Iranian Alert -- December 15, 2003 -- IRAN LIVE THREAD

The US media almost entirely ignores news regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran. As Tony Snow of the Fox News Network has put it, “this is probably the most under-reported news story of the year.” But most American’s are unaware that the Islamic Republic of Iran is NOT supported by the masses of Iranians today. Modern Iranians are among the most pro-American in the Middle East.

There is a popular revolt against the Iranian regime brewing in Iran today. Starting June 10th of this year, Iranians have begun taking to the streets to express their desire for a regime change. Most want to replace the regime with a secular democracy. Many even want the US to over throw their government.

The regime is working hard to keep the news about the protest movement in Iran from being reported. Unfortunately, the regime has successfully prohibited western news reporters from covering the demonstrations. The voices of discontent within Iran are sometime murdered, more often imprisoned. Still the people continue to take to the streets to demonstrate against the regime.

In support of this revolt, Iranians in America have been broadcasting news stories by satellite into Iran. This 21st century news link has greatly encouraged these protests. The regime has been attempting to jam the signals, and locate the satellite dishes. Still the people violate the law and listen to these broadcasts. Iranians also use the Internet and the regime attempts to block their access to news against the regime. In spite of this, many Iranians inside of Iran read these posts daily to keep informed of the events in their own country.

This daily thread contains nearly all of the English news reports on Iran. It is thorough. If you follow this thread you will witness, I believe, the transformation of a nation. This daily thread provides a central place where those interested in the events in Iran can find the best news and commentary. The news stories and commentary will from time to time include material from the regime itself. But if you read the post you will discover for yourself, the real story of what is occurring in Iran and its effects on the war on terror.

I am not of Iranian heritage. I am an American committed to supporting the efforts of those in Iran seeking to replace their government with a secular democracy. I am in contact with leaders of the Iranian community here in the United States and in Iran itself.

If you read the daily posts you will gain a better understanding of the US war on terrorism, the Middle East and why we need to support a change of regime in Iran. Feel free to ask your questions and post news stories you discover in the weeks to come.

If all goes well Iran will be free soon and I am convinced become a major ally in the war on terrorism. The regime will fall. Iran will be free. It is just a matter of time.

Bush Sees Progress with N.Korea, Warns Iran

December 15, 2003
Reuters
Reuters.com

WASHINGTON -- President Bush said Monday the United States was employing "diplomatic means and persuasion" to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program and insisted progress was being made toward that goal.

Bush also said that Iran would face "international consequences" if it develops nuclear weapons.

North Korea and Iran -- along with pre-war Iraq -- were part of Bush's so-called "axis of evil."

"In North Korea, we're now in the process of using diplomatic means and persuasion to convince Kim Jong-il to get rid of his nuclear weapons program," Bush told a news conference. "I'm pleased with the progress we're making, and I hope, of course, he listens."

Bush said the lesson he learned from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks was "that any time the president sees a gathering threat to the United States, we must deal with it."

But he said using force was a last resort and pointed to the nuclear dispute with Iran as an example of international cooperation.

"I was most pleased that the French and Germans, as well as the Brits, delivered a very strong message to the Iranian government about the development of a nuclear weapon. It was a message that we agree with, and that is, 'Don't do so, otherwise there will be -- you know, there will be international consequences at the United Nations,"' Bush said.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3995436

Halliburton Iran Report Fell Short

December 15, 2003
Reuters
iWon.com

NEW YORK -- New York City Comptroller William Thompson, manager of the city's police and fire department pension funds, on Monday criticized Halliburton Co. for failing to report the "reputational" risks inherent in its operations in Iran.

Thomson, a watchdog elected official who reviews the city's finances, also said he submitted a renewed shareholder proposal again calling on the company to review those operations.

"If we are trying to eradicate terrorism, we must ensure that companies in our portfolio are not using off-shore subsidiaries to legally evade United States sanctions against terrorist-sponsoring states," said Thompson in a statement.

Thompson on Feb. 10 announced he would submit shareholder proposals to General Electric Co., Halliburton and oil company ConocoPhillips, urging them to exit operations in countries linked to terrorism by the U.S. State Department, such as Iran and Syria.

Under an agreement reached with the comptroller in March, Halliburton promised to review its operations in Iran and submit a report on the reputational and financial risks from doing business there. Thompson at the time withdrew a shareholder proposal urging the company to conduct the review.

Halliburton in February 2000 opened an office in Iran through a Cayman Islands unit, Halliburton Products and Services Ltd. Currently the U.S. government imposes sanctions on Iran that bars U.S. companies from doing business there.

Thompson noted the company submitted an Iran report to the city's pension funds on Oct. 21, but it did not address their concerns about reputational risks from the Iran activities and the potential impact on Halliburton's stock price.

The police and fire pension Funds have about $31.4 million invested in Halliburton. In total the city's five pension funds invested more than $149 million.

A Halliburton spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.

http://money.iwon.com/jsp/nw/nwdt_rt_top.jsp?cat=TOPBIZ&src=201&feed=reu&section=news&news_id=reu-n15395072&date=20031215&alias=/alias/money/cm/nw

Iran says dialogue with EU on nuclear programme will "bear fruit"

15 December 2003
eubusiness.com

Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said Monday that dialogue with the European Union in a spirit of mutual respect would "bear fruit" on differences over Tehran's nuclear activities.

"We have demonstrated we want a dialogue with Europe on the nuclear energy question. A dialogue based on mutual respect will bear fruit," Kharazi said after talks in Madrid with Spanish counterpart Ana Palacio.

The international community has been urging Iran to sign up to more intrusive international inspections of its nuclear programme amid fears it is working on weapons grade material.

Kharazi said on December 6 in Tehran that Iran would sign a protocol agreeing to inspections "in the next few days" in accordance with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Palacio said the European position was clear -- seek agreement through dialogue.

"The international community expects first of all for Iran to sign the protocol on non-proliferation," Palacio said.

"Secondly, to suspend the enrichment of uranium and comply with inspection obligations.

"This is part of our dialogue with Iran, which we value," said Palacio.

http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/031215211742.cufn7o3z

Russia presses Iran to sign tougher inspections

Monday, December 15, 2003 - ©2003 IranMania.com

MOSCOW, Dec 15 (AFP) - Russia will not deliver nuclear fuel to Iran for its atomic power plant unless Tehran agrees to stiffer inspections of its installations demanded by the UN nuclear watchdog, a top Russian official said Monday.

"Russia will not deliver nuclear fuel unless Iran signs the protocol" on stricter inspections drawn up by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev told the ITAR-TASS news agency in Tokyo, where he is currently on a visit.

Moscow and Tehran are preparing an agreement under which Iran pledges to return all spent fuel used in the nuclear power reactor that Russia is building at Bushehr, in the west of the country.

Rumyantsev said last month that the signing of the agreement had been put off as the Iranian side had been "too busy" preparing documents for the IAEA.

Last Saturday Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said Tehran would sign up to the IAEA protocol "in the next few days."

Russia has been under pressure from the United States to call off its collaboration with Iran in the civil nuclear sector as Washington believes this to be a cover for a military nuclear programme.

Russia has been heavily involved in building Iran's first nuclear reactor, at Bushehr.

The Russia-Iran accord on the return of spent fuel has been in preparation for the past year, with numerous delays being attributed to "technical" causes.

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=20633&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs

Iran says Saddam must be put on trial

Payvand
12/15/03

Iran demanded on Monday that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who led a destructive war against the Islamic Republic between 1980 and 1988, is tried at an international court, IRNA reported from Tehran.

"We want that the crimes of Iraq's dictator are examined at a competent international court and he is put on trial" Government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh told reporters at a weekly press briefing.

"It must be clarified in the court who were those equipping the Iraqi dictator to impose three big crises on the region," the official said, recalling the Baath regime's invasion of Iran, as well as its attack on Kuwait which entailed in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and the second Persian Gulf war, which led to his fall.

Ramezanzadeh said, "I hope Saddam's fate will serve a lesson for those who do not succumb to the will of people."

"The contemptible submission of Saddam indicated that whoever does not submit to the will of people, will be forced to succumb to foreign pressures," he added.

Saddam and his henchmen have a notorious record for their crimes, including gassing Iranian forces during the 1980-1988 war as well as the Kurdish population, and brutally repressing Shi'ite and Kurdish uprisings in the aftermath of the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Tens of thousands of people also disappeared during his 24-year rule.

The prominent member of the Iraqi Governing Council, Adnan Pachachi, said in Baghdad Sunday that a court will be set up to conduct the trial of the former dictator.

FM spokesman happy over arrest of Saddam Hussein

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi on Sunday expressed his satisfaction with the arrest of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and announced that the Iranian nation shares its happiness with the Iraqi people, IRNA reported from Tehran.

Saddam Hussein was captured in his hometown of Tikrit on Sunday, the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Jalal Talabani, told an IRNA reporter at the Khosravi border checkpoint.

Certainly, the arrest of Saddam will heal the profound wounds of the Iranian people, particularly of relatives of the war martyrs and disabled, Asefi said.

The history of Saddam's crimes, in particular those regarding its people and the regional nations including making use of chemical weapons, are unforgettable, he said, adding that an open trial of Saddam and his collaborators will help restore parts of the violated rights of the people.

Asefi further expressed the hope that the capture of Saddam Hussein will facilitate transfer of power to the Iraqi people and expulsion of the occupied forces from the region.

http://www.payvand.com/news/03/dec/1106.html

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