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Is Iran next?

Joel Mowbray
July 14, 2003

With turmoil in Iran gaining more and more attention—at least when Liberia isn’t taking center stage—the media guessing game about the Persian nation has kicked into high-gear: is Iran next? Of course the question implies military action, but Iran could be “next”—just not in the military sense.

Last Wednesday marked the fourth anniversary of the July 9, 1999 crackdown on peaceful protesters at Tehran University, which immediately triggered more than 15,000 demonstrators to take to the streets. Even though the Iranian regime has recently jailed hundreds of the freedom movement’s leaders—and thousands of people in all—as many as 10,000 protesters marked the anniversary in Tehran alone. Iranians demanding freedom and a truly democratic government were met with tear gas and wide scale arrests.

The international press has labeled the demonstrators “students,” but that’s quite misleading. Students account for most of the leaders of the peace protests, but the movement has stretched into working class and upper-middle class neighborhoods alike—and the government is as unpopular as any time since the fall of the Shah in 1979. The protesters want what many Americans take for granted: freedom. They want to be able to wear jeans and a t-shirt, listen to pop music on a boom box, and yes, to choose their own government.

Iran is a country with a rich cultural heritage, one that is quite capable of sustaining an American-style government. The population is well-educated, and the 70% of the country under the age of 25 is largely secular. Unlike most Middle Eastern countries where Islamic fundamentalism has a certain appeal because it has never taken the reins of power, Iran is a nation whose citizens have had more than twenty years to develop their disdain for fundamentalist rule. They are hungry for a homeland that looks more like America.

Too bad the U.S. State Department hasn’t been helping them reach that goal.

To listen to the diplomats at Foggy Bottom, Iran is a country divided between the religious “hardliners” and the moderate “reformers.” State’s number-two official actually called Iran a “democracy” in an interview with the Los Angeles Times this February. Give the ruling mullahs credit for this much—they managed to dupe the U.S. State Department.

The Iranian mullahs pulled off an impressive marketing job by holding two consecutive elections in which a “reformer” won the Presidency and then allowing the “reformers” to win a majority of parliament in the 2000 election. Beneath the surface, though, the story is much different. The Council of Guardians, a panel of twelve mullahs that controls most of Iran, vetted all candidates for President and Parliament. Even if the “reformers” who control the Parliament are actual reformers, they have little power to change anything. The Council of Guardians can veto any bill it chooses to—and the Parliament can doing nothing more.

But the greatest—and most dangerous—myth that the mullahs have managed to perpetuate is that President Mohammad Khatami is a “reformer.” What most don’t realize is that he spent a decade as Iran’s chief censor, from 1982 to 1992, where he censored over 600 publications. He was one of 238 people who placed their hats in the ring—and 234 were declared ineligible by the Council of Guardians. In other words, Khatami was only of four candidates deemed acceptable by the mullahs.

Even though the elections were hardly more democratic than those found in the old Soviet Union, Iran’s attempts to dress them up as something more apparently worked. Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier this month called President Khatami “freely elected.” But the harm caused by Powell’s department runs much deeper than mere rhetoric.

For several years now, State has been trying to “engage” the mullahs. That approach has yielded little; the mullahs are still brutally repressing the Iranian people, and their efforts to develop nukes have not even slowed. The alternative approach isn’t a military one, though. State could truly support the protesters—as President Bush has repeatedly done—and it could refuse to legitimize a crumbling regime with more “talks.”

These steps wouldn’t be a panacea—but they would be a crucial place to start.

©2003 Joel Mowbray

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/joelmowbray/jm20030714.shtml

Journalist's son fears Iranian cover-up

By Shawn McCarthy and Ingrid Peritz
Jul 14, 2003

Ottawa and Montreal — The son of Montreal photojournalist Zahra Kazemi says Iranian authorities are putting pressure on his grandmother to bury his mother in Iran, prompting concerns that Iranian officials are engaging in a cover-up of her suspicious death.
Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs said late Sunday that Ms. Kazemi's mother had decided to have the Iranian-born Canadian citizen buried in Iran, in accordance with Islamic custom, after she died while in custody.

Ms. Kazemi died late Friday from what local authorities called "brain failure" after she was detained and reportedly beaten for taking photographs in a Tehran prison.

"The Canadian embassy in Iran has informed Foreign Affairs that Ms. Kazemi's mother has signed papers to have Ms. Kazemi's remains buried in Iran," Foreign Affairs spokesman Reynald Doiron said Sunday. He added that the burial was expected to take place quickly, reflecting Islamic custom that burials should occur as soon as possible.

"According to Islamic law in Iran, only the mother has the legal power to do so and she has done accordingly."

Stephan Hachemi, Ms. Kazemi's son, told reporters in Montreal that he believes his mother's body remains in a morgue in Tehran.

Mr. Hachemi said his grandmother, who is in her 70s and lives in Shiraz, in southern Iran, was pressed by Iranian authorities to agree to a hasty burial, which was against her express wishes.

"It's obvious that my grandmother underwent a lot of pressure — she had been forced and had absolutely no choice [but to sign]," he said.

Mr. Hachemi said his grandmother had pleaded with him through intermediaries — Mr. Hachemi does not speak Farsi — to ensure Ms. Kazemi's body is repatriated to Canada.

"Last night again she said, 'Bring the body, bring the body, Stephan, you have to bring the body back to Canada, you have to do whatever you can,' " Mr. Hachemi said. "She wanted the body to be brought here."

The 54-year-old photojournalist had travelled to Iran by way of Iraq. She was detained three weeks ago while taking pictures of a prison and was allegedly accused of being a spy and beaten. Her mother alerted Canadian authorities that she had been detained in Tehran.

The official Iranian news agency quoted government spokesman Mohamad Hossein Khoshvaght as announcing Ms. Kazemi's death during the weekend. He confirmed she had been detained while illegally photographing a prison.

"We were informed from the judiciary officials that in the first phase of interrogation, she wasn't feeling well," Mr. Khoshvaght told the Iranian news service. "So she had been transferred to the hospital. Then she died in hospital due to a brain stroke."

He said the woman was treated as an Iranian because she had remained an Iranian national.

Canadian ambassador Philip MacKinnon met a senior Iranian official Sunday to demand an investigation into Ms. Kazemi's death and the return of her body.

Iranian President Mohammed Khatami announced Sunday that four ministers would oversee an investigation into her death.

As well, Mr. Doiron said Mr. MacKinnon was told that Mr. Hachemi could arrange to have his mother's body returned to Canada. Later Sunday, however, Canadian officials in Tehran were told Ms. Kazemi's mother had requested an immediate burial.

Some members of Parliament are questioning whether the Iranian investigation ordered by Mr. Khatami will uncover the truth about the circumstances surrounding Ms. Kazemi's death.

Montreal Liberal MP Bernard Patry said the decision to bury Ms. Kazemi in Iran was troubling.

"If there is no chance to examine the body, [no] autopsy of the body, then it will be very very difficult to have any proof to know the truth of what happened and what she died of," Mr. Patry said.

"She died of brain damage — was it a fracture or a fall? Nobody will know. In a certain way, they are hiding behind Islamic law."

Mr. Patry said Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham should insist on having a Canadian official participate in — or at least closely monitor — the investigation. He added, however, that the Iranians are unlikely to agree to such a demand.

Mr. Graham was out of the country on holidays Sunday and unavailable for comment. His officials said he has kept in close contact with the department on the situation. He also spoke to Mr. Hachemi during the weekend.

Hossein Mahoutiha, spokesman for an Iranian human-rights group in Montreal, said the Koran stipulates that burial can be delayed if the cause of death is being investigated. He said the apparent rush to bury Ms. Kazemi's body suggested the Iranian regime was trying to also bury the explosive controversy over her treatment.

"They're doing everything they can to smother the affair," he said.

Mr. Hachemi accused Iran of torturing his mother after arresting her while she was taking photos in the Iranian capital. He said officials of the Iranian embassy in Ottawa also called him to offer their sympathies.

"As I told them, 'Cut the bullshit — don't send condolences when your government killed my mother, tortured her, and still doesn't respond to my demands.'

"I ask for a simple thing: Return the body of my mother."

He said Iranian authorities also seized his mother's belongings, including her Canadian passport, laptop computer, cameras and medication. Her son said Ms. Kazemi also had receipts for between $10,000 and $20,000 in investments. He did not elaborate.

http://www.daneshjoo.org/generalnews/article/publish/article_1141.shtml

Reza Pahlavi: Regional Stability Only Possible with Departure of the Clerical Regime

July 11, 2003
Al-Watan-Al-Arabi
alwatanalarabi.com

We asked the Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, whether some of his followers have been captured at the latest demonstrations.

He replied:

Yes, but, I am not certain about the exact number; however, what worries all of us is the labels used by the clerical regime in reference to the captured youth. The mullahs accuse them of “waging war on God” which is aimed to set them up for the death penalty. I find this accusation quite disturbing because what the youth aspire is simply freedom. I hope that the world will not stand still against what is transpiring in Iran. Iranians are fed up with the current system - a system which is incapable of reform - a system which has been hopeless for more than 25 years. The people of Iran want to change this regime. We want a secular democratic government wherein religion is separated from the State. This is what the majority of Iranians are seeking.

AWAA - Iranian regime had assisted the USA to stand against Afghanistan’s former government (Taliban) and the former Iraqi regime. So, could the internal repression endanger the clerical regime’s report card?

RP - First of all we have to understand the agenda of the clerical regime. Since its inception, the regime’s reason for existence has been to export revolutionary/militant Islam to the region. This platform has served to inspiration to militants such as Bin Laden. Short term acts and tactical maneuvers by the Tehran regime ought not to be mistaken as cooperation. Because of its inherent radical nature and de-legitimization, at home, the regime seeks to secure itself by promoting its style of militancy and fundamentalism throughout the region. The will remain an obstructionist and because of it, will always side with elements of radical extremism within in the Arab world. Coercing Iraqi Shiites into siding with radical political efforts proves Tehran’s true nature and intentions in Iraq.

AWAA - Is there any American fear in the area to establish a Shiite government in Iraq with the help of the current Iranian government?

RP - The Iraqi people should decide who will lead them. Obviously it is in their best interest to have a popularly elected government which stands to serve them and not be subservient to any particular party or State. Any democratic improvement will indeed be positive for the sake of the Iraqi people, and will be fatal to the current Iranian government. If the Mullahs in Tehran did not have intentions of interference in Iraqi affairs, they would not have dedicated so much resource in support of their agents in Iraq. One of the reasons the Iraqi regime was not toppled in 1991, was the fear that Al-Hakim would usher in a regime similar to that of Tehran. Despite Tehran’s mal-intents and meddling, today, we would like to a stable Iraq elect its own sovereign government, independent of Tehran and its clerical model of autocracy.

AWAA - It has been said that the Algerian Covenant signed in 1980, resulted in the freedom of the American hostages. Is it possible that the US has undertaken a commitment not to ever try to topple the regime of the Mullahs in Iran?

RP – The clerical regime has ignored and violated numerous international protocols and agreements. Millions of Iranians reject the current regime in Iran because of its persistent violation of human rights and the suppression of freedoms of speech and the press. Based on the regime’s own statistics, there are more than 600,000 Iranians languishing in prison. There is an absence of freedom for any political parties.

AWAA - The regime has outlawed any demonstrations On July 9th in commemoration of the Tehran University protests in 1999, so why has the US media been concentrating on this date in particular?

RP - July 9th is a day to commemorate the first student strike and acts against the regime. Today however those sentiments have broadened throughout the Iranian society. The Iranian people are rising to liberate themselves. They seek to topple the regime nonviolently – they intend to cripple it and bring its collapse, clearing the way for a free and fair referendum in order to decide the form of democracy desired by the people of Iran. We need large scale strikes in various sectors of the industry. My calls for a nonviolent stand and civil disobedience campaign are aimed at strengthening our national freedom movement while at the same time weakening the regime. It should not surprise anyone to see the clerics do whatever they can to stop it.

AWAA - Do you think that the Iranian government is targeted by exaggerating their nuclear ambitions or is it a real nuclear threat?

RP - Reports and information on the same matter from variety of sources, at the very least, creates suspicion on the issue. There is little doubt that there are very few who trust this regime at its word. The best guarantee against nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction is the establishment of democracy. If the Mullahs obtain such weapons, it would not only be detrimental for the region, but the world at large.

AWAA - Why does the US accept the information by the Mojagedin Khalq Organization regarding the clerics’ nuclear power ambitions, while it recognizes the organization as a terrorist group?

RP - Regardless of the source, the truth remains unchanged and the facts have been laid out. A country rich with energy resources -- such as Oil and Gas – it is difficult to justify the allocation of so much resources to produce nuclear energy. Our region needs to be nuclear free.

AWAA - What’s causing the White House to delay its Iran policy?

RP - We must understand that there cannot be one uniform Middle Eastern policy. What happened in Afghanistan and Iraq can not happen in Iran. There is no doubt that regime change will happen at the hands of Iranians themselves. The best support from the outside world in promoting this change is moral to our people.

AWWA - So far, the European community has continued its relations with Iran and refrained from any economic sanctions. Has this caused any dilemma for George W. Bush?

RP - I have always encouraged investment in the people without enhancing credibility of the Mullahs. So the world has to pressure the clerical regime to yield to the will of the people. It must end all human rights abuses, release all political prisoners, free the press, and respect the right of the Iranian people to establish political parties.

AWAA - The Iranian regime claims that they would not obstruct the “Road Map” or any other peace process between the Arabs & Israelis. They have supposedly released many Jewish prisoners convicted of spying for Israel, so isn't this enough for the White-house?

RP - The regime’s record lacks transparency. Thus far, such rhetoric can not be corroborated. Besides, they are still openly helping the enemies of the peace process.

AWAA - Will the regime in Iran stop helping Hezbollah in Lebanon?

RP - The goal of the Clerical regime is to promote militant Islam at any cost. Therefore, as extremists they continue to aid and assist all Islamic extremists. They continue to disregard our national interests and have neither respect for Iran’s neighbors nor any intentions for cooperation in the region. I believe the region will reach peace and stability only if the Iranian people remove the clerical regime from power. Tehran is the ultimate obstacle on this road. Every time a terrorist act is carried out, the regime’s fingerprints are not far. Their ploy is to create unrest and instability in the region, in order to divert attention from themselves. All fingers are rightfully pointed at them, and they can no longer escape attention because the world is cognizant of their intents.

http://iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news_en.pl?l=en&y=2003&m=07&d=14&a=7

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

Iran Students Seek Meeting with UN Special Rapporteur

July 14, 2003
Middle East Online
middle-east-online.com

TEHRAN - Iranian students want to meet United Nations' (UN) special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Ambeyi Ligabo, during his forthcoming visit to Iran, they said on Monday.

In a letter to the UN Commission on Human Rights the students said: "Following a letter sent by the Office to Consolidate Unity (OCU - the main student reform movement) to the UN Secretary General on human rights violations in Iran, five new members of our group have been arrested.

"We have no information about their whereabouts, nor the charges levelled against them."

In an eight-page open letter the OCU last week issued "a call for help" to Secretary General Kofi Annan and denounced "these dark days" and what they called "political and social apartheid" in Iran.

"In view of the growing pressures on the student movement, the danger of the dissolution of the OCU, the possibility that universities will be closed and the students involved expelled, we the representatives of the Islamic Associations of Students demand a meeting with the special rapporteur of the UNCHR to discuss the issue of imprisoned students," Monday's letter said.

The Islamic Associations of Students is one of the groups that come under the umbrella of the OCU.

"We are writing to you to enumerate the long list of violations against the international declaration of human rights by the Iranian government and we ask the UN to look into them," it continued.

The OCU denounced the practice of torture, the murders of intellectuals and political opponents in 1998, political arrests - particularly those of students and journalists - as well as the banning of events to mark the fourth anniversary of bloody pro-democracy student riots on July 9.

Ligabo will hold meetings with senior officials of the Iranian government and judges during his visit, from July 17 to 27, and would also like to meet representatives of the media and the universities, a UN statement announcing his trip said.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=6379

US Rebuffs Iran Offer of Nuclear Talks

July 14, 2003
The Financial Times
Guy Dinmore

Iran has indicated to the US it is ready to open direct talks about its nuclear programme, but US officials say the Bush administration is keeping the door closed.

The Iranian offer was presented as a first step towards tackling other contentious issues, such as terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Tehran's overtures have been conducted mainly through Mohammad Javad Zarif, its ambassador to the United Nations, in discussions with Americans in close contact with the Bush administration, including at least one former senior official. The Iranian leadership's readiness to open a dialogue with the US was also conveyed by Tim Guldimann, the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, in a recent visit to Washington. Switzerland represents US interests in Iran.

But although the US is actively seeking a dialogue with North Korea, a member of President George W. Bush's declared "axis of evil", and is engaged in talks with other "rogue states", such as Libya and Syria, US officials say there is little appetite for negotiations with Iran.

"We are not reaching out at this point," said a State Department official, adding that the matter was still under review.

Within the Bush administration some senior officials advocate "regime change" as its Iran policy, while a minority proposes engagement. But for now, the prevailing view is that the US has been effective in working with Europe and Japan to put economic pressure on Iran.

People in Tehran and Washington close to the Iranian government said Mr Zarif did not have the authority to propose a grand strategy of engagement with the ultimate aim of restoring diplomatic relations. But he is believed to have high-level backing for negotiations on an issue-by-issue basis, starting with the nuclear crisis.

How soon Iran can develop nuclear weapons is a question that troubles the US intelligence services. Some officials in Washington think it could take several years. But Daniel Ayalon, Israeli ambassador to Washington, says Israel has shortened its estimate.

"The point of no return - where they are on the verge or on the way to get nuclear capabilities - is much, much smaller now, could be even a matter of a year or so," he told NBC television last week.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1057562388853&p=1012571727172