Most Iranians openly calling for American help in Iran.

Iranian Press Service ^ | 4.30.2003 | Iranian Press Service

[Stultis]

"The Iranian government has been using French technology to jam the [pro-Democracy] broadcasts."

You don't say?! Sources on this?

[Polybius]

You may be right, but I question how deep the "fanaticism" of the Republican Guard runs. How many participate in the fist pumping and flag burning just to get along, but are privately, or at least potentially, hostile toward the regime?

I don't really know for certain.

However, one thing to keep in mind was that the Iraqi regime was secular and the Iraqi Republican Guard thought they answered to Saddam while the Iranian Revolutionary Guards are very religious and belive they answer to Allah.

If I were an Iranian student going off to a demonstration to do potential battle with a religious zealot, I wouldn't leave home without my AK-47 and my RPG......and 20 of my closest, similarly armed friends. :-)

[DoctorZIn]

Re: French jamming technology being used in Iran.

I read this report from an Iranian press report months ago.
I need to see if I can source this for you.

I remember they named the French firm responsible for the technology sale to the Iranian government. (I believe the name of the firm started with a "V."

I need to get access to Lexis-Nexis.

Iranians are getting frustrated with the French because the French are trying to prop up the mullahs and the freedom fighters in Iran strongly oppose this.

[browardchad]

Here's a cryptic reference  to the jamming from radiofarda.com (3/10/03):

Young Iranians Listen to "Great Satan" on Radio Farda

* Young Iranians listen to Radio Farda using small pocket receivers and earphones, according to the Italian daily Courier de la Serra's Tehran-based correspondent, who writes that Radio Farda is the most popular radio among young listeners. Despite the official ban on satellite TV receivers, the price of satellite dish and receiver has dropped to $150, and millions watch US-based Persian-language satellite programs that air interviews with former crown prince Reza Pahlavi. More than 5 million Iranians are connected to the Internet. Most log-on using Internet connection prepaid cards that allow anonymity. As the regime's officials continue to condemn the US as the Great Satan, it appears that the young Iranians secretly harbor a deep affection for the US. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome)

* Communications minister Ahmad Motamedi said his ministry does not know the source of the jamming of satellite and radio signals that block the US-based TV and radio programs, including Radio Farda, in some areas of Tehran and other big cities. He said the jamming interferes with Iran's own telephone, radio and satellite communications. His statement indicates that organs within the Islamic regime but outside the control of Khatami's government jam the US-based broadcasts to Iran. (Ali Sajjadi)

[dixiechick2000]

Good post! Thanks!

BTTT!

[HighRoadToChina]

BUMP!

[demosthenes the elder]

I have my fingers crossed.
This news supplements word of mouth I have been getting for the past two years from Iranian friends.
This might still be false. Hard to tell... but: I have my fingers most fervently crossed.

[Argus]

"The Afghans and the Iraqis have been freed from dictatorships, why not us?" a filmmaker said.

We here in California feel the same way.

[AdmSmith]

Wait and see. No active operations are necessary in Iran. The Khatami government and a growing percentage of the most conservative parts of the clerics have the same agenda: the separation of state and church (= religion) as bad governance is tainting the beliefs and hurt the trust in the Shi’ite interpretation of the Qu’ran. There is no papacy in Islam and not even cardinals; hence the present-day Iran is a deviation from all Islamic precedent. The mollahs will go back to the mosques and Iran will retract from the fundamentalist line of Ruhollah Komeini. Naturally, some groups in Iran are against this, as they will loose their power and thus their source of money.

The coming two years will truly be interesting.

Remember that Mohammed was a merchant that became an established businessman by marrying a rich older widow. If I had the time I would participate in establishing a task group that would investigate the economic thoughts of the foundation of Islam and free enterprise and thus free market economy. This will probably have an impact in the future Iraq and Iran.

If any of you have ideas for this mail me.

[sheik yerbouty]

We must get rid of "Sacremento Hussein" and his Caliban!

[Eala]

Mr. Ali Sa’idi, the acting Representative of the leader at the Army of the Guards of the Islamic Revolution, better known as Pasdaran, or Revolutionary Guards.

I've been told that the Pasdaran are generally not Persian but Arab. Though I'm no expert in such things, to me Mr. Ali Sa'idi's name looks much more Arab than Persian.

[Paul Ross]

We should be revamping and revitalize the CIA to help them get their country back away from the Mullahs. The sooner the better. The staged demonstrations in Iraq so far have almost all been orchestrated by the Iranian dabr squads sent in with mullah-shock troops to sow anti-american strife in Iraq. If Iran were to fall, these last remnants of their regime would likely take a powder...just like Saddam himself.

[DoctorZIn]

The fear that the military of Iran will kill its own people is real but not likely. The military and the revolutionary guards have members on both sides of the struggle. There have been numerous reports of the revolutionary guards calling emergency meeting with the Iranian leaders warning of a civil war if they try to ask them to crack down too violently on the student protesters.

I

[DoctorZIn]

"The Khatami government and a growing percentage of the most conservative parts of the clerics have the same agenda: the separation of state and church "

While Khatami wants some greater freedom, such as freedom of the press, I have heard little from him that indicates his desire for seperation of mosque and state. Other mullahs do hold this postion but I would like to see where Khatami has done so.

[TEXOKIE]

"At least their version of Hollywood has someone with half a brain. "

ROFL!! Well said.

[MissAmericanPie]

The power hungry, thug, clerics are the real problem in the Middle East.

[Irishguy]

The former president also lambasted the Americans on their "cooperation" with Iraq-based terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organisation (MKO), saying that it "indicates Washington's hypocrisy in the international campaign against terrorism".

Dont you just love this. Here is the leader , a religious man, supporting suicide bombers in Israel, supporting terrorist groups up the ying yang and he has a pair to come up with this crap.. HEY BUDDY 2 sentences for ya...payback is a bitch....what goes around comes around...

can we send iraqi tv signals into iran to show them the changes that are and will take place....???

[EaglesUpForever]

Sorry, I didn't mean to generalize quite so much. I know that some were sincere, if naive. But many, many of the leaders - for example Putin, Chirac, Galloway - as well as the more rabid leftists in this country, i.e. ANSWER, are purely anti-American in their intentions, yet they wrap themselves up as "peace" lovers.

So at a given "peace" rally in America, the majority probably sincerely wanted peace and were simply misled into thinking that somehow the status quo was "peaceful", while chances are the speakers at the rally or those who funded the rally were anti-Americans with a peace facade.

In reality Gulf War I hadn't really been finished, and the clock was just ticking until Saddam and Al Queda came up with another assymetrical tactic against us, in the manner that Saddam was actively funding the murder of Israelis (whose lives seem to be meaningless to "peace activists").

Hopefully some of those who were "for peace" have woken up by seeing the outcome of the conflict. It will be quite interesting to see what comes out of Iraq in terms of the collaboration between leading "peace activists" and Saddam's regime.

[AdmSmith]

Yes, Khatami has not, as far as I know, on the record said that the purpose is the separation of mosque and state. However, this will be the result in a few years time.

Take for instance the recent bill to remove the extra authority the fifth parliament gave to the Guardians Council to examine the qualification of candidates running for parliamentary election, i.e. the religious vetting of the candidates.

http://www.irna.com/en/tnews/030430180554.etn09.shtml

For additional background on the origins of the reformists in Iran see for instance Middle East Intelligence Bulletin
http://www.meib.org/articles/0304_iran.htm