This has been another interesting week on the Iran Front. Things have been moving so fast. That's why it is probably the second greatest show on Earth after all that is happening in the United States.
The news this past week was dominated by the firing up of the first nuclear power plant at Busheir. For those who may not know the history, this was begun during the reign of the late Shah of Iran. The current gang running Iran began to push for completion. After repeated delays, they got it going. Many do not like it because of the natural suspicions against a regime that has not been stellar in its' international stance. The fact does remain that Iran needs the power to help fuel its' ever growing local power needs. The old neo-con argument about Iran being a Oil Producing nation is simply disingenious and will simply not hold water. I know the Israelis do not like it--and understandbly so. The Israelis, though, will milk this to divert attention away from their continued blockade of Gaza.
The sanctions, though, are starting to bite. I have had updates from a number of folks who have had to cancel out meetings because of the shutdown of visas. Financial transactions are being increasingly hamstrung. I had already written about fuel being denied to Iran Air, Iran's State Airline. Total has stopped shipping refined fuel to the country. The Chinese have worked to backfill. The Russians have also tried to somehow strike a balance. This is not over by any means.
As this goes on, Iran continues to make its mark. It is already a force to be reckoned with in Iraq. There is of course its' bellicose annoucements in the military arena. The latest one is the supposed development of Drone Aircraft. I have to wonder how they acquired the technology. Can it be that they reversed engineered a downed US Drone? That's my take it on.
I am calling Iran the Second Greatest Show on Earth because it truly is. Where will it all end?
There are a few interesting developements that truly amazed me. The Commander of Iran's Border Patrol noted that 3700 Soldiers had lost their lives fighting the war on drugs on the Afghan/Pakistan Border.. There were over 12,000 soldiers injured in this war. Despite whatever the views are on the Iranian Government, the fight against drugs seems to be as bloody as ever. I find this staggering statistic to be interesting in light of the fact that the use of drugs seems to continually on the rise in the Country.
There is another interesting development. The Government just issued regulations prohibiting alcholics, drug addicts and tobacco users from obtaining Government jobs. For Iran, it is quite signifcant because the Public Sector continues to be a major employer in the country--not withstanding the work done to privatize and cut back on the State during the current Government. It will be interesting to see how it impacts the employment picture.
The last tidbits over the past 48 hours was an annoucement by Iran's Defense Minister that Iran's First Domestically produced Submarine will join Iran's Naval Fleet. This is following the launch of Iran's First Domestically Produced Destroyer which joined the fleet a few months ago. This news was especially timely in light of the continued sanctions debate. It seems as if Iran is moving right along despite it.
Events in Iran over the past 10 days have been fast paced, to say the least. The highlight was the Amiri Soap Opera that has been on-going which culminated in his dramatic return to Iran and being reunited with his family
Today is the day after June 12 in Iran. There was not much that happened especially in light of the continued repression in place in the country. The key leaders inside the Country have continued to resort to unconventional means. I also found the New York Times Story on June 12 quite startling in how they document the subtle protest efforts going on in Iran.
Karoubi, one of the opposition leaders, had gone on to Qum to visit a senior cleric, Ayatollah Sanei. For those who may not know who Sanei is, he is one of the key backers of the opposition movement and a movement was started to strip him of his religious title by calling him to the Special Court for the clergy. The Regime's thugs apparently laid siege to him when he was at Ayatollah Sanei's House. The question the regime does not seem to answer is this: If the opposition is not relevant, why do they need to lay siege to Karoubi? Why won't they even live up to their own Constitution
The anniversary of Iran's Presidential Poll is upon us. This is the period whereby the whole country rose up to challenge the clerical dictatorship that usurped the original intent of the Revolution and began a process of finishing off any semblance of Constitutional Government in Iran. Some may say that it never existed. There were at least some semblance of respect for the law prior to June 12, 2009. It all went away.
The Green Movement is continuing on. However, the Government has tightened things in such a way that the key leaders have resorted to periodic pronoucements over facebook. They held a Virtual News Conference via Facebook to discuss what they are trying to do. I also saw YouTube postings on "God is Great" chants again througout Tehran. What I foresaw during the uprising has been proven true. HBO, though, produced a documentary on NEDA, the woman who epitomized the struggle and who gave her life during those tumulous days
Today is the 21st Anniversary of the death of the Founder of the Islamic Republic. Remembrances have been held throughout Iran and the World. I have been monitoring Iran's National State Broadcaster. The one that really caught my eye was Hassan Nassrallah's speech, whereby he heaped praise on Khomeini and his contribution to Islam. There was, of course, another speech by idiotnejad who reminded the World that Khomeini belonged to the World. I am not sure if the World really wants that gift.
Moving on to the real world, Idiotnejad has some real challenges on his hands. It will be one year since his mentor and chief backer, Khameini, pulled a Bush v. Gore on the people of Iran and saw to it that the so-called conservative faction within the regime became prevalent. That faction has meant the continued ascendency of the Revolutionary Guards in all aspects of the Iranian Economy. I would argue that there have been some signficant leaps in development. I have written about Iran's Space Program and the recent report about the launch of the first of a number of ships to join Iran's Merchant Marine Fleet. This has also been the year that saw the launch of the first domestically produced Frigate that joined Iran's Navy Fleet earlier in the year
Iran marches on. As it contends with potential sanctions as a result of the nuclear program, it projects an image of normalcy and development as if nothing is wrong. It is clear that reality is otherwise due to the suffering on Iran's main street. One would think otherwise if one listens to the State Broadcaster.
One of the more interesting developments was the launch of Iran's First Cargo Ocean Liner. It has been named "Iran Irak" and is the first of three ships slated to join Iran's Merchant Marine Fleet. On top of what Iran has been able to achieve in Nuclear Power, defense and other develpoments, this is quite commendable to say the least. I also found the constant push to enact "Smart Government" measures to be quite interesting. For instance, there was a move to have an Economic Census be done by all households all over the internet. Even the United States could not pull it off and had to send actual forms and hired thousands of Census Workers to go out there and actually knock on doors
The last number of weeks have been quite startling, to say the least. As I write this, Iran is in the midst of a National Holiday to commemorate the death of the Prophet Mohammad's Daughter, Fatima. Last night saw Ayatollah Khameini preside over a remembrance in Tehran. Iran's National News Network is now broadcasting reflections on the Prophet's Daughter and the lessons that can be learnt from her life.
Events in Iran continue to be as quite dynamic as ever on the political front. As the opposition continues to be under pressure, The Government tries to portray an aura of normalcy. In a few hours, The G-15 Meeting being held in Tehran is slated to begin. The Turkish Prime Minister, the Brazilian President, the President of Algeria and the President of Senegal have been among World Leaders who have arrived in Tehran for this occassion
Barack Obama and Nicholas Sarkozy seem to have thrown down the gauntlet now on Sanctions about Iran. The effectiveness of the sanctions regime is not at issue here. I did find Sarah Palin's latest edict on Facebook on the sanctions to be hillarious. Sarah Palin, John Bolton and the rest of the so-called common sense conservatives are clueless, to say the least. Their view of bombing all to submission brought the world to the brink of disaster. Fox News has given them a platform.
The so-called cold war between Iran and the U.S. will continue to heat up until such time as sensible people on both sides realize that talking is better than heated rhetoric that will only result in further tension.
This past week was exciting and scary on the political scene. It all culminated with the passage of the Healthcare Legislation. The Obama Adminstration should right now feel pretty good about what they have been able to achieve so far.
It all began with Healthcare. The legislation passed . I was in awe as I saw Democracy in Action. The debate was vibrant and frankly hillarious at times. The Republicans committed to run on a slogan to "repeal and replace.' What I found especially ironic was a clip on This Past Sunday's Meet the Press from then-Minority Leader Gerald Ford
Iran just adopted a new budget. The new budget has finally cut basic subsidies. Instead, it will be doing cash payouts. They took their queue from the block grant scheme that was done during the Reagan Adminstration in the United States. I find that a disturbing development because of the continued calamity within the Iranian Economy.
The Chief of the Coup Government (what the Green Movement calls Idiotnejad) has been quite busy. He just inaugurated a new double-decker highway in the City of Isfahan. He also has been criss-crossing the country again handing out goodies to all and has been quite hyperactive
Because of the importance Iran plays in Regional and World Politics, I have decided to elevate the periodic write-ups I do on Iran and launch OV Iran Watch to share insights about Iran and the challenges that the Country faces.
Despite all the efforts to potray an aura of normalcy, The Government of Iran continues to run scared. They have been busy continuing the show trials and executions. They have been also busy releasing folks. But, these so-called releases have been done with hefty bails. This is while Idiotnejad takes a flight out to Kabul to see the useless Karzai
Iraqis went to the Poll. There was violence and some 35 people lost their lives. But the insurgents did not succeed. The reports I have seen show that the elections went well, was well organized and reasonably fair. It shows that the people are speaking with one voice--the need to change. Now the real work begins.
Iraq is a country that is frankly broken in many ways. People can't find jobs. The infrastructure is non-existent. More importantly, the Political leadership is mostly interested in perpetuating its own power structure than actually working to overcome and rebuild. Yet, I believe that the Iraqi People must be congratulated to have turned out in such force to speak for change
The struggle for Iran took a very interesting turn on Thursday. I caught a glimpse of CNN and as I was watching the coverage of the carnage in Austin by the madman, Rick Sanchez announced that the IAEA was about to report out that Iran had moved towards developing nuclear fuel for the bomb. Iran's silence was broken when Iran's IAEA Rep came out saying that the new Director-General of the IAEA reitrated the agency's understanding of Iran's peaceful intentions.
I find this a worrisome development indeed. I am not surprised. The Middle East going nuclear should be of profound concern. The genie is indeed out of the bottle. The question is whether this genie can be controlled or not. I am not sure whether sanctions will work either. I reviewed the Anti Defamation League's call for Iran's Oil to be boycotted. What the world needs to realize is that Iran was under severe constraints, yet managed to fight a war with Iraq while the people were minimally impacted. This was during the time Mousavi was Prime Minister. The problem was that grown-ups were running Iran then. Although they were brutal grown-ups--at least they were grown-ups. They were not in it for money or fame. The current gang in charge clearly is
Cyberspace has been abuzz about the day after. I have been continuing to assess what the regime did to muzzle dissent. They had a strong show of force and used every trick of the book to prevent people from exercising their Democratic rights
:When will they realize that they're on the wrong Path....
The official celebrations have begun. This is as the Opposition has called for massive protests. I am monitoring Al Jazeera and there was just a report of clashes on Sadeghi Square. Mehdi Karoubi one of the key opposition leaders was due to arrive there.
As this was going on, the regime had restricted Internet Access and detained opposition activitists. Yesterday's New York Times reported that the wife and children of a jailed journalist were summoned to the Revolutionary Court for questioning. It was simply unbelievable. Google has been reporting that access to GMAIL was restricted. The opposition, though, was as ready as it could be. The main internal opposition site for the Green Movement had already sent out at least one proxy server for access to all a day before. I saw it and posted it to my own facebook account to help spread the word
Iran's big day is tomorrow. However, the cold war that I have written about throughout the last eight months continues nonstop. The Green Movement has called for a massive turn-out as it gears up for a day of protests. Arrests have been continuing nonstop. While the regime continues to be on the prowl, the official mouthpieces of the regime are pushing the infallability of the Supreme Leader and how he is the Center of the Universe. I was especially surprised by what Velayati, the Supreme Leaders' Foreign Policy Advisor emphasized during an interview. Velayati is a Medical Doctor who served as Foreign Minister for years during the early years of the Revolution. One would think that a Medical Doctor would use their brain some time. Not this one, apparently!!!
What I found quite shocking was an attempt by the regime to arrest the daugher in law of the First Chief Justice of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Behesti. Mr. Behesti's younger son, Ali Reza, was a top advisor to the defeated Presidential Candidate Mir Hossein Mossavi. She had to appeal to Rafsanjani to stop this. According to the report I reviewed in the Green Movement's Website, she noted that, ".. it is a shame that during the anniversary of the Revolution, the grand children of the martryed first Chief Justice of the Islamic Republic must be on the run....". Mr. Rafsanjani apparently demanded a meeting with Khameini and told him to stop such shameful acts and realize the true realities on the ground. Furthermore, the regime confiscated the passport of Mehdi Karoubi's Son, Hussein upon his return from a foreign trip. No one seems to be immune. I continue to be amazed that they have yet to arrest Karoubi and Mousavi
Iran's recent moves to enrich uranium is now again in the news. Although I understand the concerns by the United States and the International Community, some of the hype is frankly mis guided and at times, provocative.
The current gang running Iran is not to be trusted. I eagerly await Feburary 11 to asess what the Green Movement is going to do. But, what I worry about is the increased military posturing and the rhetoric that may present challenges yet unimaginable. It is interesting how the two nations on the forefront of actions against Iran are the United States and Israel. It was the United States who is the only country in the world to have detonated a Bomb. Israel is the only country in the Middle East who actually possess nuclear weapons. Yet, they somehow want to prevent others from acquiring the technology. What they fail to undestand is that Iran has acquired the technology and they have to somehow figure out how to live with it
The death of Professor Massoud Mohammadi has been dominating the headlines in Iran for the past number of hours. The Professor was killed as he was leaving for Work. He taught nuclear physics at Tehran University
Although I have been focused on closing out the year, I interrupted my vacation to report on Iran's latest developments. The world was witness to the latest propaganda offensive by the leading personalities of the regime. Ahmadinejad came out and denoucned the protests. Larijani, the Parliamentary Speaker, demanded justice. Others called for Mousavi's head. Adding to this facade, Government Workers were given a day off and apparently $ 150 Dollars to turn out en masse to "support" the regime. I almost fell out of my chair in laughter when I read all the tributes to the marches and how they punched the world in the mouth with their solidarity. The reality is quite different
I have been continuing to read on and assess what is at hand currently with protests in Iran. Raheh Sabz, the official organ for the Green Movement in Iran, is reporting that the body of Mr. Mousavi's nephew killed in protests has been stolen from the hospital as the family was gearing up to bury him in line with Muslim Tradition. If this does not show how nervous the regime is I don't know what is.
As this story continues to unfold State Organs are continuing their "cold war" with the opposition. The head of Parliament's Judiciary Committee called for the opposition leaders to be brought to Justice. He noted that as a Law Scholar he felt that the leaders were in direct violation of the law due to their continued insistence on agitation. He seems to forget that the current gang in charge has subverted the very Constitution that it is supposed to hold up. Furthermore, there is of course the issue of the independence of the Judiciary itself. It is simply non-existent
Iran arose again during Ashora. Ashora is the day Shias remember the martrydom of Imam Hussein the Prophet Mohammad's Grandson. The sights I saw was heartening and the bravery I saw took my breath away
Mr. Ahmadinjead and his gang have begun to make their move. One of Ahmadinejad's jobs as Head of Government is leading the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council. The order came down to dismiss Mir Hossein Moussavi as head of the Iran Academy of Arts which was under the auspices of the Council. Mousavi had been subject to harrasement by the Regime's Goons for quite some time anyway. I also have been monitoring reports coming through Al Jazeera about demonstrations going on in the Center of the Country--including Isfahan. There was apparently efforts to silence another leading theologian, Ayatollah Taheri, who had denounced Ahmadinejad. What I continue to wonder is when the regime will make the move against Mousavi. They have not dared to arrest him, yet. To me, that will be a game changer.
I also recently visited Reza Pahlavi's website to see what he has been saying lately. Reza Pahlavi is the son of the last Shah of Iran and issued a statement denoucning Montazeri on the occasion of his death because of his role in the creation of what the world knows as the Islamic Republic of Iran today. What Montazeri did in speaking out against this vile regime must be commended and encouraged. I have said that the Shah was an Iranian Patriot, but was too dependent on foreign powers and in many ways was a despot. The need to galvanize the public in a way that will rattle the regime is ever more important. Leading personalities like Mr. Pahlavi must encourage those like Montazeri, Taheri, Sanaai and others to continue to speak out and to also appeal to those factions within the armed forces to think about Iran before the revolution that has increasingly taken on a vile and self-dellusional turn for the worst. This was exemplified when one of the regime's mouthpieces, Rahe-Mardom (The People's road) dubbed the current Supreme Leader as an IMAM when in fact the leading Senior Theologians in the country do not even accept his authority. This is, of course, as the anniversary of the revolution draws near, the country is in the midst of the month that remembers the martrydom of Imam Hussein and of course the remeberance ceremony of Mr. Montazeri. What will happen now
In about nine days, the first decade of the 21st Century will be history. And wow what a decade it has been!!!!
As I think about this decade, I remember how our lives changed for ever. I remember when 9/11 happened. I remember when George W. Bush went on television to tell us about Iraq. I remember when there was the dawn of hope and possilbiites in Iran that was dashed by the election of Ahmadinejad. I also remember when Barack Obama was elected with the hope and possiblities it presented. I also saw the June election in Iran begin a transformation process that is yet to play itself out
Iranian State Media is reporting the death of Iran's Senior Dissident Cleric, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri. He was an interesting figure and worked to be a voice of reason as the nature of Iran's Government changed. He paid a heavy price for his dissident views. I wonder what will happen now especially to the dissident movement that looked to him for inspiration and guidance.
The headlines around the world were full of Iran's reaction to the censure by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Parliament (The Majlis) came out to dowgrade the relationship with the IAEA because they felt that the IAEA had overstepped its' boundary.
This, to me, is just amusing. It was interesting that as long as Dr. El Baradi was placating Iran, the IAEA were the good guys. Now, the IAEA called out Iran's bluff and Iran now feels "slighted" by the IAEA and has begun plans to start 10 new plants. Although the world headlines say 10, the actual State Media annoucement called for 15. The point is that they have thrown down the gauntlet and what happens next is anyone's guess
Ahmadinejad has been quite busy traveling. I was very happy to see him smiling with Lula. Lula made the move because he wants to be a player. I admire Lula and wrote about him in OV's sister site, Kitten politics. But, I respectfully think that the respect accorded to this man was a bit much as Iran continues to be grabbling with the challenges that it faces. I also saw how the Bolivians were so enthusiastic to see him
America remembered the death of thirteen soldiers who were killed in a fit of rage by an Army Major of Arab-American dissent. He is a Muslim whose parents are Palestinian. He was the perfect example of the American dream that America has always espoused. Yet, he threw it all away when he went on his rampage.
What is disturbing is how this man's Muslim background was constantly talked about during the news briefings/reporting by major US mainstream media. What I found especially amusing was the "conservative" watchdog the Media Research Center actuallly criticizing the mainstreat media cousins ABC & CBS for not having said that the man was a Muslim. They forgot that he was a 20-year veteran of the Army who was exposed to 6 years of soldiers who spoke of their own plight--and he probably snapped
Today is another anniversary. It is the 30th anniversary of the takeover of the U.S. Embassy by the so-called Iranian Students with the support of the Government of Iran. As I am thinking about this, I am listening to an BBC Interview with Bary Rosen recounting the agony he went through during the 444 days they endured.
As this tragedy was recounted, I remembered that day too. I remembered when the Americans were marched out of the Embassy, blindfolded. How these poor souls became pawns in a Government who was paranoid for its own survival was One of the things I think Iran came to terms with was how those who did came to regret what they did. It took a lot of courage for Mohammad Khatami, the former President, to come out and say this. But, this is a day that is still a national day in Iran today. But, this is also a day that the key internal opposition leaders, Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karoubi, have called upon their supporters to come out to again to protest. But, the regime's henchmen have made it clear that they would meet this with brute force
The World continues to be patient as Iran continues to play around. Iran was given a deadline until this past Friday to agree to a draft resolution that the IAEA did in order to help break the logjam on the Uranimum enrichment issue. The Iranian Regime missed and said that they would get to them next week. Furthermore, France's role in this enrichment process was rejected becasue the Iranians don't like the French. Not withstanding Nicholas Sarzkosy's Domestic grandstanding, he has told the truth about Iran and Ahmadinejad. The Iranian Regime has a tough time accepting that.
As this comedy side show continues, there is the continued psychological war against the opposition. What the regime's thugs did to Karoubi is just sad
I was waiting for the day when the regime apologists would move against Mr. Mousavi. Well, that day has arrived!!! It has begun. I am very surprised that it has taken these guys this long to come out as forceful as they have after the subtle cold psychological warfare campaign they have waged so far.
Over 100 Parliamentary Deputies have signed a petition demanding the prosecution of Mr. Mousavi for harming the Islamic System. All of these are die-hard supporters who seem to continue to have the reigns of power within them. Since Iran has no judiciary, the Judiciary may indeed come back and say that they will indict Mousavi. I also laughed when I saw a report on the Regime's moutpiece that a number of religious scholars in Qum had filed complaints against Mousavi and Rafsanjani's daughter. This is to counter the opposition by leading scholars like Ayatollah Sanaai and Ayatollah Monterazi on what has been done by the dominant faction within the regime right now
There is never a dull moment in Iran. I was gratified to see that Maziar Bahai, the Newsweek Correspodent, was released on 300,000 Dollar bail. However, I was shocked when I reviewed the reports on the death of Six Top Iranian Revolutionary Guard commanders in the South of the country as reported by Al Jazeera earlier
The meetings in Geneva yesterday apparently got a committment from Iran to get a visit from the IAEA Director-General, Dr. El-Barady to Iran's newest enrichment plant near Qum plus a committment to supposedly scale back the plant at Natanz. I was surprised to see these committments in light of all that has been going on.
Although I consider it a good day, more work remains to be done. The World accepts this. The challenge for Iran is to manifest this into a way to make the Israelis look like idiots by coming to an actual understanding on the right of Iran to have access to Nuclear Energy. There seems to be a realization by Khameini of this fact. I wonder if I am too optimistic in this regard or not
Iran is about to go into a crucial meeting in a few hours. As I wrote before, I would love to be a fly in the wall to see what Saeed Jalili, Iran's Chief Nuclear Negotiator, will say to the P5 1 Group on what Iran's position is. The Iranians have said they are going to let the IAEA inspect the new facility and have reinforced their view that they will never have a nuclear bomb. The entire political leadership is in sync on this
Things in Iran continue to go from bad to worst. In the midst of the International Uproar I commented on earlier, Iran conducted missile tests on the latest range of mid-range missiles. In addition, it was announced that Iran would be conducting war games dubbed the Great Prophet IV that would showcase Iran's latest warfare capabilities.
As the saber-rattling goes on, there is of course the little matter of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp's continued influence in the economy. Earlier today, an investment outlet of the Gurad bought 51% of Iran's Telecommunication Organization for some 8 Billion US Dollars in about thirty minutes. This is the same organization that played a central role in the harsh crackdown after the elections which has exposed the schism in the Iranian Ruling establishment that appears to be growing wider by the hour
Iran has been busy yet again. Between a new Uranium Enrichment Plant and new military manuevours, it is clear that Iran is trying to assert its' military might. The talks coming up on October 1 is going to be pivotal. What is bothersome is how Iran seems to be forgetting what is important vs. what is imperative. The U.S. seemed to have known before Iran voluntarily notified the IAEA. The Iranian Political leadership's crediblity is non-existent. I would love to be a fly on the wall to see what Saeed Jalili, Iran's Point man on the nuclear negotations, will do to talk Iran out of this latest fiasco.
Ahmadinejad never seizes to amaze me. Since his arrival at the UN General Assembly, he has been on a roll trying to explain Iran's position to the world. In reviewing his speech, I think some of the points he made was quite poignant. He made some interesting observations about the world economy and about his perception of justice in the world. The problem with it was that it came from a man who has no crediblity in the eyes of the world. He also went off the deep end when he espoused the Democratic Credentials of the Regime he represents when in fact the events of the last three months have pointed otherwise. It was quite telling when some of the major key members of the UN Security Council and the European Union walked out on him as he attacked the United States and Israel. It was quite a scene as they walked out in front of him. As always, the regime's mouthpiece was surprisingly silent
The so-called Judiciary has just come out with a report about the allegation of rape in Iranian Prisons. The Chief Prosecutor called the documentation provided by Mehdi Karoubi as fakes and by implication, called Mehdi Karoubi a liar. When they start calling one of their own a liar, it means that they are in trouble. What was even more funnier is that they referred to Karoubi by only his name, but did not mention his full religious title of Hojatoislam.
As the psychological warfare against the opposition continues, a new twist in this whole drama came into force. Orders came down that no one is to mention Moussavi or Karoubi's name again in newspaper reports. Karoubi's newspaper has already been shut down. What someone has to ask the cabale who runs Iran today: what are they afraid of? Some say that idiotnejad is the best thing that happened to Iran, because it insures that Iran finally gets rid of this theoracy once in for all. The question is at at what price. For now, the march towards dictatorship is in full swing. Khameini made it clear in his Friday sermon that he will not back down under any circumstance
In a few hours, during Friday prayers, Khameini is due to give a major sermon on Iran. The Coup President is firmly in charge, the Opposition continues to be harrassed and even they have now crossed what I thought was the unthinkable by closing down the offices of Mehdi Karoubi, one of the defeated Presidential Candidates. How long before they go after Mousavi and Khatami remains to be seen. Mr. Khatami was absolutely right when he noted that fascism seems to be taking hold within the ruling political clique in Iran right now
Hugo Chavez has been on a tour to create an "anti-imperalist" front. One of the countries he visited was Iran. His soulmate, Idiotnejad, warmly embraced him and promised to create an "Anti-Imperalist" front to confront imperialism around the world
Well, today is the day the Parliament (Majlis) is debating Idiotnejad's choice to be in the Government. Although the regime's moutpiece, IRNA, was trying to put a positive spin on the approvals, it is bound to be quite interesting. I have written on it before. It will be interesting to see who will be rejected. Idiotnjead did plead for unity in his speech before parliament. Let's see who heeds the call.
Now, there is another more disturbing development that concerns me. Idiotnjead came out calling for the leaders of the protest movement (namely Karoubi, Mousavi & Khatami) to be arrested and prosecuted. I see this as another sign of desparation. I see this as a sign of a man who is boxed in on all sides. The opposition is having a tough time right now. But, it clearly appears that subtle ways to continue the struggle continues on. I find another development extremely hopeful. I have reviewed comments from the head of the State Broadcaster noting that there has been a 60% drop in viewership since the protests. The people are to be commended for realizing the trash being pushed out by the State Broadcaster. This can truly be a sign of things to come
Iran never seizes to amaze me. The regime's moutpiece, IRNA, continues to push the almost unanimous support for the minister-designates. At the same time, the psychological warfare against the regime's opponents continues. I nearly laughed when I saw one of the regime apologists called for the prosecution of Rafsanjani's Son, Mehdi, for being part of the so-called "velvet coup". "Prince" Mehdi Hashemi is a power in his own right with extensive business and commercial interests throughout the country. I do find the reports of Karoubi's son being arrested as being quite disturbing, though
It has been a very busy week-end. There is of course Burma and the fact that Jim Webb got to see the Pro-Democracy Leader and the Chief Thug who runs Burma today. There is the burning debate over healthcare that dominated the airwaves over the week-end on U.S Sunday Talk Show Circuit. There was of course Afghanistan and the upcoming election. And last, but no tleast, there is of course Iran.
Well, Iran has a new President. Now, a new group of so-called agitators has gone on trial being accusing of acting against National Security. They include a female local employee of the French Embassy and a French Lecturer. What is especially strange is attempts by the State to force people to tie Foreign Embassies to this so called "conspiracy
I have just been seeing the live broadcasts of Iran's State Television of the swearing-in ceremony for the President at the Majlis (Parliament). Ahmadinejad has just taken the oath of Office for his new term as the President of the Country after remarks by Larijani, the Speaker and Shahroudi, the head of the Judiciary. What was striking was that leading members of the opposition were not there.
As a prelude, I did find it interesting that Robert Gibbs, President Obama's Spokesman noted that Ahmadinejad is the elected President of the country. This interesting pronoucement should shut up those elements of the Iranian version of the neo-cons who blamed the internal unrest on foreign influence. The opposition continues to be as vibrant as ever. The question is what they would do now
This past twenty hours the so-called "coup President" in Iran being affirmed in his office by his mentor, Iran's Supreme Leader. As I monitored Iranian Official Media, I was frankly shocked that the Regime's News Network did not break away coverage. The only coverage that I saw was PressTV, the Regime's English Language Service featuring some commentator looking forward to the next four years of the "Coup President
Over the last few days, things have continued to be just as vibrant. First of, there has been the Iraqi incursion into Camp Ashraf. Camp Ashraf is the headquarters of the People's Mujahedeen and the political arm, the National Council Resistance of Iran. They were initially formed in 1965 to fight the Shah and then turned against the Islamic System and fled to Iraq. They took up arms and supported Saddam during the war with Iran. Throughout the 90's, they were active in formenting attacks and were at the forefront of providing intelligence on Iran's Nuclear Activities to the West. The U.S. considers them terrorists and disarmed them in 2003
What is going on In Iran Right now continues to be fascinating. The "coup President" lost a battle with his mentor and chief backer and sacked his choice for 1st Vice President. He fired his intelligence minister and his culture minister resigned in disgust. He then appointed his former impeached Interior Minister as an inspector for the Government. Wow
Well, for every Laurel, there truly has to be a Hardy. The past week saw an uproar by Iran's Amen Crowd over the appointment that the "Coup President" made for the position of first Vice President. Khameini ordered the new guy to be "dismissed". The new guy obliged. Now, the "coup President", Mr. Idiotnejad, has appointed the same guy as the head of his office. This is the equivalent position of an Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff. As the "gate keeper", he will yield more power than the First Vice President. I guess family matters in such issues. I would also guarantee that idiotnejad cleared it with the Master anyway to avoid any further issues. So, the Laurel and Hardy of Iranian Politics is hereby presented to the World
Over the last few days, a very disturbing developments has shown the true nature of the political elite that run Iran today. Iran's "Coup President" has been working on formulating his Government. Iran has 12 Vice Presidents, with the First Vice President being the first in equals. He (or she) chairs Cabinet Meetings when the President is not available and will take over in the event that the President is not able to tend to his duties.
When The "Coup President" announced his new First Vice President, it caused an uproar. It chose such an uproar that Khameini intervened and told the "Coup President" to dismiss the new guy. What this showed that the people have no role. What this showed was that the Islamic Constitution that notes that the vote of the people has no role in the decision making process by the Islamic Republic. Before this overt move, what was also quite distrubing was remark Khameini made at an event marking the birth of the Prophet. Khameini warned the "elite" against making overt moves to undermine the system. Furthermore, to make matters even more interesting, was a letter issued by the Council of Experts. The regime's media issued a statement signed by a majority of the experts expressing their support for the Islamic System and for the leadership of Khameini in particular. It praised his "enlightened" leadership . This is especially interesting in light of the sermon the leader of the Council, Rafsanjani made about the need for the Islamic system to reconnect with the voters. The signature noted that they were a "majority" of the council. But, there were no names assigned to it
Throughout the past weeks, I have continued to wonder about what Rafsanjani would do. He is among the most influential and powerful men in the Iranian Political establishment. He is a former President, former Speaker of Parliament, former Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces and has been one of the key players of the Revolution. He now Chairs the Expediency Council and the Assembly of Experts, two pivotal institutions in the Iranian Political Establishment. Khameini himself acknowledged the central role Rafsanjani has played during the course of the revolution over the past thirty years and touted his 50 year friendship and political association with him when he spoke at his famous speech at Friday prayers. So, what Mr. Rafsanjani says and does matters in Iranian politics today. That's way Friday July 17, 2009 was a pivotal day.
Rafsanjani spoke at Friday Prayers yesterday. As Friday came closer, there was a vibrant activity on Facebook. Mr. Mousavi, Mr. Karoubi and Mr. Khatami's facebook pages were constantly providing updates on the Friday prayers, urging all to bear the Green Wave Symbol that became the symbol of the campaign. Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karoubi were there. Yet, the mouthepieces of the regime were silent. They did report it, but one had to look really hard to see what the regime had to say. It was broadcast on State Radio. He called for the release of all prisoners, said that the people had lost their trust in the regime and things had to change. He noted that the People still had questions. For a man who has been at the forefront It took a lot for him to say this, after being silent for so long. Yet, the Intelligence Minister said at a news conference that the files of the folks under detention was "being finalized"--whatever that means
Mr. Obama has been challenged by Idiotnejad to a "debate" to discuss the matters of the world. When I read his "challenge", I nearly fell off my chair in laughter. The only thing that is for him to do is to be ignored. Already, Iran is facing isolation on multiple fronts. He should begin by truly explaining what he has done. Economist's KAL has done a great job showing what the regime has done. What will he have to say to that
Our World continues to be as tumulous as ever. In Afghanistan, the major offensive continues. A top British officer was killed in operations in Helmand--the first in over 27 years according to the reports I reviewed. I also saw reports of an American Soldier having been kidnapped and subsequently sold to a militant clan.
Moving on to South Asia, there is Burma. The UN Secretary General is going to Burma to press for the political opening that has elluded Burma so far. I think it is a risky trip for Mr. Ban because the thugs who run Burma seem not to want to listen to reason. In the meantime, Aung San Suu Kyi, is under detention and her trial was postponed yet again. The Secretary General seems to realize how tough a mission he has undertaken. What are the thugs afraid of? Why can't they just disappear like the thugs who ran Argentina and Chile
The struggle in Iran is very much evident in this image. Web 2.0 has been at the frontline of the struggle, whether it likes it or not. Although events in Iran have largely fallen off the attention span of the Mainstream Media, the struggle continues unabatted. Today, Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff came out swinging saying that the European Union was not qualified to participate in nuclear arms negotations because of their "meddling" in the elections. The Europeans, though, are in the midst of deliberations to potentialy withdraw their Ambassadors from Iran
Mr. Khameini seems to have consolidated his position, yet again. Furthermore, as the struggle with the election goes on, the key players in the Iranian Regime have been busy. The newly appointed President has been quite busy making speeches and acting as if everything is OK. The Iranian Presidency's Website has published the list of all the congratulatory messages, too. It is quite a list. He has also been apaprently making the rounds in the Holy City of Qum today and confered an honour on one of the Grand Ayatollahs. The payoffs are continuing apparently on a grand scale
Mousavi continues to defy the regime. The Friday Prayer Leader, A guy by the name of Khatami (which I understand is no relation to the Ex-President), came out for harsh sentences against the protesters. The Supreme National Security Council of Iran cautioned Mousavi to stop his objections to the elections. The newly appointed President came out to provide some "friendly" advise to Mr. Obama to stop "meddling". The guy who is the mouthpiece for the Guardian Council was emphathic in his pronoucements that this was the cleanest election ever. To top it all off, there is a new line peddled by the Iranian Ambassador to Mexico about Neda being killed by the CIA. If I did not know better, I think they would have had a sold out crowd at the Improv
As the protests continue to be brutally suppressed, the newly reappointed President of Iran has been busy chairing meetings and "celebrating" his victory I burst into laughter when I visited his website yesterday and saw his comments during the meeting with the head of a Belarus Delegation. The whole world knows what a shinning example Belarus is for Democracy and Human Rights in the world.
I note that he has been reappointed because Khameini rose to his defense and has stood his ground. I also found it even more laughable when the newly reappointed President of Iran lashed out at Mr. Obama for interfering in Iran's affairs. I also even found it funnier that he compared Obama to Bush. What Idiotnjead failed to realize that he was Iran's President Bush in how he ran the country into the ground economically and has further isolated the country with his erratic remarks. He has his fans, though. Hugo Chavez spoke up to say that The Empire (his way of referring to the US) was involved in undermining the election. Of course, he's always colorful but I wish that he had some proof to show on this. As he was speaking up for his friend in Iran, he also said that the US and Venezuela will renew ties. I found that quite odd
The regime has shown its' brutal side. What I called the "Burma Option" in fact did occur. All instruments of repression was employed and the opposition has been forced to withdraw.
Although the regime seems to have shot its' way to short-term survival, the fight for freedom and democracy is raging on facebook, What I've found striking was the clergy joining some of the demonstrations
Iran's struggle to be free continues. I have not seen any updates from either Mr. Mousavi or Mr. Khatami in a number of hours. But citizens journalists are continuing their nonstop grassroot efforts. The struggle for the voices to be heard continues.
What I feared in fact has happened. The regime has shot its way into short term survival. Arrests have continued unabatted. Some have been released. But, people are worried. I received an email from an acquantiance that the official who revealed Mousavi's win had been killed in an auto accident. This assertion cannot be confirmed. The video showing Neda's death became a symbol. It has become a rallying point for all who understand that change is in the air. The fact that the brutality of the regime was shown is a sign to the world that there is no going back
There have been virtually no demonstrations since the disturbances on Saturday. What I feared did in fact happen. The Basij (the regime's goons) and the security forces saw to it that the protests are crushed. I reviewed Mr. Mousavi's latest statement where he urges everyone on with their protests about eight hours ago on Facebook.
Right now, I see a report on CNN stating that the Guardian Council has rejected complaints of voter irregularity. However, the statement from the spokesman for the Guardian Council says that they are ready to address specific complaints from Mr.Karoubi and Mr. Mousavi. I was laughing as I read the statement. The utter contempt and lack of regard for true process was really shown in how he made his statement to the press
Iran's State TV reported within the past hour that 13 "terrorist" deaths. My reaction to that was this: yaaaaaaaaaaaah right!!! The BBC reporter has been kicked out. Mousavi's Website, Gholam News, has been hacked. The only means to get things out to the world is through Facebook. From what I have seen on Facebook, more massive civil disobdience protests are planned. Idiotnejad has also come out blasting the US and the UK with interference. The whole world knows how pathetic and lowlife the man is. But what was sad was the comments by Mottaki, Idiotnejad's Foreign Minister, when he said that there is no way there was any fraud. Mottaki seems to be living the fantasy planet his deranged bosses are.
There are three key developments that are extraordinary in what I regard as an extra ordinary week. First of, the Speaker of the Majlis (Parliament) has come out with a statement criticizing members of the Council of Guardians for taking a stance in favor of one candidate. The fact that this was reported by official state media is significant. I consider that huge because Larijani (the speaker) was sitting by idiotnejad's side as Khameini was speaking. One of the same members of the Council of Guardians has come out telling the world of the right to protest and the fact that the "regime" does not need to force Mousavi into submission. There is of course the fatwa (religious edict) of the dissident Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, when he came out and said that resisting the democratic aspirations of the people is against religious beliefts
A new day is beginning in Tehran. The stories of the brutality are just sickening. I just received word from one person whose intergrity is beyond reproach. At a hospital in Tehran, the number of people with broken bones and bodies were too much to count. There were also five persons confirmed dead at the same hospital. Another eyewitness tells of wanting to help an old woman who was beaten by the regime's goons and was threatened to be shot if he did not move on. Such is the state of things in Iran right now.
Khameini made a conscious decision to shoot his way to preservation. This decision has betrayed the very Constitution he fought for, the beliefs that he has as a clergy for the sake of power. He and his side kick, idiotnejad, view their right to govern as "divine". That "divine" right was gone forever when they decided to shoot on people who only wanted to speak up for their rights. They seem to forget one little factor: The people of Iran
When I started Outsiderviews a year ago, little did I know that on its' one year anniversary, I will be again Witness to History. The opposition in Iran did not blink. The reason Mousavi and Karoubi did not go to the Guardian Council was because they understood that the decision was going to be a foregone conclusion. They understood that there is no turning back. Mousavi's declaration on being ready for Martrydom means that he has directly challenged the authority of the Rahbar (Supreme Leader). I find this signficant.
There are many soldiers in this fight. I salute all those who have taken up the cause to support this fight. I salute Embassies in Tehran who have agreed to take in the wounded. I salute Twitter, Facebook and Google. They are the new soldiers in the quest for Freedom and democracy. I salute those who have given their life for this cause. These brave souls should not be allowed to die in vain
As I write this, the opposition candidates did not show up at the meeting a the Guardian Council, The Regime's Security Forces are out in force. There has been no facebook or Twitter updates for at least 8 hours from the opposition. Internet continues to be down.
Khameini seems to have once again gotten away with it as he did ten years ago. The Burma Option seems to be working. The uprising that saw millions come into the street to express their frustruation and fascinated the world seems to have fizzled out. Someone had to blink. It appears that the opposition was the one that has blinked
The drama in Iran continues to unfold. As I wrote earlier, Khameini threw down the gauntlet when he spoke. I was frankly shocked as to how political his speech was. As I heard him speak, he very much violated the spirit of his own office, which is supposed to be above the fray. He truly seemed out of touch
The people's defiance is breathtaking. Mr. Mousavi's Facebook page had this youtube video posted to it earlier tonight
About thirty minutes ago, Ayatollah Khameini finished his speech at the weekly Tehran Friday Prayers. He spoke for almost two hours. Not withstanding the religious overtones, he made explicit statements about the elections and the current political stalement in Iran today. I was not really shocked when he once again spoke up for Idiotnejad. He specifically said that Idiotnejad's views were closer to his own. He specifically said that the difference in votes is a clear mandate for idiotnejad to continue his policies. He also said that all protests must stop. All matters should be referred to and be investigated by the Guardian Council. The push by Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karoubi to have the vote annuled was rejected by Ayatollah Khameini explicity.
During his speech, the entire political leadership of the country was there. The two key players absent were Mr. Moussavi and Mr. Karoubi. Rafsanjani was also absent. Khameini specifically rose to Rafsanjani's Defense. He said that they have "differences". But, he also told the country that he had known him for over 50 years and that Rafsanjani is a brother revolutionary. He admonished all for some of the potentially libelous action that has been going on too
In a little while, the fifth day of demonstrations will begin in Tehran. Mr. Moussavi has called for a day of mourning for the victims of the past few days. I was amazed at the reports of the demonstrations yesterday. People were marching in silence. They did it not to provoke. While the people are continuing their peaceful protests, the regime continues on the war path. It came out swinging. It has warned foreign governments, curbed foreign media and reminded the world that Iran is a lot more Democratic than others. Yaaaaaaah right!!??!!!!
The strategy today is a page out of Gandhi's book. I remember a scene in Richard Attenborough's Film. The setting is a meeting at Mohammad Ali Jinnah's House. They're discussing the new "Terrorism" legislation. Jinnah's immediate reaction is "it is time for direct action". Gandhi listens in silence and then seeds the sow of non-violent resistance that was indeed the inspiration for Dr. King and others throughout the world. He called for a day of prayer and fasting. Of course, the whole of India shut down that day. That was the beginning of the end for British Rule of India
One cannot help but be proud to see such outpouring of emotion at this push towards Democracy. All indications are that it just is not going to stop. I just finished reviewing Karoubi's call for a mass demonstration for Friday to converge about Tehran University. I also reviewed Mohsen Rezaii's admonitioni to the Minister of the Interior demanding exact election data which is yet to happen. Mousavi has called for massive demonstration tomorrow.
This is a regime that is clearly nervous. Barack Obama came out and was restrained. Yet the Swiss Ambassador was called in to protest US intereference. I wonder what the Government's reaction would have been if Barack Obama came out as Nicolas Sarkozy did or as Angela Merkel did. The Iranian Footballers have sported Mr. Moussavi's Campaign colors as well as a sign of solidarity. This is the scenes that BBC was able to show earlier today
As I write this, I am seeing reports from Al Jazeera, CNN & France 24 that The Guardian Council has ordered a recount. Al Jazeera is reporting that the recount is in the form of an Offer if there are allegations of irregularity found. I tried to confirm this by visiting the IRNA site and PressTV. PressTV is reporting that it is a partial recount. Although difficulties continue to persist in accessing the sites, it is still quite significant.
I think the Guardian Council seems to understand that the Regime is at a crossroads. There are many questions though: Whether that would be enough to muzzle the aspirations of the people remains to be seen. Have the ballots been preserved? Who will actually do this? Will it now be free and fair? I have my doubts
Iran continues to be in a very precarious state. There has been a general strike planned for today. I have been trying to visit Iranian websites to assess what is going on right now. As of now, there seems to be a marked slowdown. The Supreme Leader's Website seems to be done, although Mohammad Khatami's Site seems to still be up and his statement on Monday's March was posted to his website.
Pepe Escobar was absolutely right on when he noted that a Coup has in fact happened in Iran
Protests in Iran are continuing. The authorities did not grant a permit for supporters of Mr. Moussavi to march in protest. I do find the meeting that the Supreme Leader had with Mr. Moussavi to be very interesting. The Supreme Leader urged Mousavi to pursue his complaints by "legal means". I also saw a note on Mr. Moussavi's Facebook page that Moussavi, Karoubi and Ex-President Khatami were due to show up at the rally to urge people to be calm
The dust is yet to settle on the Iranian Elections. I am just floored by the arrogance of the man who got handed the Presidency yet again by the political establishment. In this exchange with Christian Amanpour, he does not answer the question and starts going on a tirade about a football match:
Over the past 24 hours, Iran's leaders have been coming out to Congratulate the President. After Khameini came out , the other followed like sheep. Among the so-called leaders of the regime have been the head of the Judiciary and the Speaker of the Majlis. Rezaii, the other candidate, has also followed suit. Idiotnejad has also spoken, thanking the people for his victory. But, the people have responded by demonstrating on the streets. Mr. Moussavi's Facebook page has called upon the people to get out on their rooftops to chant, "Allah-o-Akbar" which means God is Great
As I write this, the official results are being announced by the Ministry of the Interior. What has been reported by the Interior Ministry is quite remarkable. The Al Jazeera correspodent is reporting that the Incubment President has gotten over 24,000,000 Votes (some 64% of the vote). There are reports that The incumbent has even won in the City of Tabriz, Mr. Mousavi's Hometown. What is even more strange is that the results were announced as the voting continued to go on. I wonder what happened to all the votes of the Iranian ex-pats who voted in some 133 countries. But, there are still a few other steps that need to be taken before the "official" results are announced. So, this drama will play itself out for a while yet
Early returns have come in Iran. So far, the incumbent President is leading by a 2-1 margin. I am not really surprised. According to the figures released by Iranian Election Officials, 15 Million People have voted for the incumbent. If one adds up the Basij Milita and the Revolutionary Gurads, that accounts for almost 45-50% of the vote so far. There is over 60% of the votes that is yet to be counted. The whole world awaits.
In about two hours, the polls open in Iran in one of the most pivotal elections since the 1979 Revolution. I have been fascinated by how the whole country has been galvanized. As I have written before, the choices are stark. Some are still apathetic. But, I view this change as historic.
Ann Curry of NBC News was in Iran to do a special on NBC News' Dateline. I congratulate her on her reporting. This has been one of the most balanced and even handed reporting I have ever seen. It is such even-handed reporting that will help bridge the gap of mistrust
The official campaigning has concluded in Iran. The big day is tomorrow. Of course, Idiotnejad got the last word It will be quite an achievement if he wins because all the machinery of the State was on Idiotnejad's side. Just this past day, The State Media organization gave idiotnejad time to refute the supposed "fabrications" that his opponents talked about.
I believe that Moussavi will win because the people want change. They are tired of the political games. Whether in fact it happens remains to be seen.
Right now, Al Jazeera's Ali Reza Rounaghi is reporting live from Tehran. Candidates are doing all the last minute campaigning that they can. The entire country will go to the polls on Friday. It is high noon. Will we wake up to a new day in Iran or not when Saturday comes around? I wonder.
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, granted an audience to the Iranian Foreign Minister earlier in the week during the Foreign Minister's Visit to Paris. When I reviewed the Foreign Minister's Account of the meeting, his views of the meeting were "..... frank and friendly. " (Source: Really Long Link retrieved 6/6/2009). This characterization was a stark contrast to the statement issued by the French Presidency afterwards.
I commend President Sarkozy for reminding Mr. Mottaki that his boss continued bellicose remark about the Holocaust is unacceptable and will not be allowed. Sarkozy also expressed profound concerns about Iran's nuclear program. Iran has said that it wants nuclear power for peaceful nuclear purposes. The world seems to think otherwise
As I continue to assess the aftermath of Mr. Obama's Speech, I was particuarly keen to find out the official reaction of the Iranian Government now that the speech was actually given. I have not seen any indication of an "official" response yet. The world hopefully realizes that Iran is in the midst of an election.
There were some crucial elements of the speech that should truly be noted as a change for Iran. There was an acknowledgement of the role the United States played in the overthrow of Dr. Mohammad Mossadeq in 1953. The CIA spent 700,000 Dollars to bring back the Shah. This is a historical fact and is not in dispute. Furthermore, the President went further by noting Iran's right to nuclear energy. This should also be appealing to the Iranian Government. But he did also note that Iran's record is not pristine either. The 1979 hostage crisis is one of the darkest chapters in Iranian history. Mr. Khatami did apologize for this and the so-called students who took over the embassy came out in the 90's to acknowledge the historical mistake. There is general consesus that this move helped to consolidate and preseve the Islamic Republic during its' most unstable time
I have been assessing the reaction to Mr. Obama speech throughout the day. These are two images of people tuned in throughout the Muslim World (Source: The BBC):
The Iranian Election show is in full swing. The debate between Ahmadinejad and his leading opponent, Mr. Moussavi, has take place. The account I read in State Media reflected fireworks. The coverage by Official State Media is just really funny
The elections in Iran are becoming as colorful as the elections in America. I realize that some may disagree, but the tone of the debate continues to fascinate me nonetheless.
During Friday prayers at Tehran University, the man leading the prayers talked about how candidates who were criticizing the present government were undermining the fabric of the Islamic Republic. To add insult to injury, a Majlis (Deputy) from the capital Tehran, noted that the leading opponent of the current President, Mr. Moussavi is not a Seyed. For those who do not know what that means, a Seyed is a direct decedant of the Prophet Mohammad and the implication that somehow Mr. Moussavi is not one but claims to be one means that he is misleading the public. One must also add Mr. Moussavi's overt campaign appearances with his wife--who is an intellectual in her own right
The incumbent President has been on a roll. Throughout the past two days alone, he has hosted a summit on Afghanistan with the The Presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan, has had two news conferences and has been busy on the campaign trail. This is while his opponents are relegated as a afterthought in Iranian Official Media
The threat of facebook being banned in Iran has proven true. The authorities have banned Facebook during the Presidential Election. This is in part due to an apparent fear the conservative establishment has against the so-called liberal/reformist wing of the political class in Iran. The leading candidate, Mir Hossein Moussavi, has a facebook page that boasts over 5,000 supporters when I checked it out an hour ago.
Despite my initial euphoria over the decision by the State Broadcaster to have a U.S.-Style Debate, I am beginning to see a clear effort to stack the deck for Ahmadinejad. Press TV is reporting that a site called Fararoo news that featured conservative critics of Ahmadinejad has been banned. Beyond the banning of the online initaitives by State Authorities, there is of course the role of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. Despite his claims to be "neutral" and "above politics", he has in essence come out in support of Ahmadinejad. The lead in The Islamic Republic News Agency's Website for the past number of hours was Ahmadinejad. It featured his remarks on fighting back corruption. He claimed that he was fully prepared to name "names". I welcome it, because most of the political elite in Iran today are among the richest in both Iran--if not the world. I wonder how he would fare out
I was shocked when I read the actual approval by Iran's State Broadcaster of Television Debates between the four major Presidential Contenders: Ahmadinjead, Moussavi, Karoubi and Rezaii. Each of them have also been given equal air time to present their case to the Iranian People on why they think they are right for the job
Mike Pouraryan
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