Iranian Alert -- DAY 50 -- LIVE THREAD PING LIST

The Iranian Student Movement Up To The Minute Reports ^ | 7.29.2003 | DoctorZin

[DoctorZIn]

The regime is working hard to keep the news about the protest movment in Iran from being reported.

From jamming satellite broadcasts, to prohibiting news reporters from covering any demonstrations to shutting down all cell phones and even hiring foreign security to control the population, the regime is doing everything in its power to keep the popular movement from expressing its demand for an end of the regime.

These efforts by the regime, while successful in the short term, do not resolve the fundamental reasons why this regime is crumbling from within.

Iran is a country ready for a regime change. 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.

Please continue to join us here, post your news stories and comments to this thread.

Thanks for all the help.

DoctorZin

[nuconvert]

"Nattering nabobs of negativity..."

That they are.


Thanks.

Think I had a little too much coffee.

[nuconvert]

Boy, he's good!

[dixiechick2000]

LOL! Your grey matter functions very well after an OD of caffeine.

[dixiechick2000]

Yes, he is. He's my favorite neocon.;o)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for posting this!

Bush Doctrine Unfolds :

To find all articles tagged or indexed using Bush Doctrine Unfold , click below:
	click here >>>	Bush Doctrine Unfold	<<< click here
(To view all FR Bump Lists, click here)

[DoctorZIn]

Japan Officials Head to U.S. to Discuss Iran Oil

July 29, 2003
The Washington Post
Reuters

TOKYO -- Japanese officials left on Tuesday for Washington to hold energy talks with their U.S. counterparts, a month after U.S. concerns over Iran's nuclear program stalled plans by a Japanese group to develop a big Iranian oil field.

The talks are expected to provide a forum for energy-poor Japan and its most important security ally to discuss Azadegan, one of the world's biggest untapped oil fields, after a Japanese government-backed consortium missed a June 30 deadline to seal a $2 billion deal to develop its vast reserves.

"America is extremely concerned about this, so I think it will be discussed," a foreign ministry official said, adding that the main purpose of the meeting was to set up a framework for a strategic dialogue on energy between the two countries.

The United States may take the opportunity to link Japan's negotiations over Azadegan with the division of oil interests in Iraq, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said.

Japanese officials have said the consortium is unlikely to finalize the Iranian contract unless international concerns over Tehran's nuclear program are addressed, but stressed that the deal was important one for Japan.

Iran, Japan's third-largest oil supplier, said on Monday that the 300,000 barrel per day deal was on track.

The United States accuses Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons and has prohibited U.S. firms from investing in Iran, branded by Washington as part of an "axis of evil" along with communist North Korea.

Japan, in contrast, has kept friendly ties with the pro-reform government of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.

Iranian industry sources said on Monday they were confident talks with Japan would wrap up soon, paving the way for the start of development of Azadegan.

The Japanese consortium consists of trading house Tomen Corp and the government-backed Japan Petroleum Exploration Co (JAPEX) and INPEX Corp.

http://iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news_en.pl?l=en&y=2003&m=07&d=29&a=5

[DoctorZIn]

In a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, Middle East Studies Association of North America condemns attacks on university students in Iran

25 July 2003

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran

c/o H.E.Javad Zarif

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

Your Excellency:

We are contacting you to express our great concern about and strong condemnation of the violent attacks on university students, and the wide scale arrest, imprisonment, intimidation, and maltreatment of hundreds of students throughout Iran in recent weeks.

The Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) comprises 2700 academics worldwide who teach and conduct research on the Middle East and North Africa, and is the preeminent professional association in the field. The association publishes the International Journal of Middle East Studies, and is committed to ensuring respect for the principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression in the region and in connection with the study of the Middle East and North Africa in North America and elsewhere.

According to the information we have received, following some minor student protests on June 12 in Elm-o Sanaat and Shahid Beheshti Universities the dormitories of these universities were viciously attacked by bands of vigilantes in the early hours of the morning on June 12 and 14, when their residents were asleep and defenseless. The attackers broke down the doors with pick axes and sledge hammers, destroyed the personal property of the residents, and physically abused and attacked the students with knives, clubs, and chains. Subsequent to these attacks 80 students were arrested, some in the hospital where they were taken for treatment, but very few of the perpetrators of these crimes have been identified and arrested.

These attacks on the Tarasht, Shahid Beheshti, and the Tarbiat Modaress (June 17) dormitories are clearly a recurrence of the criminal attacks by vigilantes and police forces on the dormitories of the Tehran University that took place on July 9, 1999. On that occasion at least one student, Ezzat Ebrahimnejad, was killed, and several other students were maimed and seriously injured. The subsequent criminal court, in a travesty of justice, vindicated the attackers, including General Farhad Kazemi, the police commander who had led the attacks. But a number of students who were arrested in demonstrations following these events were condemned to unjustly heavy sentences. Ahmad Batebi, a student whose only crime was to have had his picture published on the cover of the ‘Economist’ magazine received a ten-year jail sentence. Other students, such as Mehrdad Lohrasbi, Akbar Mohammadi, Abbas Fakhravar, among others are still languishing in prison.

Although the police have shown greater restraint during recent events, the vigilantes and the judiciary seem to have acted with even greater impunity and disregard for laws and the civil and legal rights of the students. In reaction to these treatments student protests, sit-ins, and food strikes spread to other cities and campuses in the cities of Karaj, Ahvaz, Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, Zahedan, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Rasht, Sabzevar, Tabriz, Urumieh, Kerman, Sanadaj, and Yazd. In response to these protests 4000 people were arrested, 2000 of whom are still in prison. In Tehran at least 400 people are still under arrest, among which there are at least 66 students. These numbers do not include those students arrested under ‘political charges’, whose exact numbers and whereabouts are not known.

We are deeply disturbed that your Excellency seems to have contributed to this state of affairs. In July of 1999, you made a public announcement demanding your followers to treat students ‘with respect and kindness’, even if they insulted you in person. This commendable call to restraint was not heeded by your followers who went on a rampage without any of them being punished. During the recent confrontations you did not exercise even this minimal rhetorical tolerance and ordered your followers to treat the students and protesters “with decisiveness and without pity”. Regrettably, your disturbing statement has been widely echoed throughout the country by other officials appointed by and only accountable to yourself. These include local Friday prayer leaders, military commanders, the judiciary, the National Iranian Radio and Television, and some major newspapers, like the Kayhan Daily, all of whom have publicly called for the ‘ruthless and harsh’ treatment of student protesters.

We have received information that several prominent student activists have been violently arrested by unknown security forces operating outside the government’s jurisdiction. It is highly suspected that these rogue forces operate under the jurisdiction of the Counter-Intelligence Department of the Revolutionary Guards Corp as well as the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Judiciary Branch. Both these institutions are under your direct supervision. The government institutions legally in charge of security, which include the Intelligence and Interior Ministries, as well as the Police and the Prison Administration have declared that they have no knowledge of these arrests, or the whereabouts of the detainees. These arrests have been without the defendants being legally notified of the formal charges against them. Ali Akrami, of Amir Kabir University disappeared on June 14. Mojtaba Najafi and Morteza Safaee, student activists at Allameh Tabatabaee University, were attacked with mace spray and driven away in unmarked cars in front of their colleagues on June 16. Abdollah Momeni and Mehdi Pour-Rahim, of Elm-o Sanaat University, have disappeared on June 29. Mehdi Aminzadeh was seen being forcefully pushed into an unmarked car on June 29. Qolamreza Zarifian, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, announced on June 26 that at least 36 students in Tehran and 50 in the provinces had either disappeared or had been arrested by unknown agents. On 27 June 24 students disappeared in Tabriz.

Several other elected leaders of the main Islamic Student Association (Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat) have been arrested at gunpoint by unidentified security agents. Saeed Razavi-Faqih of Tarbiat Modaress University was arrested when leaving a meeting of the Association of Journalists on July 10. His whereabouts are unknown to this day. His lawyer has not been able to determine why he was arrested and under what conditions he is being kept. Other student leaders have been violently arrested under similar circumstances. These include Saeed Habibi, Reza Amerinasab, and Arash Hashemi (on July 10); and Ali Sadeghi, Saeed Babaei, and Amir Motamedi (on July 17) in Tehran; as well as Saeed Ardeshiri and 9 other leading activists in Kerman (July 17).

According to several reports by members of the Iranian Majlis the detained students are being subjected to lengthy interrogations and serious physical and psychological abuse and torture. Many are being kept in solitary confinement for extended periods of time, and are deprived of sleep, decent food, and proper medical care. The families of many detainees are being subjected to pressure and threats. These illegal abuses are aimed at forcing the arrested students to make false confessions about themselves and against fellow students and other political activists. The ‘Revolution Court’ seems to have emphasized this attitude when it announced on July 18 that it was releasing 14 students on parole after having posted heavy bails, because they had “honestly admitted their culpability and shown remorse by confessing they had committed these crimes under the poisonous influence of certain individuals. The students are being released after they have implicated the real culprits and the main sources of the recent conspiracies”.

Your Excellency, we would like to remind you that according to Article 22 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the life, property, and rights of individuals are inviolable. Article 23 forbids the persecution of individuals for their beliefs. Article 27 permits the free holding of public gatherings and marches provided arms are not carried. Article 38 bans all forms of torture for the purpose of extracting confessions or acquiring information. It prohibits the compulsion of individuals to testify, confess, or take an oath, states that any testimony or confession obtained under duress is devoid of value, and states that the violation of this article is a crime punishable by law. Article 39 prohibits any and all abuse of the dignity and repute of persons detained and imprisoned, and makes the violation of this article a crime punishable by law.

Furthermore, these articles correspond to legal protections enshrined in the United Nation’s Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. As a signatory to this International Covenant, Iran is obligated to respect and protect the exercise of these rights. Article 7 of the Covenant prohibits torture and inhuman treatment of the individual. Article 9 prohibits arbitrary arrest and deprivation of liberty, except under legally established procedures. Article 10 cites that anyone arrested should be treated with respect and dignity. Article 14 cites that anyone charged must be informed of the nature of the charges against him/her. Articles 18, 19, and 21, state that everyone should enjoy the freedom of thought, expression, opinion, and assembly.

We therefore urge you in the strongest terms to speak out publicly and to take all the necessary steps to ensure that these clear infringements of the legal rights of the imprisoned students are stopped, that the imprisoned students and political activists are freed immediately, and that all those guilty of violent attacks on student dormitories and gatherings, or of illegal arrest, maltreatment, and intimidation of students and the university community be identified and punished according to law.

Your Excellency, we can only persist in reminding you that these steps are critical to help prevent further deterioration of Iran’s international standing. Iran’s reputation as a country with a great tradition of learning and scholarly inquiry has suffered as a result of these most recent violations of the sanctity of the university community. We urge you to treat this situation with the urgency and the gravity that it requires.

We thank you in advance for your attention to this matter and look forward to your reply.

Yours respectfully,

Amy W. Newhall

Executive Director

cc. HE Kamal Kharrazi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, IRI

HE Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, Head of the Judiciary, IRI

HE Mohammad Khatami, President of the IRI

HE Mehdi Karoubi, Speaker of the Majlis, IRI

HE Kofi Anan, United Nations

http://www.payvand.com/news/03/jul/1192.html

[DoctorZIn]

Naji: Facing external pressure, Iranian hardliners crack down

Concern rises with U.S. troops on east and west
By Kasra Naji
CNN
Tuesday, July 29, 2003 Posted: 9:11 AM EDT (1311 GMT)

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Some 350 Iranian reformists, writers, university professors and intellectuals sent a letter to the country's all-powerful spiritual leader recently, urging him to choose democracy as a way of defending the country against U.S. threats.

"Resorting to violence, crackdowns and authoritarian methods, as we see today toward students, are not only illegal and lacking popular, religious and moral legitimacy, but will also bear no result and will only exacerbate the crisis," they said in the letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a reference to the widespread arrests of students after recent anti-government protests.

Such straight talking to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the country was unheard of a few months ago.

It is a measure of the strength of the political undercurrents in Iran. The letters are part of a debate developing in Iran about what it should do to deflect foreign threats at a time when there is deep and widespread internal discontent in the country, as well as growing opposition to the clerical leadership.

The debate has gained a new urgency with the arrival of the U.S. forces in Iraq on the western border of Iran, only a couple of years after their arrival in Afghanistan on Iran's eastern border. There is rising concern in Iran that it might be next on the U.S. target list.

Judging by the developments in the past few weeks, Iran's hardliners who control key levers of power and who have Ayatollah Khamenei as an ally have chosen to crack down on internal opponents, instead of ushering in greater democracy.

In recent weeks, in the aftermath of nearly 10 nights of pro-democracy protests by students and others, more than 4,000 people have been arrested, according to Iran's prosecutor general.

Iranian hardliners have blamed the recent pro-democracy protests on what they call hooligans and agents of the United States.

Former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has spoken about the need to watch out for "the internal cavalry of the enemy." The commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards has said that his forces will weed out all those who in his words act as "fifth column of the United States," in other words, the enemy within Iran.

Newspaper reports say more than two-dozen journalists have been arrested and others assaulted while covering the protests. Several newspapers have been closed down. Newspapers that have been allowed to publish have complained of severe pressure to censor politically sensitive stories.

Even so, reformist newspapers have reported the arrests of dissidents who have been picked up in the streets, put in cars and whisked away by plainclothes men.

The leader of the biggest reform party in the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Reza Khatami -- the brother of President Khatami -- has written to the president complaining of shadowy security services that operate outside the government, in parallel with the Intelligence Ministry. He says torture is rife in prisons where dissidents are forced to incriminate themselves.

The first-ever visit to Iran by the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion has been postponed at the last minute. Foreign Ministry spokesman said there were problems in arranging some of the meetings he had requested.

There has also been a clampdown on access to Internet sites specializing in Iranian news and political commentary. The authorities have blocked some Web sites. Newspapers have published new regulations set out by the traditionally hardline judiciary. They list 20 types of online violations, including publishing articles that insult Islamic values, Iran's leadership, top clerics, revolutionary values and the ideas of the late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

In addition, the government has stepped up jamming of several Farsi language satellite TV channels that broadcast pro-democracy messages from California -- the home to the largest exile Iranian community abroad.

U.S. authorities now say they suspect a jamming station in Cuba -- an ally of Iran -- may have been commissioned by Iran to stop the broadcasts, which encourage Iranians to rise up against their clerical leadership.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/07/29/otsc.naji/index.html

[DoctorZIn]

German Ambassador Urges Tehran, Berlin to Strengthen Ties

TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency) –
The newly appointed German ambassador to Tehran, Baron Paul Maltzahn, said the cooperation between Iran and Germany as an EU member will be will be reinforced by signing trade agreements.

"We are at the beginning of a new era of cooperation between the two states which will be reinforced by the conclusion of trade agreements between Iran and Germany," Maltzahn said.

He immediately added that his country is not subservient to the U.S. and sometimes there are differences between Berlin and Washington. Maltzahn told the Mehr News Agency that the European Union, including Germany, has always followed its own interests but sometimes the U.S. and EU interests converge but sometimes they differ.

On Iran, he said, there is differences between EU and U.S. but in some cases they share similar views.

The German ambassador described Iran as an important country in the Middle East and said Tehran and Berlin enjoy an old and deep-rooted relationship which has underwent ups and downs during the history. Both Iran and German are completely aware of their own capabilities and they also know about each others’ expectations, the ambassador noted

“We have some expectations from Iran within the EU and we hope that these expectations are fulfilled with Iranian cooperation and a mutual understanding on the part of EU,” Maltzahn said.

When asked about the future EU stance toward Iranian nuclear activities, the ambassador said the EU position is totally dependent on a report by the UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei in September.

The EU foreign ministers issued a statement in Brussels on Monday, July 21, saying that Iran should cooperate more fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and change its policy toward the Middle East peace process and develop its human rights otherwise the relations with be strained.

On the Iraq war he said Germany was strongly against the war but it could not stop it from happening.

The ambassador said EU seeks a leading role in reconstruction of Iraq but some countries within the EU including Germany and France have put some preconditions on the matter saying that they will participate only when the UN supervises the reconstruction.

Germany is the most industrialized country in Europe and it plays a leading role within the European Union.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=7/30/03&Cat=2&Num=020

[DoctorZIn]

This is not news, but I received this today and thought it might interesting reading about the former Ayatollah Khomeini...

The Most Truthful Individual in Recent History

“Do you know anyone in the entire contemporary world who has been more truthful than Khomeini?” (Kayhan newspaper, Tehran, August 27, 1981)

By Dr. Jalal Matini

Translated by Farhad Mafie
P.O. Box 51330, Irvine, CA 92619
949-851-1714
Mafie@att.net
July 25, 2003

From the Translator

For the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Dr. Jalal Matini published a series of quotes from various speeches of Imam Ayatollah Khomeini and his collaborators in the early years of the revolution. His article, “The Most Truthful Individual in Recent History,” appeared in the scholarly journal Iranshenasi (Vol. XIV, No. 4, Winter 2003),

Ayatollah Khomeini’s quotations underscore Iran’s recent history and serve as reminders for future generations. Dr. Matini’s objective is to remind his readers of Iran’s recent history. Clearly, we are a forgetful nation, and Dr. Matini forces us to remember. Excerpts from Dr. Matini’s article are translated below.

Dr. Jalal Matini (1928–), an Iranian scholar, literary critic, academic, and researcher, was the President of Ferdowsi University in Mashhad before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After the revolution, he came to the United States and was a visiting professor at the University of Utah and at the University of California, Berkeley. In the United States, Dr. Matini launched Iran Nameh, a quarterly journal devoted to Iranian politics, culture, and literature, and he served as its Editor-in-Chief for almost seven years. He later launched the journal Iranshenasi (published in Maryland). He has published and edited many books and articles on Iranian literature, history, and culture, and he now serves as Editor of Iranshenasi.

Note: Ayatollah Khomeini’s original quotations in Farsi are often awkwardly worded, poorly structured, and grammatically incorrect. Therefore, they are difficult to translate faithfully. All Translator’s comments are included either in brackets [ ] or in footnotes.

Quotes from “Imam” Khomeini BEFORE the Victory of the Revolution

“Personal desire, age, and my health do not allow me to personally have a role in running the country after the fall of the current system.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with the Associated Press, Paris, November 7, 1978)

“I have repeatedly said that neither my desire nor my age nor my position allows me to govern.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with the United Press, Paris, November 8, 1978)

“I don’t want to have the power or the government in my hand; I am not interested in personal power.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Paris, November 16, 1978)

“I don’t want to be the leader of the Islamic Republic; I don’t want to have the government or the power in my hands. I only guide the people in selecting the system.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with an Austrian TV reporter, Paris, November 16, 1978)

“It is the Iranian people who have to select their own capable and trustworthy individuals and give them the responsibilities. However, personally, I can’t accept any special role or responsibility.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with Le Journal newspaper, Paris, November 28, 1978)

“After the Shah’s departure from Iran, I will not become a president nor accept any other leadership role. Just like before, I limit my activities only to guiding and directing the people.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with Le Monde newspaper, Paris, January 9, 1979)

“The Islamic regime does not have oppression.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with France Press news agency, Paris, October 25, 1978)

“The foundation of our Islamic government is based on freedom of dialogue and will fight against any kind of censorship.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with Reuters news agency, Paris, October 26, 1978)

“In the Islamic Republic the rights of the religious minorities are respectfully regarded.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with an Austrian TV reporter, Paris, November 6, 1978)

“In Iran’s Islamic government the media has the freedom to express all Iran’s realities and events, and people have the freedom to form any form of political parties and gatherings that they like.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with the Italian newspaper Paese Sera, Paris, November 2, 1978)

“Our future society will be a free society, and all the elements of oppression, cruelty, and force will be destroyed.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel, Paris, November 7, 1978)

“In Iran’s future Islamic system everyone can express their opinion, and the Islamic government will respond to logic with logic.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with international reporters, Paris, November 9, 1978)

“We would like to run the Islamic government like Islam at its beginning, so that people know how different the Islamic democracy is from other democracies. If the people of the world know the benefits of Islam, my hope is that they all become Moslems.”
—Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with a group of young French people in Paris, November 9, 1978)

“In the Islamic government all people have complete freedom to have any kind of opinion.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with Human Rights Watch, Paris, November 10, 1978)

“My proposal for establishing an Islamic government does not mean a return to the past. I am strongly for civilization and progress.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with international reporters, Paris, January 11, 1979; also quoted in Etlaat newspaper in Iran)

“These words that you have heard regarding women in the future Islamic government are all hostile propaganda. In the Islamic Republic women have complete freedom, in their education, in everything that they do, just as men are free in everything.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with German reporters, Paris, November 12, 1978)

“Women are free in the Islamic Republic in the selection of their activities and their future and their clothing.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Paris, November 6, 1978)

“The ranking Shiite religious clergymen do not want to govern in Iran themselves.
—Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with France Press news agency, Paris, October 25, 1978)

“In Islamic Iran the clergy themselves will not govern but only observe and support the government’s leaders. The government of the country at all levels will be observed, evaluated, and publicly criticized.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in an interview with Reuters news agency, Paris, October 26, 1978)

Quotes from “Imam” AFTER the Victory of the Revolution

“This nation exists and clerics exist too. You all must know that in every place in this country only clerics can get the job done. Don’t show so much prejudice that you want to put the clerics aside. What have you done for your country in all these years that now you’re saying clerics should not be in charge? Appreciate these clerics. You do not understand correctly! If you put this group aside, no name or sign of Islam will remain. Imagine one cleric has done something wrong somewhere. Why can you do something wrong and some cleric cannot do anything wrong?” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with the Islamic Parliament, Jamaran, Teheran, May 27,1981)

“Don’t listen to those who speak of democracy. They all are against Islam. They want to take the nation away from its mission. We will break all the poison pens of those who speak of nationalism, democracy, and such things.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with Iranian students and educators, Qom, March 13, 1979)

“That group that due to its opposition to Islam is opposing us, with the same fist that we destroyed the regime we will destroy that group as well. Pay attention to your statements. Repent from your writings. I am warning you that you still have time to repent.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a talk at the Fayzieah School, Qom, June 5, 1979)

“The intellectuals, the writers, those who have information and thoughts, you see some of them take their pens and in the name of democracy they write whatever they want and they cause disagreements. This group of so-called intellectuals has to correct themselves. Whatever we are suffering is from this group of intellectuals and judges. What we are suffering is because of them. —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a talk in Qom, July 23, 1979)

“We have to warn these intellectuals that if they don’t stop their meddling, they will be crushed. We have treated you gently so that maybe you would stop your evilness, and if you don’t stop, we will have the last word. These American sympathizers and others must know that in just a few hours we can throw them in the trashcan of annihilation any day that we wish to do so.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a talk to the Iranian people, August 8, 1979)

“Those who create political fronts must stop their activities. If from the beginning, as in other revolutions in the world, several thousand of these corrupt individuals had been burned and beheaded till the issues were finished, problems would have been solved. We will allow one or more parties to operate if they operate correctly. But we announce that the rest are forbidden. We will no longer allow the same freedom that we used to give, and we cannot allow these parties to continue their activities. According to religious law, we can’t give them a grace period. Canonically, it is not correct to give a grace period. We made mistakes when we gave freedom; we can’t treat these wild animals gently. We will no longer allow any of their writings to be distributed in the country. We will destroy all their writings. We have to deal with them harshly, and we will deal with them harshly. —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with selected Members of Congress, Qom, August 18, 1979)

“After the revolution the borders were left open. Pens were free, expression was free, political parties were free. Even if these people are not Moslems, it was assumed that at least they are human. But it is clear now that they are foreign puppets. For us the identity of these writers, the identity of these political parties, the identity of these nice and meaningless phrases are now very clear. We will no longer give freedom. These people are not the type who will stop their activities just from advice. We have to deal with them harshly. —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a talk at the Fayzieah School, Qom, August 19, 1979)

“Those who are trying to bring corruption and destruction to our country in the name of democracy will be oppressed. They are worse than Bani-Ghorizeh Jews, and they must be hanged. We will oppress them by God’s order and God’s call to prayer.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a talk at the Fayzieah School, Qom, August 30, 1979)

“Those who have not voted for the Islamic Republic, it means that they want the previous system. Those who boycott the election so no one votes for the Islamic Republic are seditious. We will treat them like enemies, and we will oppress them. You are enemies that you want to cause trouble. You are enemies that you are conspiring against Islam and against the country. Your comings and goings are controlled. We have been informed that you are in contact with those who want to bring our country back to its previous system. Now that your conspiracy has been proven, we will destroy you all. If you don’t stop your evilness, we will mobilize an even higher mobilization, and we will clean out all of you. We will not allow you groups of corrupt people to remain and continue your activities. —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a message at the end of the month-long Islamic fasting celebration, September 3, 1979)

“These rotten roots that are now at work will be oppressed, and the country will be cleaned up. After he encountered the Moavieh army, which were even worse than the infidels, and he encountered the khavareg , his Excellency the Imam Ali, the Chief of the Faithful, acted very harshly and destroyed them to the extent that only a few were able to escape.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a speech to the families of Iranian Air Force pilots, Qom, September 2, 1979)

“The day of the khavareg [“outsiders”] is the day that his Excellency the Imam Ali, the Chief of the Faithful, pulled out his sword and cut all these corrupt people just like cancer tumors and killed them all. That day was “Yom-ol lah,” the day that God punishes nations by bringing earthquakes on them, bringing floods, bringing storms, and slashing people till they become human. These all are God’s day [sic], and these things are related to God.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in memory of the martyrs of the 17th of Shahriver [September 8th], Qom, September 8, 1979)

“Do not interrupt the activities. You all have to obey the Islamic Republic. And if you don’t, you all will vanish.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a speech to Iranian Air Force officers, Isfahan, September 19, 1979)

“Those who are against us are like cancer tumors that need to be removed surgically; otherwise they will corrupt everything.”
“These writings, these speeches, these wrong activities, these democratic programs are separations from Islam. All these voices are blasphemy and are atheistic.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a talk to the Representatives from Tabriz, Qom, September 19, 1979)

“We have to identify those who are not in line with Islam and the Islamic movement by their articles, speeches, and activities. You the clergy, thank God, who have control over the Islamic nation [referring to the Iranian people] have to warn people of the devils who arrange gatherings and lectures. They are all afraid of one thing, which is Islam. They might criticize many things, but the key point is that they are attacking Islam itself. Their pens are the same old bayonets that have become like pens … [sic]. They all have to understand that as long as there is a pulpit and an altar, and as long as these homily readers [that is, Mullahs] exist, they cannot do anything. To all of you who oppose us, I recommend that you don’t gather so much, don’t send so many fliers, don’t publish so much; have you now become brave enough to stick out your neck? I will slap you on your mouth. You think that you have power? Stop all these words and all this gibberish.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (to a group of clergymen, Qom, October 22, 1979)

“In the revolution that was achieved in Iran, people were screaming that they wanted Islam; these people did not rise up so their country could have democracy.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with the Islamic Republic Television and Radio Committee, Qom, December 10, 1979)

“These criminals that have been arrested are not accused, but their crimes have been proven. We only have to prove their identity and then kill them all. There is absolutely no need for a trial. No compassion for them will be allowed. We believe that the guilty party does not need a trial and must be killed.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a message to the Iranian people, June 30, 1980)

“People have to learn from the mother who brought her own son to court and then her son was hanged. This is one of the paradigms of Islam, that everyone has to be the same. Children, brothers, kids—if they do not accept advice, introduce them to government officials so that they can receive their punishment … this is their Islamic responsibility and their faith responsibility. This must be done.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with Islamic Republic police officers, July 24, 1981)

“This job that you have accomplished, Oh you, woman, that you brought and gave away your son for punishment has become a paradigm in Islam. This is something that everyone must do. It is the responsibility of all Moslems to do the same.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with the mother of Mahmoud Tarighol-Islam to announce her as an exemplary mother, Jamaran, August 26, 1981)

“Iran is following a program, and that program is Islam. The same Islam that says if somebody has an association with left or right, that individual is fighting God. He has the intention of fighting God, and his punishment is the punishment that people fighting God will receive. —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with coaches and educators, Jamaran, September 19, 1982)

“Dear students, you must watch the behavior and the activities of your teachers and professors so that if, God forbid, they say something wrong, you see them deviating, right away you must report them to the responsible officials. Teachers and professors, you must be alert to watch your own colleagues to see if some of them are trying to teach deviating thoughts during their lessons to the children of our Islamic nation so that they can be stopped. If this does not work, directly communicate with officials. My dear children, you too take care of one another in the best possible way, and if you observe that some enemies in the appearance of friends or schoolmates are trying to attract your friends, introduce them to the responsible officials, and try to do all these things very secretly. Committed mothers and fathers, watch the comings and goings of your children and observe their activities.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a message on the first day of the school year, Qom, September 23, 1982)

Selected “Imam” Khomeini Aphorisms

“When human rights came, they saw our jails, they left, and they said: ‘Jails are good. Civilized, in accordance with democratic [sic], because the logic is Islamic logic.”
—Ayatollah Khomeini (Qom, August 19, 1979)

“In the world there is no democracy better than our democracy. Such a thing has never before been seen.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a statement to the Minister of Finance, Qom, June 23, 1979)

“Our nation has become a model for all countries.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with the families of Iranian Air Force martyrs, Qom, December 29, 1980)

“We would like to have a university in the service of our own nation, not a university whose slogan is that we want a civilized and modern Iran, that wants to move toward a great civilization. These things will make our universities dependent on outsiders. We are against those universities from the foundation. We want university professors who are not facing left or right. They should not be Atatürk or Taghizadeh. —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with Members of the Islamic Society and Jahad Daneshgahi, University of Science and Industry, Qom, August 26, 1981)

“In history, revolutions similar to Iran’s revolution are achieved only with the help of messengers of God.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with the Rajai and Bahonar families, Jamaran, Tehran, September 2, 1981)

“A monopoly by itself is not a corrupt thing. God’s messengers had a monopoly; the blessed and supreme God also had a monopoly. The monopoly of this [sic] is correct. The monopoly of Mr. Beheshti and these seventy innocent martyrs is very much correct.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a message to the Central Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran Party, Jamaran, Tehran, September 7, 1981)

“The Iranian people have created calmness in the entire country now.”
“I recommend that you continue your good treatment of the prisoners.”
—Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with the Rajai and Bahonar families, Jamaran, Tehran, September 2, 1981)

“In the last two years, so much has been accomplished in our country that it cannot be believed.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (Jamaran, Teheran, February 16, 1982)

“Whatever problems we have are from the past regime. Thank God, the current regime has not caused you any problem. Those who travel outside, wherever they go, when they return they say that all nations are in love with Iran.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with coaches and educators, September 19, 1982)

“Today our women are so immersed in God’s blessings that there is no limit. Maybe they are not recognizing the great blessings of God.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a New Year’s message, March 21, 1983)

“Those who give their entire attention to animal husbandry cannot become human, and those who give their entire attention to horticulture cannot become human.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with Islamic officials during the New Year’s ceremony, Jamaran, Tehran, March 21, 1983)

“We don’t have the power to statistically measure what has happened in our country in the last few years. The nation has to be thankful to the government for this.”
“If these superpowers want to attack us, we won’t allow them to land their airplanes! We will kill their paratroopers in midair, and we will destroy them. Do you think they can attack here?” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with members of the Islamic Revolution Central Committees during the New Year’s ceremony, Jamaran, Tehran, April 10, 1983)

“The Great God has given His gifts to you, and if you are not thankful of your current conditions, I am afraid of Almighty God’s wrath toward you, and then, God forbid, everyone will burn, both dry and wet [that is, both the innocent and the guilty], and there will no path to escape for any of you. —Ayatollah Khomeini (message on the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic, April 1, 1983)

“They keep saying there is inflation. There is shortage. We put ourselves, our principles, and our Islam in danger because meat is expensive, fruit is expensive, and people are unhappy, and God forbid, our unity will be destroyed, and all of our principles and hard work that the prophets have done for Islam will disappear. Become human a little bit.”
—Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with the Minister of the Interior and his staff, April 10, 1983)

Imam Zaman in Service to the Islamic Republic of Iran

"When we compare our country with all the countries in the world, which one is more stable than our country? It is complete in every aspect. It is good in all aspects. Currently, it is the most stable country. These explosions and these things are reasons for its stability. Is there anything wrong with its government? Thank God, everything is abundantly available. Of course, prices are high. But why should we worry? The owner of this country is the Imam Zaman.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with Members of Congress of the Islamic government, September 7, 1981)

"You are now under the protection of God and the Imam Zaman. They protect you personally; a letter listing all your activities is being sent to Imam Zaman on a regular basis.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a meeting with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, January 24, 1982)

"There is a difference between those who fight with the confidence that Imam Zaman is their leader and those who have the retarded Saddam as their leader.” —Ayatollah Khomeini (in a message on Islamic Republic Army Day, April 18, 1982)

“Someone who has recently returned from the front lines … told me that Saddam’s army was shooting its most modern missiles toward Khark, but as if a hand were throwing these missiles in the water or in the desert, the missiles were brought down to the desert ground, and even when a missile would hit a gas tank, it would come out from the other side with no explosion, and this is the time that humans realize and touch the existence of the merciful and blessed Lord of Time.” —Nategh-e Nouri, Minister of the Islamic government, and Presidential candidate (during the Friday prayer, November 5, 1982)

“All the other soldiers in their foxholes had been killed by the enemy’s bullets. So I prepared myself to become a martyr, but suddenly at that time I saw a young man with a green scarf jump into my foxhole and hold his hand in front of all the bullets until the shooting was over. I tried to ask him who he was, but suddenly he left and said only, ‘Once you visit Imam Khomeini, send him my regards.’ When I returned to Teheran to give a report to Imam Khomeini regarding my activities on the frontline, I forgot the event in my foxhole. When I asked for permission to leave his presence, Imam Khomeini said with a smile, ‘Don’t you have a message for me?’ Curious, I said, ‘No.’ Imam Khomeini asked me, ‘How about from the man in your foxhole the other day?’ Still curious, I replied, ‘Who was he?’ Imam Khomeini said, ‘How did you not understand? He was the Lord of Time, Imam Zaman.’ ” —Saaf magazine, September 16, 1982

Farhad Mafie
Irvine, CA
Copyright © 2003 by Farhad Mafie. All rights reserved. Any reprint of this article must bear this notice. For information, contact Farhad Mafie at Mafie@att.net or at (949) 851-1714.

[nuconvert]

Sorry. This is propaganda for a brutal man.

[DoctorZIn]

Of course he was a brutal man.
But you don't often get a chance to read his statements and how he contradicts himself.
It is good to know your enemy.

[DoctorZIn]

The BBC is publishing this as a 4 part series. Guess what their conclusion is. -- DoctorZIn

US sets sights on Iran

By Roger Hardy
BBC Middle East analyst 7.29.2003

In the first piece in a special four-part series on the United States and Iran, Roger Hardy looks at the debate in Washington over how to deal with the Islamic regime.

The Bush administration has been piling up the pressure on the mullahs who rule Iran - accusing them of sponsoring terrorism, developing weapons of mass destruction and denying freedom to their people.

But does the United States favour a change in the regime's behaviour - or a change of regime?

There has been a distinct toughening of the US administration's attitude to Iran ever since President George W Bush famously declared it part of an "axis of evil" 18 months ago.

In the eyes of this administration, the Iran of the ayatollahs - like North Korea and Saddam Hussein's Iraq - is guilty of two main things, which in Washington's view are interrelated - supporting terrorism and developing weapons of mass destruction.

And it's above all the recent evidence about Tehran's nuclear programme which has made Iran a hot issue in US policy-making circles.

Nuclear programme

Michael Eisenstadt is a military expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, an influential think-tank:

"This has been a major issue for US policy-makers for at least the last decade. However, recent revelations - prompted by leaks by an Iranian opposition group, which were then confirmed by the US Government - have led people to conclude that Iran is a lot further along on its nuclear programme than previously believed.

"Some people believe that perhaps within two or three years the Iranians might have enough fissile material to produce their first bomb. On the other hand, there are US Government estimates which say that we're talking about a timeframe toward the end of the decade," he says.

So it's not clear exactly when the programme might bear fruit. What is clear is that if the programme is to be stopped, action has to be taken now," he says.

But what action? The administration is sharply divided between the so-called "realists" - who favour using concerted diplomatic pressure on Iran - and the hard-liners, known as "neo-conservatives" or "neo-cons", who favour "regime change".

One of the well-known neo-cons is Joshua Muravchik of the right-wing think-tank, the American Enterprise Institute.

He links the need for democratic change - not only in Iran but throughout the Middle East - directly to the 11 September attacks against New York and Washington.

"I think that what hit home to Americans at 9/11 was that we have to, not just retaliate, but really try to defuse this threat. And I think that the terrorism - Middle Eastern terrorism - comes out of a poisoned political culture," he says.

'Replace tyrannies'

For the neo-cons, the tyrannies of the Middle East must be replaced with democracies, preferably by peaceful means - but they don't rule out the use of force.

The first phase in this process was the toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq. But - as Judith Yaphe of Washington's National Defense University explains - the neo-con agenda extends well beyond Baghdad:

"I think that Iran, yes, is clearly the target that many of the neo-cons have in mind. First we're going to do Iraq - and then there's Iran, and there's Syria.

"But on that list also is Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states and ultimately even Egypt. All of the map of the Middle East was to be re-made in the shape of what Iraq would be - ie democratic," she says.

"Well, Iraq isn't going to be what they would like it to be, at least for quite a long time. Does that change their perspective? I don't think they always have a strong sense of reality," she says.

Unresolved debate

The debate between the realists and the neo-cons is often fierce, and it's unresolved.

The result is that the administration speaks with different voices.

The neo-cons are pleased when President Bush speaks out - as he has repeatedly - in support of Iranian students demonstrating for greater freedom.

In contrast, the realists applauded when Secretary of State Colin Powell recently said the factional fight in Iran - between reformists and conservatives - was a family quarrel in which America should not intervene.

George Perkovich of the liberal think-tank, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, believes there is a fundamental contradiction in policy-making.

"There are people who say, 'Let's try to make an arrangement, get a deal with the Iranian Government to stop its nuclear programme, give up these facilities that concern us - and we'll probably have to reassure them in various ways in order to get that arrangement'," he explains.

"There's another group in the administration which says, 'No, we don't deal with satanic regimes. The government of Iran is evil - we don't deal with them. We don't negotiate with them, we don't offer them anything. We want them to leave.'

"And so that conflict - between dealing with these people and saying 'No, they should just leave, there should be regime change' - makes US policy incoherent," he says.

One of the issues on which the two groups fail to see eye to eye is the question of how durable the current Iranian regime is - and what the alternatives to it might be.

On Thursday, our correspondent examines the prospects for regime change in Iran - and what role the US might play.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3106771.stm

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

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The BBC is truly a traitorous organization!

[Angelus Errare]

I think that the BBC's feud with Blair has forced them to become more and more radicalized via the seige mentality and gradually abandon any pretentions it had towards objectivity. The article, for example, fails to mention the recent death of a Canadian journalist at the hands of the ayatollahs' lapdogs.

And while the Iranian nuclear program is mentioned, the fact that Saif al-Adel ordered the Riyadh bombings from Zabul or that credible reports that Saad bin Laden was sighted in Tehran in February 2003 have surfaced have not. Why? Because that might harm the BBC's anti-American agenda.

I wonder if they'll be interviewing anyone from CA on the tyrannical nature of the Islamic Republic? Somehow the Beeb forgot to head down to Little Havana during their recent lovefest for Castro.

[F14 Pilot]

Plus money, You can mention the continuous flow of the high-educated immigrant from Iran to Canada.
They don't want to miss the chance. Many Iranian flee the country and choose Canada to live. They are educated, true and honest people and don't wanna live inside Iran.
Therefore, Canadian Govt. won't let the chance go.
The Iran-Canada trading stats show annual exchange of around US $ 750 Milion.

[F14 Pilot]

Re # 30-32
DrZI, I agree.
You can compare Stalin or Hitler with Khomeini.
There are no differences.

[F14 Pilot]

Israel Tells U.S. That Iran Is Growing Threat
Tue July 29, 2003 08:10 PM ET

By Adam Entous

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli officials told the Bush administration there was growing evidence that Iran was stepping up support for Palestinian militants following the war in Iraq, people close to the discussions said on Tuesday.

Israeli officials also told Washington that Tehran was accelerating efforts to develop nuclear weapons that could strike the Jewish state and other U.S. allies in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon raised the issues during his White House meeting with President Bush, who warned a week earlier that Iran and Syria would be "held accountable" if they supported terrorism.

"There are concerns both in Jerusalem and in Washington," one official said.

Israeli officials say new intelligence points to Iran filling the void left by Iraq in supporting militant groups including Hamas and Hizbollah, and that Tehran was actively trying to undercut a month-old cease-fire.

"It must be made clear to these countries that their evil deeds cannot continue," Sharon said at a joint news conference with Bush.

Bush did not mention Iran or Syria, but National Security Council spokesman Sean McCormack said: "Both Iran and Syria need to make a fundamental choice about the war on terrorism and to stop harboring and supporting terrorists and terrorist networks."

In building support for the war in Iraq, Bush cited Saddam Hussein's support for Palestinian militants.

Israeli officials say new intelligence suggests that Iran was offering $50,000 to the families of suicide bombers -- double the amount paid by the Iraqi president when he was in power.

"We also know specifically of Iranian involvement, through Hizbollah and other groups, to undermine (Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas) and to encourage terrorism... and undermine the cease-fire," said one Israeli official involved in the talks.

Bush met with Abbas at the White House last week.

The United States has accused Iran of harboring members of the al Qaeda network blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

U.S. officials have not ruled out military action to stop Tehran from making nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and denies the terrorism charge.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=3182526

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for your posts, especially #38. It doesn't surprise me at all.

[F14 Pilot]

You are welcome!