Iranian Alert -- December 25, 2003 -- IRAN LIVE THREAD

Iran renames street after Muhammad Dura

Dec. 24, 2003
By JOSEPH NASR

Tehran's Municipality plans to change a street's name from Khaled al-Islambouli, assassin of late Egyptian President Saddat, to Mohammad Dura, the Palestinian boy killed at Netzarim Crossing in September 2000, the London-based daily al-Hayat reported.

It was reported that the decision is part of the efforts aimed at improving relations between Egypt and Iran following the meeting between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami in Geneva on December 13 - the first such high-level meeting in 24 years.

Iran honored Sadat's assassin by naming one of its streets al-Islambouli Street following the 1981 assassination by Khaled al-Islambouli , shortly after Egypt signed the Camp David peace agreement with Israel.

Iranian President Muhammad Khatami announced the resumption of negotiations between Iran and Egypt at a news conference in Tehran on Tuesday.

At a news conference, President Khatami said he hoped that negotiations will restore relations between Iran and Egypt. "The will of both sides is to work to remove all obstacles, which will lead to bringing the abruption of relations to an end."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1072239537689&p=1008596981749

I've got lots of Muslim Iranian friends and all i can is that virtually all of them are disgusted by the Clerical establishment in Iran. It's almost like the people Muslims in Iran and the regime and their followers come from another planet. They've got stark difference of opinion on everything, one tells other they aren't muslims, but truth being that i agree with Daniel Pipes only 10% have a violent, kill other religions mentality.

At least i know within the Persian community there is deep respect for other religious faiths (always was before 1979), and Muslims seem to hate the Islamic republic more than religious minorities do.

"It's almost like the people Muslims in Iran and the regime and their followers come from another planet. They've got stark difference of opinion on everything, one tells other they aren't muslims, but truth being that i agree with Daniel Pipes only 10% have a violent, kill other religions mentality."

World wars were started by far less.

I just received this from a student from Iran who reads our thread regularly. -- DoctorZin

Dear Iranian Friends:

May the blessings of the season be upon you and your countrymen. May God guide your steps toward freedom and may He grant that someday we stand side by side.

Mistranslation Leads to Heated Iranian Threats

December 25, 2003
Israelinsider
Ellis Shuman

"We will strike Israel with all weapons at our disposal if the Zionist regime ventures to do so," Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said yesterday, in response to comments made by Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz suggesting that Israel was planning to attack Iran's nuclear reactor. Shamkhani's threats were based on an incorrect Haaretz translation of Mofaz's remarks, made this month on the Voice of Israel's Farsi broadcasts.

Shamkhani said that Mofaz's statement proved that Israel was "an evil entity." Threatening to fire Iran's long-range Shahab-3 missile at Israel, he added, "Israel is a fragile glass garrison. The Zionist leaders are cherishing the dream of a rule over the globe."

On December 15, Mofaz was interviewed on the Voice of Israel's Farsi (Persian) broadcasts and responded to questions from listeners in Iran. "All of Minister Mofaz's answers to listeners' questions regarding the Iranian nuclear threat emphasized the importance of the friendship which prevailed in Iranian-Israeli relations prior to the rise of the fundamentalist regime in Teheran," said Voice of Israel Farsi (Persian) Section Director Menashe Amir.

One of the listeners to the broadcast phoned in a question in Farsi: 'Israel's nuclear strategy is based on the premise that if Israel is subject to an Iranian nuclear attack, Israel will respond with a nuclear attack. But the problem is that the leaders of the Islamic regime in Iran have repeatedly declared that they attribute no importance whatsoever to the lives of Iranian citizens. Isn't Israel's strategy on this issue mistaken? What does the Minister think about this issue?"

Mofaz, who was born in Iran in 1948 and immigrated to Israel in 1957, responded to the question in Hebrew: "Currently, the United States, together with the [UN] Security Council is leading the additional protocol process vis-a-vis intrusive inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities and I believe that, at the present time, this is the correct thing to do.

"If - Heaven forbid - in the future, Iran obtains nuclear weapons and threatens to use them against the State of Israel, the State of Israel will know how to defend its citizens without harming Iranian citizens," Mofaz said.

Haaretz, however, reported this week on Mofaz's broadcast and took his statements out of context: "An operation to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities if necessary is under consideration, according to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. Speaking in Persian last week on Israel Radio, Mofaz said that if the need arises to destroy Iran's nuclear capability, 'the necessary steps will be taken so that Iranian citizens will not be harmed,'" Haaretz reported.

"I very much regret that an incorrect quotation from Minister Mofaz's remarks that appeared in reports in Israel about the interview, and the erroneous interpretations that were based on remarks that the Minister never made, have provided the Iranian regime with an excuse to begin a propaganda campaign against the State of Israel and to create an atmosphere of warlike tension," Amir said.

Israel worried about Iranian threat

According to the Haaretz report, Mofaz, while visiting Washington last month, called Iranian nuclearization "insufferable," and he said that Israel would take steps to prevent it.

In a report to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Mossad head Meir Dagan recently described the Iranian threat as the greatest one Israel has ever faced, but did not say how Israel would counter it, Haaretz added.

Dagan told the committee that Iran was close to finishing construction of a uranium enrichment plant in the central Kashan area which could eventually give it the capacity to build around a dozen nuclear bombs.

At the Herzliya Conference this month, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon described Iran as a "serious threat to Israel.'' He cited "its development of surface-to-surface missiles and its attempts in recent years to acquire nuclear capabilities, even if it has run into difficulties, due to international pressure.''

In July, Mofaz said that Israel has the means to respond defensively and to deter a possible Iranian missile strike. The IDF's Arrow anti-missile system can adequately defend the country against Iran's newly upgraded Shihab-3 ballistic missiles, he said.

Israel was "taking all steps necessary to counter the [Iranian missile] threat as much as possible. Israel has the necessary means to respond defensively, as well as deterrent capability. The Shihab-3 and other projects reveal that Iran is eager to achieve nonconventional and even nuclear capability, but Israel is prepared," Mofaz said.

Concern over an Israeli strike at Iran

The Washington Post reported in August that the Bush administration was becoming increasingly concerned that Israel would launch a preemptive attack on Iran's nuclear reactor at Bushehr.

In 1981, Israeli Air Force jets successfully attacked and destroyed Iraq's nuclear reactor at Osirak. An attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would be much more complicated, Israeli media sources reported, because the country's nuclear program is dispersed at several sites and the distance from Israel is much greater. Iran also has the possibility to retaliate with its Shihab ballistic missiles, the reports said.

Earlier this month, Iran signed an accord with the International Atomic Energy Agency, opening its nuclear facilities to inspections. The signing came after months of pressure from European nations and a U.S. push for Iran to be slapped with sanctions.

http://web.israelinsider.com/bin/en.jsp?enPage=ArticlePage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Article%5El3122&enZone=Security&enVersion=0&

• Virtually all opposition groups know the NIAC as a front organization for the Islamic Republic of Iran receiving funds from Oil Companies, high-ranking members of the Islamic Republic, and those affiliated with the con-reformist agenda such as Guy Dinmore of Financial Times, Gary Sick, Elaine Scalanio of NY Times, Robin Wright of LA Times, Trita Parisa.

Thanks for the post.

Still wondering about the supposed imprisonment this past summer of Dariush Zahedi, the Berkley lecturer who is/was active in AIC. Did the regime think he turned against them? Was he really in jail for 4 months? Or was there another reason for his "disappearance"? Questions, questions......

Can there be any doubt that if left unchecked in America, Islam has the same goal for all Christians - to destroy Christianity and Judaism?

Well, Islam can't do it - the muslim people would have to do it. Since 90% wouldn't be involved, and in fact against hurting anyone, I think there's lots of doubt.

We, Iranians, look forward to the day that our nation becomes a friend of your nation once again and we are all waiting for this day.

With you on this freedom vigil, friend.

The site's recent news archive hawks a book claiming the CIA deposed Iran's leader in 1953 and is the source of all "trouble in the region today".

Blatantly ignoring the uninterrupted dictatorial terror of the current regime established twenty-four years ago.

Yet http://www.niacouncil.org claims at the bottom of each page:

The National Iranian American Council is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-political and non-sectarian organization based in Washington DC

Smells like propaganda--Nonprofit?
Yet leaves a PayPal cookie every time.

Iran Female Dancer Detained For Public Dancing

December 25, 2003
The Associated Press
Dow Jones Newswires

TEHRAN -- Iran's best-known female dancer and 24 of her students have been detained on charges of dancing in public - for an all-female audience, her husband said Thursday.

Farzaneh Kaboli and 24 of her students were detained Wednesday night as they were performing folk dances, Hadi Marzban said.

Marzban said the students were freed Thursday after signing statements pledging not to perform again but Kaboli was taken to Evin Prison, north of Tehran.

"It was a program of rhythmical movements displaying folk dance of various provinces of Iran to an all-female audience. The program had been authorized by the Culture Ministry," a distressed Marzban told The Associated Press.

Kaboli was performing on the second night of a two-week program at Tehran's prestigious Vahdat Hall when the police detained the group.

Marzban said efforts by reformist government authorities failed to prevent police from taking Kaboli to prison.

She hasn't yet been charged.

Judicial officials weren't available for comment as Thursday is the first day of the weekend in Iran.

Although there are no written laws against dancing, Iran's hard-line clerics have banned the activity, which they consider a promotion of moral corruption.

Marzban, an actor, insisted that his wife didn't teach dancing.

"She was not teaching dance. She was just displaying various rhythmical programs existing in different parts of Iran," he said.

Although Kaboli has acted in some films shown on hard-line-controlled state-run television, she was banned from working for several years in the 1990s after the circulation of a video that showed her dancing before a male audience in a private party.

Kaboli's dance programs, available on bootlegged video, are widely watched by Iranian women.

Last year, a hard-line court in Tehran barred Mohammad Khordadian, Iran's top male dancer, from giving dances classes for life and banned him from leaving Iran for 10 years.

Khordadian, based in Los Angeles, returned to the U.S. after an appeals court lifted the travel ban. The appeals court also reduced by half a 10-year suspended jail term against Khordadian.

Khordadian, whose dance programs are widely watched by Iranian expatriates and many inside Iran via satellite, has reportedly resumed dance classes in Los Angeles -meaning he would likely be jailed if he returns to Iran.

Sweeping social restrictions imposed after the 1979 Islamic revolution have gradually been eased since the 1997 election of reformist President Mohammad Khatami. However, the judiciary, controlled by unelected hard-liners, does punish women who break the longtime taboos.

Under Iranian law, women must wear head scarves in public and the mingling of unrelated men and women is frowned upon by hard-liners.

http://framehosting.dowjonesnews.com/sample/samplestory.asp?StoryID=2003122519160000&Take=1

Handshake Heard 'Round the Region'

December 25, 2003
Al-Ahram Weekly
Rasha Saad

A widely publicised handshake between President Hosni Mubarak and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammed Khatami, earlier this month took many by surprise and highlighted relations between the two Middle Eastern countries.

Khatami and Mubarak met briefly -- for the first time since 1979 -- outside a UN technology summit in Geneva earlier this month. Although reportedly no specific issues were discussed, the meeting was described as a step forward in bringing the two countries together.

Relations between the two countries were severed in 1980, a year after Egypt signed the US- brokered Camp David peace accords with Israel. Relations worsened when Egypt supported Iraq in its 1980-1988 war with Iran. However, trade and other ties have been improving since the 1990s.

To prominent writer Fahmy Howeidy, an expert in Iranian affairs, the meeting came as little surprise. He explained that during the past few years arrangements were made for possible meetings between the two presidents during international and regional events, but in the end one of the two leaders would fail to attend. "I think it was a mere coincidence that both leaders were present at the conference that enabled them to meet at last," he said.

While Howeidy believes that the meeting is indeed an important event, he does not consider it a substantial turn in relations. Howeidy explains that it remains to be seen if the meeting will yield any significant steps towards rapprochement.

Commenting on the timing and importance of the meeting, Amin Sabooni, editor-in-chief of the Iran Daily newspaper published in Tehran, said that the "big meeting" in Geneva could not have come at a more sensitive time. He added that the ability and willingness of Iran to restore full and meaningful ties with Egypt is at an all time high. According to Sabooni, the Middle East is facing substantial challenges and common sense dictates that two regional heavyweights like Egypt and Iran cooperate. "Our two peoples deserve a much better quality of interaction consistent with their historic collaboration, cultural affinities, national interests, and the search for peace, progress and prosperity," he said.

Although officials on both sides were keen on bringing to fruition the expectations that resulted from the meeting, they pointed out that there are still differences between the two countries.

After the meeting, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said that "many steps forward have been achieved" and that he is "hopeful the two countries would reach agreement soon on pending issues". He also noted that "constant contacts are going on between the two countries on resuming normal relations."

Khatami pointed out differences between both countries over some issues. Speaking on his way back home from Switzerland, he said that both Iran and Egypt favour an extension of ties and that Mubarak's views on issues such as Iraq and Palestine are close to those of Iran, but there are "certain differences in other areas".

Though officials from both sides refrained from naming these differences, an acknowledged bone of contention between both countries is the fact that Cairo gave asylum to the deposed Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi -- who is buried in Egypt -- and that Iran named a street in Tehran after Khaled El-Islamboly, one of the assassins of late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

Both issues are usually brought up in the Egyptian press whenever Mubarak receives an invitation from Tehran, such as the recent invitation to the Islamic Republic for the economic summit of developing countries (D8) which will take place in the second half of February. According to Makram Mohamed Ahmed, editor-in-chief of El- Mussawar magazine, Mubarak's visit to Tehran is contingent on the street being renamed. "If Iran lifted the name of Sadat's assassin from the Tehran street... all elements that obstruct mutual relations will eventually be lifted," he said.

However, according to informed sources on both sides, the reluctance to establish normal relations between both countries is far from being a dispute over the name of a street and the burial of the Shah in Egypt.

Iranian Vice-President Mohamed Abtahi said in a recent interview that during top level talks and behind closed doors the issues of the name of the street and the Shah's final resting place were not of major importance. "I do not believe that on the official level these issues are even addressed. I believe that the weight of both countries and the role they can play together regionally and internationally is far more important than the name of a street or the burial of the Shah in Egypt that is protested by Iranian hard-liners. These are trivial matters," he said.

The security files on both countries is believed to be the real culprit. Perhaps the best evidence of this is President Mubarak's statement in January that ties between both countries could not be normalised as long as Tehran gave sanctuary to "Egyptian terrorists". Egypt alleges that Iran is harbouring members of violent Islamist organisations who have been convicted in Egyptian courts during the past decades and that these members are operating out of Iran. Iran -- which handed over two years ago Ahmed Hussein Egeiza, a leading member of the Islamic group Talae' Al-Fath -- denies the charge.

According to informed sources, Tehran is trying to persuade Cairo that priority should be given to establishing full ties followed by negotiations on the outstanding issues. On the other hand, Cairo insists that all pending points should be resolved before the restoration of full relations. Egyptian diplomats often hint that it was Iran who severed ties in 1980, not the Egyptians. They contend that despite receiving the Shah, Cairo welcomed the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

However, Iranians still feel that the ball is in Egypt's court and are privately accusing the Egyptians of being reluctant to re-establish full ties.

Gamila Kadivar, a member of the Iranian parliament, told the Weekly in an interview in early November that she does not feel there is any will to change on the Egyptian side. "At a certain time [before reformists came to power] the will did not exist in Iran. And when this stance was changed [after Khatami came to power], it seemed lost on the Egyptian side," she said.

Kadivar, who was a member of friendship groups that included Egyptian and Iranian intellectuals, parliamentarians and members of NGOs, explained that amidst turmoil and instability in the region, Israel has benefited the most from the freezing of relations between the two countries. However, Iran and Egypt have succeeded in recent years in warming relations, starting with expanded trade ties.

An Egyptian trade delegation to the General Federation of Chambers of Commerce met with the chairman of Iran's Chamber of Commerce in Iran on 19 November, shortly before the two presidents' meeting. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding for a joint chamber of commerce with offices in both Tehran and Cairo. It was also announced that the two countries have planned to set up a joint investment and commercial company, but did not reveal any details. Between 1999 and 2001, two trade fairs have been organised in both countries.

There are also individual efforts by Egyptian and Iranian businessmen to trade in the famous Iranian pistachios and carpets; the trade exchange, however, does not exceed $25 million.

Mosayab Na'emi, editor-in-chief of Iranian Al- Vefaq, pointed out the many mutual economic benefits are to be gained if the two countries come together. According to Na'emi, both countries are in the same development phase, but they have many prospects for integration as Egypt can be a transit point for Iran into Africa and Iran the same for Egypt into Central Asia.

Na'emi also referred to Shi'ite religious tourist trips to Egypt, which could provide Egypt with thousands of visitors annually. "Syria has only one Shi'ite site and it receives thousands every year. Egypt, which has about 7 Shi'ite sites, will definitely attract more than 50,000 Iranian tourists. Shi'ites in Iran constitute the overwhelming majority of the Iranian population, which is over 70 million," he said.

However, it is yet to be seen if such prospects will materialise in the near future. Summarising the popular feelings of many Iranians and Egyptians, Sabooni said: "What indeed is important is that our two governments be honest with each other and move forward with wisdom, clarity of purpose, understanding and flexibility."

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/670/eg3.htm

"May the blessings of the season be upon you and your countrymen. May God guide your steps toward freedom and may He grant that someday we stand side by side."

Amen.

Earthquake Strikes Iran, U.S. Says

AP ^ | Dec 25, 2003
Posted on 12/25/2003 8:04:56 PM PST by optimistically_conservative
3 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - An earthquake has struck southeastern Iran near the city of Bam, the U.S. Geological Survey (news - web sites) said Thursday.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The earthquake hit at 5:27 a.m. local time Friday — or 8:57 p.m. Thursday, Eastern Standard Time.

The USGS (news - web sites) reported a preliminary magnitude of 6.7, high enough to cause severe damage.

There have been similar earthquakes in this area that have caused damage, the USGS said.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1046716/posts

Seems there were 2 quakes -
8:56 and 10:06PM EST (6.7 and 5.4 respectively)

Original report has incorrect EST time. That's 8:56 PM (not AM) EST.

Alright, I'm tired.
Nevermind.

Merry Christmas, anyway!

Bump!

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