Iranian Alert -- March 16, 2004 [EST]-- IRAN LIVE THREAD -- Americans for Regime Change in Iran

The Iranian Student Movement Up To The Minute Reports ^ | 3.16.2004 | DoctorZin

[DoctorZIn]

Important Announcement!!!!

Many anticipate next 12+ hours will prove highly significant in Iran (It is morning now in Iran).

March 16th is Chehar Shanbeh Suri in Iran. It is an ancient Zoroastrian holiday that is banned by the Islamic regime. Most anti regime events have taken place on major holidays such as this.

I am hearing that the situation is going to heat up significantly.

I will try to keep you informed.

DoctorZin

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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.

DoctorZin

[Eala]

The english isn't going to be perfect, afterall, it's run by Iranian students.

Oh, I understand that. Their English is far better than my Farsi (total: 3 words) -- far better than my Gaelic, for that matter. It's just that if I knew how how numbers (magnitudes) were rendered in Farsi I might have a better chance of getting an accurate mental image. Does "thousands" represent "thousands" or "thousands to hundreds of thousands", for example?

(If I'm being overcautious, it's from learning the 20-centric Gaelic number system -- talk about differences in expressing numbers!! Learning to compute in hexadecimal was easy by comparison.)

[DoctorZIn]

U.S. Renews Iran Criticism

March 16, 2004
The Associated Press
Barry Schweid

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration renewed its criticism of Iran on Tuesday, saying a two-week suspension of international inspections of its nuclear facilities "is a continuation of a pattern of delay and deception and denial."

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said, "It's time to come clean fully, unequivocally and completely."

But Mohamed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, took a softer line on Iran. "They understand they must come forward," the U.N. official said after a meeting with Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Referring to the discovery of hidden research and development programs, ElBaradei told reporters getting to the bottom of Iran's program was "a work in progress."

He also reminded reporters that Iran had said it made "a strategic decision to come clean."

U.N. inspectors are due to return to Iran on March 27 after a two-week suspension. Ereli said it was "regrettable" that Iran had called off inspections for two weeks.

But, he said despite some differences among the 35 nations that are members, the IAEA Board of Governors had again insisted that Iran disclose all its programs.

ElBaradei is due to meet with President Bush (news - web sites) on Wednesday. "The United States is very supportive of what we are doing," he said.

Iran suspended inspections last weekend after the U.N. agency adopted a resolution deploring recent discoveries of uranium enrichment equipment and other suspicious activities that Iran had failed to reveal. Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Hasan Rowhani, had described the IAEA resolution as "unfair and deceitful."

On Tuesday, in Tokyo for a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, he confirmed the inspectors would be permitted to return. "It is certain, and it will be without any conditions," said Rowhani, who also heads Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Iran says its nuclear activities are designed to generate electricity. The Bush administration suspects Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=693&e=1&u=/ap/20040316/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iran_nuclear

[DoctorZIn]

IRAN ERUPTS? [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

National Review Online - The Corner

Secondhand, from an Iranian:
I am listening to KRSI (Radio Sedaye Iran) right now. There are many Iranians calling (from Tehran, and Gorgan, etc.).

All reports indicate that almost every neighborhood in Tehran is on fire. People are throwing home-made bombs, Molotov cocktails, etc. into the homes of mullahs, and burning pictures of Khamenei in complete defiance of his recent edict to mourn during the month of Muharram.

Background: Khamenei delivered a declaration (not really a fatwa, although some say it was) to Iranians to honor the month of Muharram, which started about two weeks ago, and to mourn and not have any parties of merriment. Well, the problem is that the Iranian New Year (Nowrouz), March 20th (totally non-religious and cultural event -- although Zoroastrian in origin) falls in the middle of this, and Iranians were enraged about this edict.

Tomorrow is the last Wednesday of the Iranian calendar year (called Chahar Shanbeh soori), and traditionally Iranians burn small bonfires and jump over them and celebrate the ending of the old year and welcome the new.

As a measure of defiance of Khamenei's Islamic Rule, and in celebration of ancient (non-Islamic) Persian customs, Iranians have taken to the streets in complete defiance of Khamenei's edict, saying that they will 'burn the mullahs out of their homes'. They are celebrating Chahar Shanbeh Soori. There are huge bonfires, bomb-throwing, merriment and the welcoming of the last days of the mullahcracy. In their own way Iranians are making a huge statement.

You can listen to the news yourself (in Farsi of course) everyone is very happy and celebrating defying the mullahs and burning of Khamenei's picture and trying to burn all mullah's houses. There are people calling from all over Tehran, from Gorgan, and northern provinces... It is amazing!

http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorner/corner.asp

[TBall]

Cool, bump.

[DoctorZIn]

IRAN ERUPTS? [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

National Review Online - The Corner

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1098517/posts?page=43#43

DoctorZin Note: I am getting many reports in from around the world and am posting them in our daily thread.

Alert the media. This needs media coverage!

[blanknoone]

Doc, thanks for all your hard work. Do you see any evidence of organization and control (the seeds of a new regime) emerging in the chaos of what we all hope is the start of the revolution?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Yes, dozen being twelve, score is twenty, right? Don't worry about the accuracy. Your efforts are appreciated greatly.

[DoctorZIn]

I haven't heard of any real organization, just tremendous anger with the regime.

[TomB]

Doc, are you aware of any english language shortwave broadcasts that might be available with current information?

It's strange. Exactly a year ago I was sitting in front of my computer watching a live webcam of Baghdad when the bombs started falling. Now, we can't even get consitent pictures out of Iran.

Frustrating.

[dfwgator]

Teheran Web Cams

[TomB]

Thanks!

[RobRoy]

The web cam images are supposed to change every two minutes. I've been on for about ten, logging off and back on, and the images have not changed. Probably nothing, but I thought I'd mention it.

[dfwgator]

I just noticed the same thing...hmmmmm!

[DoctorZIn]

Iranians Celebrate an Ancient Festival

March 16, 2004
Reuters
CNN.com

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iranians danced in the street, threw firecrackers and jumped over bonfires Tuesday night as authorities openly tolerated an ancient fire festival for the first time in 25 years.

Halted each year since the 1979 Islamic revolution because hardliners considered it un-Islamic, the Chaharshanbeh Suri, or Red Wednesday, festival was officially recognized in Tehran where the city council set aside dozens of parks for people to enjoy the boisterous celebrations.

Tens of thousands packed the streets of the capital hurling firecrackers into the air to mark the eve of the last Wednesday of the Iranian calendar year.

The festival dates back centuries to pre-Islamic times and is thought to be derived from Zoroastrian traditions which accord special properties to fire.

The Iranian New Year, which falls on March 20 this year, coincides with the spring equinox. Unlike previous years, when riot police blocked off streets and hardline Islamic vigilantes beat and arrested many trying to enjoy the festivities, security forces were virtually absent.

Old and young reveled in the new-found freedom.

"They wanted to try to stop this tradition but it will never die," said businessman Mahmoud Afshar, as his young children and neighbors leaped over a small bonfire in western Tehran.

"I think they realize now that every limitation they try to put on society has a negative effect," he said, adding that he and his family had been harassed by police when trying to mark the festival in previous years.

In an act meant to exorcise evil spirits and bring good luck for the coming year, people light small bonfires and jump over the flames shouting: "Give me your beautiful red color and take back my sickly pallor!."

Special noodle soups are prepared and shared among friends and neighbors. Passers-by are handed nuts and dried fruits.

The decision by Tehran City Council -- which religious hardliners won control of in elections last year -- to officially recognize the festival surprised many.

A council official, who declined to be named, explained: "Some are opposed to celebrating Chaharshanbeh Suri on religious grounds but it's a deep-rooted tradition and no-one can deny it. So we decided the best way was to designate some places to celebrate it."

Some clerics were appalled by the decision.

"The superstitious ceremony of Chaharshanbeh Suri is incompatible with the dignity and understanding of the Muslim Iranian nation," Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani said in a statement this week.

"Muslims should remain vigilant and...understand the enemy's goal in reviving this dead and obsolete tradition."

The evening festivities are also an opportunity for young Iranians to meet and flirt in a country where mixing in public between unrelated members of the opposite sex is outlawed.

In one street in western Tehran youngsters danced by blazing bonfires as loud music blared from houses and passing cars.

Some felt the sudden official acceptance of the festival was a ploy by the country's rulers after hardliners won parliamentary elections last month. Reformists, who favor greater political and social freedoms, say the poll was rigged.

"They want to distract the young so they don't have anything to do with politics," said Mahran Izadi, 28, who had stuffed cotton wool in his ears to dull the noise of constant firecracker explosions.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/03/16/iran.festival.reut/index.html

[DoctorZIn]

This just in from inside of Iran...(unconfirmed)

I have told that the people of Gorgan have taken over most of the city. Reportedly the people were demonstrating/celebrating and the law enforcement forces began beating people. In the process they killed a 6 month old child and as a result the people took over the law enforcement offices, beat the security forces.

I also am told that hundreds of people have been arrested in Mashad.

[DoctorZIn]

Tens of militiamen injured due to popular resistance

SMCCDI (Information Service)
Mar 16, 2004

Tens of the usually feared Islamic regime's militiamen have been injured in the violent clashes which rocked, this evening, most Iranian cities at the occasion of the the popular celebration of the banned "Tchahr Shanbe Soori" (Fire Fiest). Unconfirmed reports are stating about the death of several militiamen in Tehran's Guisha district, Nasr avenue, and in provincial cities, such as, Khoram Abad and Bushehr where Militia's Colonel Ghassem Mattaf has been shot to death.

Tens of militiamen were wounded due to heavy burns inflicted by young Iranians who used of powerful hand made grenades and Molotv Coktails in order to break the security forces' brutal assaults.

Clashes were extremly violent especially in several areas of Tehran, such as, Eslam-Shahr, Guisha, Madar, Vali e Asr, Narmak, Rey, Sadeghieh, Karadj and as well in provincial cities, such as, Esfahan and Bushehr. Angry demonstrators used of heavy explosive devices and even guns confiscated from plainclothes men in order to resist to the regime forces and even to take revenge.

Tens of security patrol cars or bikes as well as official buildings and homes and facilities affiliated to the regime's men have been damaged by fire or explosion.

Thousands of pictures of the regime's founder, Rooh-Ollah Khomeini, and the current officials were burned by the various crowd in each city.

http://www.daneshjoo.org/generalnews/article/publish/article_5377.shtml

[DoctorZIn]

Tens of militiamen injured due to popular resistance

SMCCDI (Information Service)
Mar 16, 2004

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1098517/posts?page=56#56

[McGavin999]

Looks like this is the start of it. I only hope these guys are going to be safe. I certainly hope it's a LOT of people because the more people the safer they will all be.

[McGavin999]

Uh....little bit of difference between the Reuters report and the students report. One sounds like a scheduled festival day and the other sounds like the start of someting a little more serious. What's really happening?

[PhilDragoo]

Snake's Head: The head of a snake is place on the New Year table to mean freedom from fear, torture and oppression.

After all, when the snake loses his head, he's what you call "fully Ceaucescued".