war against God), an offence with the maximum penalty of death.
Shiva Nazar Ahari, a 26-year-old Iranian citizen and human rights defender is illegally detained in one of the world s...

Publisher:

Author:

26 Aug 2010

Ex-nuclear official Iran has material for 1 to 2 atom bombs

Iran has stockpiled enough low-enriched uranium for one to two nuclear weapons, but it would not make sense for it to cross the bomb-making threshold with only this amount, a former top United Nations nuclear official was quoted as saying.
Iran has stockpiled enough low-enriched uranium for one to two nuclear weapons, but it would not make sense for it to...

Publisher:

Author:

25 Aug 2010

The cracks in the Iranian regime

Another effect of sanctions seems to have been an official rapprochement towards the United States. We know that Ahmadinejad and the foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, have recently repeatedly spoken of their willingness to talk. However, far more important was the clearest green light given by the supreme leader, Khamenei. In a somewhat unnoticed part of his speech last Thursday he said: "Speaking to the US under conditions of threat and pressure cannot be regarded as talks. We are happy to hold talks but not with a US that wants talks under sanctions, threats and pressure. We are ready for talks if they [the US] could climb down from their superpower ladder and stop sanctions and threats."
Another effect of sanctions seems to have been an official rapprochement towards the United States. We know that...

Publisher:

Author:

25 Aug 2010

Presidents Chief of Staff Rahim-Mashai Taking On Foreign Policy

So now Ahmadinejad, far from running solo with his foreign policy pronouncements, has his 1st Vice President making expansive claims about idiot Englishmen and slapping South Koreans, and has special representatives who may be seeking to lead Iran s foreign policy in four of the most sensitive areas of the world. And one of those four representatives - the one who is widely disliked by key members of Parliament and senior clerics, the one who was forced out of a Vice-Presidential office, only to sneak back into Ahmadinejad s office - is appointing others to a Presidential foreign policy staff?
So now Ahmadinejad, far from running solo with his foreign policy pronouncements, has his 1st Vice President making...

Publisher:

Author:

25 Aug 2010

Jailed Iranian sues Nokia Siemens

An Iranian journalist imprisoned since 2009 is suing telecommunications giant Nokia Siemens in the US. Isa Saharkhiz says the company sold surveillance equipment to the Iranian government , and that is what led to his capture.
An Iranian journalist imprisoned since 2009 is suing telecommunications giant Nokia Siemens in the US. Isa Saharkhiz...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Aug 2010

Iran Opens Its First Nuclear Power Plant

TEHRAN Thirty-six years after construction began under the shah, Iran finally opened its first nuclear power plant at a ceremony on Saturday. Attended by senior officials from Iran and Russia, which helped build the station through years of concern by the United States and other Western nations that Iran was using its civilian program to mask a plan to build a bomb, the ceremony marked the beginning of the transfer of low-enriched uranium fuel rods from a storage site into the plant.
TEHRAN Thirty-six years after construction began under the shah, Iran finally opened its first nuclear power plant at a...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Aug 2010

Will fuelling the Bushehr reactor give Iran the bomb

"Once up and running, some 35 years after the project first began, Bushehr will be the first nuclear power reactor to generate electricity in the Middle East," says Mark Hibbs, a veteran nuclear analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
"Once up and running, some 35 years after the project first began, Bushehr will be the first nuclear power reactor to...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Aug 2010

Iran or Islam In Tehran That is the Question

The late Ruhallah Khomeini was no philosopher. But he, too, made the mistake that only philosophers can make. He took Marx s advice about changing the world rather than interpreting it and tried to de-Iranise Iran. However, despite his boundless hatred for the idea of Iran, the agitator from Khomein, the luckiest adventurer in our history, also failed. The question "Islam or Iran?" has been a hot topic in Iranian politics during several conjectures in history. When Iranians were angry at a regime that beat the drum of Iranian-ness as the core of its legitimacy, they emphasised the concept of Islam in opposition. They grew beards, flocked to the mosques, bought rosaries and brought the mullahs out of the backyards of forgotten neighbourhoods to oppose despotism based on nationalism. This time, Iranians are emphasising the concept of Iran in opposition to a regime that wrongly claims Islam as its source of legitimacy. This time, too, the fight is against despotism, not religion.
The late Ruhallah Khomeini was no philosopher. But he, too, made the mistake that only philosophers can make. He took...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Aug 2010

The Last Letter of Mohammad Nourizad to the Supreme Leader

Mohammad Nourizad, Iranian journalist and filmmaker, has written his sixth letter addressed to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei titled, "The Last Letter of Mohammad Nourizad to the Leader." Nourizad is currently out of prison released on bail. In April 2010, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for writing three open letters to Khamenei and a letter of criticism that addressed the head of the Judiciary.
Mohammad Nourizad, Iranian journalist and filmmaker, has written his sixth letter addressed to Iranian Supreme Leader...

Publisher:

Author:

20 Aug 2010

Supreme Leader’s Speech on US-Iran Relations and Internal Situation

We have commented in updates on the Supreme Leader s Ramadan speech on Wednesday to senior Iranian officials, which seems to be an important signal that Iran will not enter any public talks on its nuclear programme with the US unless sanctions are withdrawn.
We have commented in updates on the Supreme Leader s Ramadan speech on Wednesday to senior Iranian officials, which...

Publisher:

Author:

20 Aug 2010

Iran Needs Year to Develop Nuclear Weapon

U.S. officials have convinced Israel that Iran needs at least a year to develop a nuclear weapon, dimming prospects of an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, The New York Times reports. Israeli officials thought Iran could develop nuclear weapons within months. But Gary Samore, President Barack Obama's top adviser on nuclear issues, told the Times he thinks it would take Tehran "roughly a year" to turn low-enriched uranium into weapons-grade material. "A year is a very long period of time," Samore was quoted by the newspaper in an report posted on its website late Thursday.
U.S. officials have convinced Israel that Iran needs at least a year to develop a nuclear weapon, dimming prospects of...

Publisher:

Author:

20 Aug 2010

Iran says it may halt high-level fuel enrichment

Iran would stop higher-grade enrichment if it is assured of nuclear fuel supplies for a research reactor, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying in a Japanese newspaper on Friday. Published on the eve of the inauguration of Iran's first nuclear power plant, Ahmadinejad's comments appeared to signal a possible willingness to compromise on a key concern for the West regarding the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.
Iran would stop higher-grade enrichment if it is assured of nuclear fuel supplies for a research reactor, President...

Publisher:

Author:

20 Aug 2010

Iran test-fires new missile

Iran has successfully test-fired a new missile with enhanced guidance systems to hit ground targets, state media has reported. Ahmad Vahidi, the country's defence minister, announced the launch on Friday, while footage of the event was screened on state television. Vahidi, speaking during Friday prayers in Tehran, the capital, did not say when the launch took place or reveal the precise range of the missile.
Iran has successfully test-fired a new missile with enhanced guidance systems to hit ground targets, state media has...
19 Aug 2010

Making Aggression Respectable

I am asked from time to time what I worry about the most in national security affairs. My current answer- with the criteria for worrying being a significant probability of an event occurring and severely negative consequences for U.S. interests if the event does occur - is an Israeli military strike against Iran. Recent months have seen an acceleration of commentary about the possibility of such a strike, or of the United States conducting such an attack itself. The major new article by Jeffrey Goldberg on the subject in The Atlantic provides insight into why an Israeli attack on Iran within the next year or so has a disturbingly large chance of occurring. I leave aside the issue of what may be Goldberg s own agenda, which others have addressed. The article, based on interviews with a wide assortment of Israeli officials, portrays the outlook that could lead to such a step. Goldberg discusses the relevant influences on Prime Minister Netanyahu (including the influence of his unyielding 100-year-old father) but the state of mind he describes runs across much of the Israeli political spectrum. It is a state of mind - one that is more a matter of the amygdala and emotion than of the cortex and thought - that sees the possibility of an Iranian nuclear weapon as a fight-at-all-costs threat to the existence of Israel
I am asked from time to time what I worry about the most in national security affairs. My current answer- with the...

Publisher:

Author:

18 Aug 2010

Why Not to Bomb Iran

Has the Atlantic magazine become a propaganda tool a de facto party to the neoconservative and Israeli campaign to initiate a global war with Iran ? That question was being discussed last week on The Atlantic s own Web site, among other places, after the magazine unveiled a cover story saying that Israel is likely to bomb Iran within a year.
Has the Atlantic magazine become a propaganda tool a de facto party to the neoconservative and Israeli campaign to...

Publisher:

Author:

15 Aug 2010

Sudden Execution of More than 70 Prisoners in Mashhad

RAHANA-It has been reported that some of these individuals arrested in relation to drug trafficking, had been handed down sentences that did NOT include the death penalty and had only been fined. Despite these sentences, they were executed suddenly and without prior notice based on a judicial order.
RAHANA-It has been reported that some of these individuals arrested in relation to drug trafficking, had been handed...
Tags:
15 Aug 2010

Fall of the Islamic Republic, Pros and Cons

Those who believe in overthrowing the regime have very clear reasons: inefficiency, its black profile in violating human rights, its despotic character, a long experience of resistance to reform, multiple dead ends and contradictions in the legal system, and institutionalised discriminations and privileges.
Those who believe in overthrowing the regime have very clear reasons: inefficiency, its black profile in violating human...

Publisher:

Author:

15 Aug 2010

Ahmadinejad likened to extremist group by Iranian MP

Disputes between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iranian parliament continue as Ali Motahari, a conservative MP accused him of extremism today. Ali Motahari told Soroush weekly magazine that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his supporters are like the Furqan organization. Furqan was a radical Islamist group that was responsible for the assassinations of 12 Islamic Republic figures up to 1980. The father of Ali Motahari, prominent political activist, Ayatollah Morteza Motahari was also assassinated by Furqan organization.
Disputes between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iranian parliament continue as Ali Motahari, a conservative MP accused him of...

Publisher:

Author:

12 Aug 2010

Ashura Detainee Sentenced to Death

On August 4th, reports surfaced that Farah Vazehan was sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, a reliable source has told RAHANA that her sentence is actually death. The anonymous source told RAHANA that Vazehan s family has not informed her that she is sentenced to death to prevent her from worrying. Salavati from branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court is the presiding judge on the case that is still open for appeal. Farah Vazehan was arrested on December 29, 2009 (two days after the Ashura protest). She is currently detained in the general women s ward of Evin prison.
On August 4th, reports surfaced that Farah Vazehan was sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, a reliable source has...

Publisher:

Author:

12 Aug 2010

Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning denounces her lawyer

Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- The 43-year-old woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran denounced her lawyer and said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that she knew about the plot to kill her husband but thought it was a joke. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani's lawyer said his client made those comments to state-run television "to save her life" and noted that the death sentence for murder charges related to her husband's death was commuted. The mother of two faces a death sentence for adultery. Ashtiani's attorney, Mohammad Mostafaei, told CNN last month that his client confessed to the crime after being subjected to 99 lashes. He said she later recanted the confession and denied any wrongdoing.
Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- The 43-year-old woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran denounced her lawyer and said in an...
11 Aug 2010

Iran’s Uprising Continues — From Prison Cells

News about Iran's Uprising is scarcely found on mainstream media these days. There are stories about individual human rights abuses. There are stories about Ahmadinejad's outlandish remarks about how "the 12th Imam" will come so he can sit on his lap and suck on his thumb. There are stories of sanctions and Israel and Iraq and how Iran is just about to unleash Armageddon. But few stories chronicle the constant struggle for democracy and human rights in Iran. This, however, does not mean that the struggle is dead. It is a daily struggle that continues ever vigorously.
News about Iran's Uprising is scarcely found on mainstream media these days. There are stories about individual human...

Publisher:

Author:

10 Aug 2010

21 Billion Dollars In the Name of South Pars. To the Guards’ Liking

At the end of the Majlis session on August 13, 2010, Mehdi Pour Fatemi, the Dashti and Tangestan representative in the 8th Majlis, said, The government has until now given 21 billion dollars to domestic contractors to start up the South Pars [oil field].
At the end of the Majlis session on August 13, 2010, Mehdi Pour Fatemi, the Dashti and Tangestan representative in the...

Publisher:

Author:

10 Aug 2010

Mohammad Mostafaei in Norway, Expects Same for Family

The lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaei, 37, an outspoken critic of the Iranian judicial system, disappeared from Tehran on July 24 after questioning by the Iranian authorities, who then issued an arrest warrant for him. His wife and brother-in-law were arrested, but Mr. Mostafaei, speaking through an interpreter, told reporters here that his wife had been freed Saturday and that he expected her and their daughter, 7, to join him in Norway eventually. He said that after escaping from Iran, he had made his way by car, horseback and foot to Turkey, where the Norwegian Embassy helped him travel to Oslo on a visitor s visa.
The lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaei, 37, an outspoken critic of the Iranian judicial system, disappeared from Tehran on July...

Publisher:

Author:

10 Aug 2010

Physical and Psychological Torture An Interview with an Iranian Refugee in Germany

If I were to provide details on what they did to me in Iran, the interview would definitely blow the frame of this program. In general, however, I can summarize it by saying that in prison I was subjected to psychological and physical torture, as a result of which I lost 15 kiolgrams of weight and developed acute asthma as well as severe psychological disorders.
If I were to provide details on what they did to me in Iran, the interview would definitely blow the frame of this...

Publisher:

Author:

9 Aug 2010

Bazaar Merchant Sentenced to Death, Another Sentenced to Ten-Year Imprisonment

Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran reports that on August 1, 2010, two well known merchants of the Tehran Bazaar, Javad Lari and Mohsen Dogmechi, received heavy and inhumane sentences by Salavati, the presiding judge of branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Lari was sentenced to death and Dogmechi received ten years imprisonment in Gohardasht prison (Karaj, Iran). Both prisoners are currently detained in ward 350 of Evin prison
Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran reports that on August 1, 2010, two well known merchants of the Tehran...

Publisher:

Author:

8 Aug 2010

Iran Expatriates Get Chilly Reception

TEHRAN - Over the past year, conservatives here have often fulminated against the role played by Iranian exiles, who helped organize protests against the disputed 2009 presidential election across the globe. But last week, the Iranian government paid for several hundred "highly placed" Iranians living abroad to come back for a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip. They were invited as part of a high-profile effort to repair Iran s pariah image, win over some of the expatriates and, not least, draw some much-needed foreign capital to Iran s troubled economy. The guests were treated to a musical performance, a fawning speech by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - complete with oddly inappropriate wisecracks - and a trip to the tourist destination of their choice. The event did not exactly go as planned.
TEHRAN - Over the past year, conservatives here have often fulminated against the role played by Iranian exiles,...

Publisher:

Author:

8 Aug 2010

Ahmadinejad 9 11 terror attacks death toll was exaggerated

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks were exaggerated in a fresh broadside at the United States just days after U.S. President Barack Obama voiced willingness to talk to Iran.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks were exaggerated in a fresh broadside...
Tags:

Publisher:

Author:

7 Aug 2010

Fidel Castro addresses parliament after four-year gap

Fidel Castro, the former Cuban leader, has delivered his first speech to the national assembly since resigning over ill health four years ago. The chamber erupted into applause at the sight of Mr Castro, dressed in his familiar olive-green fatigues but without his comandante's insignia. In his uncharacteristically short speech, the 83-year-old talked of the threat of nuclear war. His brother Raul, who succeeded him as president, was present in the chamber. It was the first time the two had appeared together in public since Fidel Castro stepped down. At the national assembly, he warned of the risk of a nuclear war involving the US and Iran.
Fidel Castro, the former Cuban leader, has delivered his first speech to the national assembly since resigning over ill...

Publisher:

Author:

6 Aug 2010

Has Ayatollah Sistani Challenged the Supreme LeaderÂ’s Authority

Days after Iran s Supreme Leader had released, retracted, and then re-released his I am the Rule of the Prophet declaration, the leading Shi a cleric in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, issued his own fatwa. The contrast between the Khamenei and Sistani approaches to velayat-e-faqih (ultimate clerical supremacy) is stark. Now for the political question: was the Sistani pronouncement solely, or at least primarily, fostered by Iraqi developments or is it a response to the Supreme Leader s fatwa?
Days after Iran s Supreme Leader had released, retracted, and then re-released his I am the Rule of the Prophet...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Aug 2010

Iran Human Rights Updates Heavy Sentences, New Charges, Summons, Suspensions,

According to lawyer Mehdi Hojjati, branch 54 of Tehran s Appeals Court upheld all the rulings from the lower court and handed down a nine and a half year prison sentence for Bahareh Hedayat, student activist and member of the central council of Daftar-e Tahkim Vahdat. Previously, judge Moghiseh of branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court ruled a sentence of five years in prison for collusion and conspiracy against the system , two years in prison for insulting the leader , and six months in prison for insulting the President and propaganda against the system . Also, her previously suspended two years imprisonment on the charge of acting against national security by holding a demonstration on June 12, 2006 (a women s demonstration) was also added on to her sentence.
According to lawyer Mehdi Hojjati, branch 54 of Tehran s Appeals Court upheld all the rulings from the lower court and...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Aug 2010

Mohammad Mostafaei Breaks Silence “If You Have Faith in God and Judgment Day, Release My Family”

Mohammad Mostafaei, Iranian human rights lawyer whose wife and brother-in-law are under arrest since the beginning of last week, wrote a letter to Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi. The letter was released by RAHANA on July 31, 2010. Last week, Mostafaei, who is most known for defending the execution cases of Behnoud Shojaee and Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, was summoned to Evin prison for questioning. He went on the morning of July 24th and endured four hours of interrogation. Later that afternoon, security forces visited his office with an arrest warrant. When they arrived, Mostafaei was not there. There is no word on Mostafaei since then. On that evening, Mostafaei s wife Fereshteh Halimi and his brother-in-law Farhad Halimi were arrested and imprisoned. According to Hassan Aghakhani, the lawyer for Fereshteh and Farhad Halimi, family members of his clients were informed that the release of the Halimi s depends on whether Mostafaei turns himself in.
Mohammad Mostafaei, Iranian human rights lawyer whose wife and brother-in-law are under arrest since the beginning of...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Aug 2010

Tehran Prosecutor Confirms Jafar Kazemi Will Definitely Be Executed

Based on reports received from Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran, Tehran s Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said to the family of Jafar Kazemi that the execution order will be carried out for certain. Kazemi is a witness to the 1988 mass executions of Iranian political prisoners. He was also imprisoned from 1981 until 1990.
Based on reports received from Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran, Tehran s Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi...

Publisher:

Author:

2 Aug 2010

The Iraqi-born ruling class of Iran

Today, a noticeable number of the ruling elite of the Iranian regime are either born in Iraq or are thought to have major Iraqi affiliations. The five Larijani brothers, sons of the Grand Ayatollah Hashem Amoli, all of whom hold some of the most powerful positions in Iran have been referred to by American journalist, Robin Wright, as the 'Kennedys of Iran'. They each hold some of the highest positions in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the Iranian regime. Four of the five brothers were born in Najaf.
Today, a noticeable number of the ruling elite of the Iranian regime are either born in Iraq or are thought to have...

Publisher:

Author:

28 Jul 2010

National Iranian American Council (NIAC) Resolution Green-Lighting Israeli Strikes on Iran Introduced by House Republicans

Republicans in the House of Representatives have introduced a measure that would green-light an Israeli bombing campaign against Iran. The resolution, H.Res. 1553, provides explicit support for military strikes against Iran, stating that Congress supports Israel's use of "all means necessary" against Iran "including the use of military force". US military leaders have warned that strikes could be catastrophic to US national security interests and could engulf the Middle East in a "calamitous" regional war.
Republicans in the House of Representatives have introduced a measure that would green-light an Israeli bombing campaign...

Publisher:

Author:

26 Jul 2010

German city fathers refuse to meet visiting Iranian delegation

It would not surprise most people that the Iranian delegation chose to avoid the historical truth of the Holocaust or Shoah. But what is heartening is what their German hosts did. The Weimar City Council refused to meet the guests from Shiraz, Iran. Their message was clear. The Germans decided, as Warren L. Miller has written, that if the Iranians "choose historical revisionism over historic truth and prejudice over tolerance, then they were not welcome in respectable company, no matter what other values or interests they might share."
It would not surprise most people that the Iranian delegation chose to avoid the historical truth of the Holocaust or...

Publisher:

Author:

26 Jul 2010

Mossad chief reportedly visited Saudi Arabia for talks on Iran

Mossad chief Meir Dagan visited Saudi Arabia recently, if unofficial reports published over the weekend on the WorldNetDaily website are accurate. The Internet news site attributed the story to Arab sources. According to the reports, the talks conducted in Saudi Arabia with the head of Israel s espionage agency dealt with Iran and its nuclear program. The account follows a series of recent reports on increasing secret cooperation between Israel and the Saudis, including defense coordination on matters related to possible military action against Iran s nuclear facilities.
Mossad chief Meir Dagan visited Saudi Arabia recently, if unofficial reports published over the weekend on the...

Publisher:

Author:

26 Jul 2010

Ex-CIA chief says clash with Iran more likely

WASHINGTON Former CIA director Michael Hayden says military action against Iran now seems more likely because no matter what the United States does diplomatically, Tehran keeps pushing ahead with its suspected nuclear program. Hayden, a CIA chief under President George W. Bush, said that during his tenure a strike was way down the list of options. But he said on CNN s State of the Union that such action now seems inexorable.
WASHINGTON Former CIA director Michael Hayden says military action against Iran now seems more likely because no matter...

Publisher:

Author:

26 Jul 2010

Mohammad Mostafaei’s Family Arrested, No News on Mostafaei

The Committee of Human Rights Reporters announced on their website that Fereshteh Halimi, Mohammad Mostafaei s wife, along with her brother Farhad Halimi, were detained on July 24th at 11:00pm near Mostafaei s office. Mostafaei was summoned to Evin prison s Court Branch on July 21st. On the morning of July 24th, he visited the Intelligence Prosecutor s office inside Evin prison and attended an interrogation session that lasted four hours. According to RAHANA, later in the afternoon, security forces went to Mostafaei s office with an arrest warrant, but he was not there. There is no news on his whereabouts.
The Committee of Human Rights Reporters announced on their website that Fereshteh Halimi, Mohammad Mostafaei s wife,...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

Iran’s Sunni Insurgency

Late last week, two suicide bombings in southeastern Iran reduced a mosque to rubble, leaving 27 dead and nearly 300 injured. The explosions were the work of Jundollah -"Soldiers of Allah" - a rebel Sunni group opposed to the Shiite-controlled regime in Tehran.
Late last week, two suicide bombings in southeastern Iran reduced a mosque to rubble, leaving 27 dead and nearly 300...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

Ahmadinejad warns Medvedev of joining “U.S. plot” against Iran

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday warned his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev of joining a "plot" by the United States against Iran, ISNA news agency reported. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaking in the city of Kerman, southeast of Tehran on May 26, 2010. Photo by: AP Our enemies have started a new propaganda war against Iran, which is written and directed by the U.S. and staged by the Russian president, Ahmadinejad said during the closing ceremony of a youth festival in Tehran.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday warned his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev of joining a "plot" by...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

ISRAEL Possible Iran scenarios

The military option against Iran s nuclear program always seems to be discussed in the context of one table or another. On the table, off it or under it, the possibility of a strike lurks in the background, a semi-abstract code for something potentially awesome and not in the cool sense of the word.
The military option against Iran s nuclear program always seems to be discussed in the context of one table or another....

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

Iranian Opposition Leader Slams Guardians Council

Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karrubi has criticized the influential Guardians Council for 'Institutionalizing fraud' and offering a "double-standard interpretation" of the constitution, RFE/RL s Radio Farda reports.
Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karrubi has criticized the influential Guardians Council for 'Institutionalizing fraud'...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

Rafsanjani Bowing Out?

Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran s president from 1989-97, was at the top of the Iranian political establishment for three decades, his uncanny ability to manipulate politics to his own advantage undiminished. But over the past year, as Iran went through its most serious political crisis since the 1979 revolution, his empire has declined, and now his enemies have been emboldened to strike a fatal political blow. Rafsanjani has signalled his willingness to step aside from politics, thus avoiding public dismissal; the language has been carefully worded to minimise his loss of face.
Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran s president from 1989-97, was at the top of the Iranian political establishment for...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

Detained US Hiker’s Mother ‘ Wish I Could Hear Her Voice’

In Rah-e-Sabz, Masih Alinejad interviews Nora Shourd, whose daughter Sarah was one of three US citizens detained by Iranian authorities last summer when they allegedly hiked across the Iraq-Iran border. Translation by Farzaneh Abdavinejad:
In Rah-e-Sabz, Masih Alinejad interviews Nora Shourd, whose daughter Sarah was one of three US citizens detained by...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

Mohammad Mostafaei Summoned to Evin Prison

Mohammad Mostafaei, lawyer and children s rights activist, was summoned to the Shahid Moghaddas prosecutor s office located in Evin prison. Mostafaei is the lawyer for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and Mohammad Reza Haddadi. According to a RAHANA reporter, the summons warrant sent to Mr. Mostafaei s office on July 21st declared he should visit the prosecutor s office within three days to present explanations on a number of issues.
Mohammad Mostafaei, lawyer and children s rights activist, was summoned to the Shahid Moghaddas prosecutor s office...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jul 2010

Prisoner Loghman Abdollahzadeh on Death Row Under False Accusation

Based on reports received by Human Rights and Democracy Activist in Iran, Loghman Abdollahzadeh, a prisoner falsely accused of drug possession, was sentenced to death. 32 year old Abdollahzadeh was arrested six months ago when his house was raided by [police forces].
Based on reports received by Human Rights and Democracy Activist in Iran, Loghman Abdollahzadeh, a prisoner falsely...
21 Jul 2010

An Iranian Did WashingtonÂ’s DoorÂ’s Open For Him

As for today, it is difficult to believe the American story, while it is equally difficult to believe Shahram Amiri s story as well. But it is important for those monitoring the Shahram Amiri case to not be too concerned with today s news, but rather with tomorrows. In other words, let us observe Amiri s fate in Iran after receiving a hero s welcome upon his return, especially after Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told AFP: 'We first have to see what has happened in these two years and then we will determine if he s a hero or not. Iran must determine if his claims about being kidnapped were correct or not'. This is something that also calls into question Amiri s story of being kidnapped from Saudi Arabia.
As for today, it is difficult to believe the American story, while it is equally difficult to believe Shahram Amiri s...
21 Jul 2010

Shahram Amiri in Intelligence Quarantine

According to an informed source who spoke to Rooz, on his arrival in Iran Shahram Amiri was taken to an intelligence quarantine where he is now. Prior to being transferred to an unknown location, security agents took him to the Iranian state television studios where he appeared in a nationally televised program. Many aspects of Amiri s exit from Iran, his disappearance in Saudi Arabia, arrival in the US, production of four videos and his eventual return to Iran are still unknown. The saga has been further complicated by the latest American claim that Amiri was paid five million Dollars to spy for the United States.
According to an informed source who spoke to Rooz, on his arrival in Iran Shahram Amiri was taken to an intelligence...
21 Jul 2010

Iran Media Follow-Up War, War, War. Blah, Blah, Blah. No Facts. More War. Blah

It appears that some journalists have missed our coverage this week - in a dissection of Joe Klein s lightly-sourced hyperbole and in Marc Lynch's comment on the danger of hyperbole becoming received wisdom - over the hyping of Israeli military action against Tehran. First, Bret Stephens put out the question, 'Why Hasn t Israel Bombed Iran (Yet)?' and then offered four 'theories', all of which were void of any information on Israel s current planning and strategy.
It appears that some journalists have missed our coverage this week - in a dissection of Joe Klein s...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Jul 2010

Small Bank in Germany Tied to Iran Nuclear Effort

As the international sanctions noose tightens around Iran's nuclear program, Tehran is increasingly relying on a small, Iranian-owned bank in Germany to conduct business on behalf of the regime's blacklisted companies, Western officials say.
As the international sanctions noose tightens around Iran's nuclear program, Tehran is increasingly relying on a small,...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Jul 2010

Sanctioned Iran Group Pulls Out of Gas Project

The engineering arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said Friday it was pulling out of projects in a giant Iranian natural-gas field in the Persian Gulf, blaming mounting sanctions from the West. The decision is a blow to a push by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to tighten control of the country's oil and gas industry and suggests a round of fresh international sanctions specifically targeting the IRGC is causing new difficulty for the group, a paramilitary organization with a range of business subsidiaries.
The engineering arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said Friday it was pulling out of projects in a giant Iranian...
Tags:

Publisher:

Author:

21 Jul 2010

Group of University of Tehran Students Deliver Message in Commemoration of 1999 Student Uprising

Eleven years ago, a tragic and violent event turned the University of Tehran into a blood zone. Those in power supposed that such carnage would demolish the will of the people for freedom, democracy, and social justice. But simpleminded people do not understand the statement that the 'university is the last entrenchment of freedom.' The cries of students, with the bloodshed of July 9, 1999 (18 Tir), gave new life to Iran s freedom movement, followed by ten years of struggle for civil, social, and women s rights.
Eleven years ago, a tragic and violent event turned the University of Tehran into a blood zone. Those in power supposed...

Publisher:

Author:

21 Jul 2010

The Revolt Against the Supreme Leader Begins

First things first: so far as I know, the bazaars are still on strike. And yes, I know that the Los Angeles Times said it was over a couple of days ago, but for once I think they have it wrong. As of Sunday night, Iran time, the grand bazaar in Tehran, and those in Isfahan, and above all Tabriz, were all closed. Indeed, even many stores outside the bazaar in Tabriz were shut, and I have been receiving reports for several days claiming that a merchants strike is spreading throughout East Azerbaijan. In the last few days, the bazaar in Mashad ' a city of enormous religious importance to the regime ' has also shut down, at least in part.
First things first: so far as I know, the bazaars are still on strike. And yes, I know that the Los Angeles Times said...
19 Jul 2010

Trial Of Iran’s ‘Blogfather’ Begins, 20 Months After His Arrest

Iran s hard-line Fars news agency reports that the trial of controversial blogger Hossein Derakhshan, known as Iran s 'Blogfather' for helping to popularize blogging in the Islamic republic, began in Tehran on June 23. Derakhshan has been in jail since November 2008. According to Fars, the charges against Derakhshan include working with "hostile" governments, propaganda against the Islamic establishment, propaganda in favor of antirevolutionary groups, insulting religious sanctities, and launching and managing obscene" websites.
Iran s hard-line Fars news agency reports that the trial of controversial blogger Hossein Derakhshan, known as Iran s...

Publisher:

Author:

19 Jul 2010

Bin Ladens ‘offered US help’

The fourth son of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda's leader, says the United States has offered to assist members of his family being held in Iran. Washington has "offered to help my brothers out of Iran" and has "no objections to receiving them in the United States," Omar bin Laden told Al-Arabiya, an Arabic-language broadcaster, on Sunday. Around 20 members of the extended bin Laden family are reportedly being held under de facto house arrest in Tehran.
The fourth son of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda's leader, says the United States has offered to assist members of his family...

Publisher:

Author:

18 Jul 2010

Tax collectors, bazaar merchants reach compromise to end standoff

A standoff between Iranian merchants and tax collectors ended Saturday as the two sides reached a compromise in a weeks-long on-and-off strike that had cast a spotlight on the economic troubles of a nation now facing tightened sanctions. For weeks, Tehran's normally bustling Grand Bazaar had been eerily quiet and palpably tense as security forces stalked its dim galleries, the stalls of gold, jewelry, shoes and clothing that were shuttered under the pretense of painting their storefronts.
A standoff between Iranian merchants and tax collectors ended Saturday as the two sides reached a compromise in a...
Tags:
17 Jul 2010

Netanyahu: Only US military threats can stop Iran from building nukes

Diplomacy and sanctions won't stop Iran from building a nuclear warhead, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'There has only been one time that Iran actually stopped the program,' Netanyahu told Fox News' Chris Wallace Sunday. That was when it feared U.S. military action.
Diplomacy and sanctions won't stop Iran from building a nuclear warhead, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin...

Publisher:

Author:

16 Jul 2010

Iran’s President Now Aims at Rivals Among Conservatives

TEHRAN - Having successfully suppressed the opposition uprising that followed last summer s disputed presidential election, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his supporters are now renewing their efforts to marginalize another rival group Iran s traditional conservatives.
TEHRAN - Having successfully suppressed the opposition uprising that followed last summer s disputed presidential...

Publisher:

Author:

16 Jul 2010

Iranian Bazaar Strikes Spread

Ahmadinejad s government has attempted to come up with many solutions to end strikes in the Tehran bazaar. However, on July 14, 2010, the strikes became more widespread than previous days. Despite this, government news agencies claim that the stores were opened.
Ahmadinejad s government has attempted to come up with many solutions to end strikes in the Tehran bazaar. However, on...

Publisher:

Author:

16 Jul 2010

The Zahedan Bombing

The Zahedan Bombing. Back from a family break to learn about the two explosions, reportedly caused by suicide bombers, which have killed more than 20 people and wounded more than 100 in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan in Sistan-Baluchestan Province.
The Zahedan Bombing. Back from a family break to learn about the two explosions, reportedly caused by suicide bombers,...

Publisher:

Author:

15 Jul 2010

U.S. paid Iranian nuclear scientist $5 million for aid to CIA, officials say

The Iranian nuclear scientist who claimed to have been abducted by the CIA before departing for his homeland Wednesday was paid more than $5 million by the agency to provide intelligence on Iran's nuclear program, U.S. officials said.
The Iranian nuclear scientist who claimed to have been abducted by the CIA before departing for his homeland Wednesday...

Publisher:

Author:

14 Jul 2010

Iran nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri ‘heading home’

An Iranian nuclear scientist who once claimed he had been abducted by CIA agents is on his way back to Tehran, Iran says. Foreign Ministry officials, who claim they have evidence Shahram Amiri was abducted last year, told statemedia he had now left the US. The US state department has insisted he was in the US of his own free will. In June Mr Amiri appeared in three videos giving conflicting stories about how he had arrived in the US. He said in the first that he had been kidnapped by CIA and Saudi agents while on a pilgrimage.
An Iranian nuclear scientist who once claimed he had been abducted by CIA agents is on his way back to Tehran, Iran...

Publisher:

Author:

13 Jul 2010

Pakistan Says Iran Scientist in U.S. Fled to Its Embassy

In the latest twist in a murky tale, Pakistan said Tuesday that an Iranian nuclear scientist who Tehran maintains was kidnapped by the Central Intelligence Agency had taken refuge in a section of the Pakistani Embassy in Washington that deals with Iranian interests.
In the latest twist in a murky tale, Pakistan said Tuesday that an Iranian nuclear scientist who Tehran maintains was...
10 Jul 2010

Iran cuts oil prices as sanctions byte

As international sanctions mount, Iran is finding it increasingly hard to find buyers for its oil, forcing the hardline nation to offer discounts in order to shift as much as it can to a declining number of customers. Though Iranian officials are increasingly voicing their concerns in public, many seem optimistic about finding ways around the trade blockade.
As international sanctions mount, Iran is finding it increasingly hard to find buyers for its oil, forcing the hardline...
Tags:

Publisher:

Author:

9 Jul 2010

Tehran Bazaar Dispute May Herald New Regime Crackdown

If ever an institution typified the blend of social and religious conservatism wrapped up in Iran's Islamic Revolution, it is the Tehran bazaar -- home to an array of carpet sellers, textile traders, and food merchants instinctively suspicious of the alien values of Western commerce.
If ever an institution typified the blend of social and religious conservatism wrapped up in Iran's Islamic Revolution,...

Publisher:

Author:

8 Jul 2010

The Wave of Economic Discontent

Yesterday s breaking news for many outside was the latest statement by Mir Hossein Mousavi linking criticism of Western sanctions against Iran with criticism of the Government s mismanagement of foreign policy and the economy. Inside Iran, however, the most significant incident appeared to be the continuing furour, including strikes, in the Tehran Bazaar over proposed tax riss. The immediate reversal of a 70% increase may have stemmed discontent, but it does so at the risk of making the Government look vulnerable.
Yesterday s breaking news for many outside was the latest statement by Mir Hossein Mousavi linking criticism of Western...

Publisher:

Author:

7 Jul 2010

Iran Analysis Crisis ‘What Crisis’

With his declaration this week, it looks like Ahmad Tavakoli - leading conservative member of Parliament, former Minister of Labor, former Presidential candidate, cousin of Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani and head of Iran s judiciary Sadegh Larijani - has crossed the Rubicon of resistance. What else coud the following mean? How does the President permit himself to refuse to follow a laws that he does not think is in his interest or even worse to say to astonished viewers on TV that I will not implement it?
With his declaration this week, it looks like Ahmad Tavakoli - leading conservative member of Parliament, former...

Publisher:

Author:

7 Jul 2010

Tehran Bazaar on Strike

TEHRAN -Traders in Tehran's grand bazaar went on strike on Tuesday in protest at increased income taxes in a year of slow business, ISNA news agency reported. 'This morning most businesses including jewellery and fabric shops shut down to protest at a lack of agreement with the tax office' over taxes of the previous Iranian year, which ended March 21, ISNA said.
TEHRAN -Traders in Tehran's grand bazaar went on strike on Tuesday in protest at increased income taxes in a year of...

Publisher:

Author:

7 Jul 2010

Musavi Condemns UN Sanction Resolution

Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Musavi has condemned the UN sanction resolution adopted last month over Iran's sensitive nuclear work. Musavi described the resolution as "unjust" and "against the Iranian people," while noting that the impact of Iran's "adventurous and confused" foreign policies cannot be ignored. He also said that Iran should hold a referendum on the nuclear issue.
Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Musavi has condemned the UN sanction resolution adopted last month over Iran's...

Publisher:

Author:

7 Jul 2010

The Folly of attacking Iran

The Bush Administration deployed a rhetoric of confrontation against Iran, including the threat of military force without United Nations or even Congressional authorization. Many of the Bush Administration's claims that Iran is a threat echo claims used to justify the U.S. invasion of Iraq and rest on similarly dubious evidence. Policies have been approved, such as authorizing the killing of Iranian officials in Iraq, that could easily escalate into a broader military confrontation.
The Bush Administration deployed a rhetoric of confrontation against Iran, including the threat of military force...
3 Jul 2010

Reporters Without Borders unveils first-ever “Anti-Censorship Shelter”

Reporters Without Borders today launched the world s first "Anti-Censorship Shelter" in Paris for use by foreign journalists, bloggers and dissidents who are refugees or just passing through as a place where they can learn how to circumvent Internet censorship, protect their electronic communications and maintain their anonymity onlin
Reporters Without Borders today launched the world s first "Anti-Censorship Shelter" in Paris for use by foreign...

Publisher:

Author:

3 Jul 2010

Assessing Europe’s Sanctions and Tehran’s Oil

Iran is a country with very large reserves of natural gas, a lot of it relatively low-cost to produce. With the right investment, Iran could become a gas exporter of global significance in about a decade. Europe is one of the largest gas markets in the world. Its combination of liberalized electricity markets and ambitious environmental policies has the effect of favoring gas as a fuel for power generation, at least in the mid-term. Russia s position in the European gas market raises concerns about market power and the politicization of gas supplies from Russia. The EU supports new gas pipeline projects from Central Asia and the Middle East through Turkey to diversify Europe s sources of natural gas; the availability of Iranian gas could be essential to the success of this diversification strategy. Russia, on the other hand, should want to prevent or delay the emergence of Iran as a large gas exporter.
Iran is a country with very large reserves of natural gas, a lot of it relatively low-cost to produce. With the right...

Publisher:

Author:

3 Jul 2010

Iran Establishing the First “Anti-Censorship Shelter”

Reporters Without Borders has launched the world s first "Anti-Censorship Shelter" for use by foreign journalists, bloggers, and activists. The organization said at a gathering in Paris, "At a time when online filtering and surveillance is becoming more and more widespread, we are making an active commitment to an Internet that is unrestricted and accessible to all by providing the victims of censorship with the means of protecting their online information."
Reporters Without Borders has launched the world s first "Anti-Censorship Shelter" for use by foreign journalists,...

Publisher:

Author:

3 Jul 2010

Iranian Government Allows Destruction of 50 Homes of BahaÂ’i Residents

Mr. Derakhshan: We had heard some rumours about the destruction of the village and the burning of homes of the Baha is but did not believe that such a thing could happen. However, we went to the offices of the governor general, the governor, and the deputy governor in that district and informed them that this was what [the villagers] had said they were planning to do, and asked whether it was true. We were told not to worry and that there it was not possible. We believed them. However, when Mr. Mahmoud Piri and his family were going to [their home] in Ivel, as soon as they arrived in the village he was severely beaten and verbally insulted. He was told that he should not be there. At that point he noticed that they were destroying his home.
Mr. Derakhshan: We had heard some rumours about the destruction of the village and the burning of homes of the Baha is...
Tags:

Publisher:

Author:

3 Jul 2010

They took Fatemeh from us and, in return, they gave us a martyr card

Hassan Mir-Assadollahi, the husband of Fatemeh Semsarpour, stated in an interview with Rooz Online that the Military Court has asked him to accept Dieh (blood money) for the death of his wife, but he has refused. Fatemeh Semsarpour along with her older son, Kaveh, were shot in front of their home during the protests on June 20, 2009. Ms. Semsarpour died that same day, but his son survived following two heavy and complicated surgeries
Hassan Mir-Assadollahi, the husband of Fatemeh Semsarpour, stated in an interview with Rooz Online that the Military...

Publisher:

Author:

3 Jul 2010

Mehdi Karroubi Confronted by Regime Thugs at Sharif University

Saham News - On the afternoon of June 29, 2010, Mehdi Karroubi visited the mosque at Sharif University of Technology to attend the mourning ceremony for the father of professor Mohammad Reza Aref (Mohammad Reza Aref is also the first Vice President under Khatami s presidency).
Saham News - On the afternoon of June 29, 2010, Mehdi Karroubi visited the mosque at Sharif University of Technology to...
29 Jun 2010

Mohammad Javad Larijani Misrepresents Human Rights Council Session on National Television

During an appearance on the Islamic Republic of Iran s state television this week, Mohammad Javad Larijani repeatedly misrepresented the events of last week s Human Rights Council session in Geneva. Larijani s false statements were an attempt to conceal the wide range of objections faced by the Iranian delegation during the session. In his statements, Larijani spoke of Japan s support for Iran, when in fact, Japan was one of the signatories of the statement by 56 countries that highlighted widespread violations and objected to the situation of human rights in Iran. The statement was read despite Iran s efforts to stop it.
During an appearance on the Islamic Republic of Iran s state television this week, Mohammad Javad Larijani repeatedly...

Publisher:

Author:

27 Jun 2010

Lawyer: UN Secretary General Only Hope to Save Zeynab Jalalian’s Life from Execution

RAHANA - Some unconfirmed news published today states that Zeynab Jalalian is at risk of imminent execution tomorrow at dawn. To clarify these reports, we contacted Khalil Bahramian, the lawyer who attempted to represent Zeynab Jalalian. In a talk with RAHANA Bahramian said,"After hearing the news, I did many follow-ups, but I was not able to obtain any news, and I don't know if this news is true or not."
RAHANA - Some unconfirmed news published today states that Zeynab Jalalian is at risk of imminent execution tomorrow at...

Publisher:

Author:

27 Jun 2010

G-8 ‘fully believes’ Israel will attack Iran, says Italy PM

World leaders "believe absolutely" that Israel may decide to take military action against Iran to prevent the latter from acquiring nuclear weapons, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Saturday.
World leaders "believe absolutely" that Israel may decide to take military action against Iran to prevent the latter...
Tags:

Publisher:

Author:

25 Jun 2010

US Hikers Were Seized in Iraq

Since their arrest last July by Iranian forces near the Iraq border, three Americans Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd have been at the center of a high-stakes diplomatic struggle between Tehran and Washington. Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused the three of entering Iran to conduct espionage.
Since their arrest last July by Iranian forces near the Iraq border, three Americans Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah...

Publisher:

Author:

25 Jun 2010

High-ranking student Abdollah Yousefzadegan transferred out of solitary confinement after 95 days

Abdollah Yousefzadegan, a high-ranking Master's of law student and winner of the gold medal in the National Literature Olympiads, was transferred from solitary confinement to a three-person cell.
Abdollah Yousefzadegan, a high-ranking Master's of law student and winner of the gold medal in the National Literature...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jun 2010

Everyone Makes Mistakes, Including Us An interview with Ahmad Batebi

Part 2 of the interview focuses on a question I asked about methods to better unify western support for the Iranian opposition movement. Batebi s answer enticed a conversation to begin about 2009 Presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi and his role in the 1988 massacres in Iran.
Part 2 of the interview focuses on a question I asked about methods to better unify western support for the Iranian...

Publisher:

Author:

24 Jun 2010

Iran Special Mousavi, Karroubi, and the Strategy of “We Are Still Standing (for the Revolution)”

Mousavi and Karroubi are claiming that they are defending the Islamic Republic, which is being torn down by a Government which should be upholding its values and Constitution. Some would-be analysts of Iranian politics argue that the opposition is "counter-revolutionary"; Mousavi and Karroubi point to the strategy that the opposition is still "revolutionary" in its pursuit of the goals of 1979. Equally important, they are pointedly noting that the Government is attacking figures, including Khomeini, who were and are "the Revolution".
Mousavi and Karroubi are claiming that they are defending the Islamic Republic, which is being torn down by a Government...
24 Jun 2010

Iran and Russia The State of the “Alliance”

Independent countries are growing in power and new players have entered international political scene. Therefore, the existing structure of the United Nations Security Council and international relations, which has led to dominance of a hegemonic system on the world, cannot provide solutions to all problems as that structure was suitable for conditions of past decades and is no good for a modern world. For example, crises in Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan cannot be solved within that framework. Many countries have owned up to this weakness and even the US President has stated that the United States will not tackle all international problems single-handedly as it is not able to solve all of them alone.
Independent countries are growing in power and new players have entered international political scene. Therefore, the...

Publisher:

Author:

23 Jun 2010

RAHANA Report: 325 People Arrested in the Month of Khordad

According to published reports, 325 people were arrested as a result of political activities and protests against the government of Iran in the month of Khordad (June). The number of arrests increased substantially as many citizens came to the streets this past month in observance of the anniversary of the rigged election last year.
According to published reports, 325 people were arrested as a result of political activities and protests against the...
Page 4 of 7

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name *