Iranian Alert -- January 10, 2004 -- IRAN LIVE THREAD --Americans for Regime Change in Iran

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.

Iranians Can't Import Booze, But Iraqis are Happy to Help

January 10, 2004
The Associated Press
St. Petersburg Times

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq - Just east of here, where the towering peaks of the Zagros mountains mark the border with Iran, a single product dominates the Iraqi exports hauled across the frontier by pack mule and tractor-trailer.

That product is liquor: from well-known Western brands of bourbon and Scotch whisky to various types of vodka, gin and anise-flavored arak.

Iraq's booming liquor trade with Iran is a consequence of the divergence between the two countries' laws. Alcohol is banned in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is perfectly legal in secular Iraq, even if most Iraqis avoid it for religious reasons.

Not only is liquor legal in Iraq, it is untaxed and cheap. Stores sell liter bottles of Johnny Walker Red Label for $10. In Iran, the same bottle commands at least five times the price, people here say.

"A tractor-trailer load of Jack Daniels is worth a few million dollars on the other side," said Staff Sgt. David Spence-Sales, 34, of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division. "It's illegal to bring alcohol into Iran but it's not illegal to ship it out of Iraq."

The penalty for sale or consumption of alcohol in Iran is a fine or flogging, or both.

Iranian citizens who are Armenian Christians are legally allowed to make their own wine for church services and spirits for personal consumption.

The arbitrage keeps afloat a plethora of liquor stores in Sulaimaniyah, the largest city in the Kurdish lands of northeastern Iraq and a center of trade with Iran.

Spence-Sales, whose long-range surveillance unit has trained several groups of Iraqi border police, says Iraqi customs officers simply wave the trucks through the main border post near the town of Penjwin, despite knowing the trucks ferry goods banned across the line.

At least a few of the 100 to 200 trucks that cross into Iran at Penjwin each day are laden with liquor, said Sgt. Louis Gitlin of Wasilla, Alaska. Across the border, truckers pay bribes to see the loads through Iranian customs.

"They'll pick a small border site and pay the Iranians $20, and they'll leave it open all day," said Spence-Sales, a Canadian from Toronto. "It's big money over there."

"Everybody gets his little piece," Gitlin said.

At a staging point trains near the border, a group of smugglers loaded crates of vodka, whiskey and gin onto a dozen pack horses destined for a rocky trail that leads into Iran. The smugglers, all ethnic Kurds, said the smuggling is made easier because Kurds, who dominate the population on both sides of the border, are able to move back and forth with ease.

Besides liquor, Iraqi exports to Iran include cigarettes, televisions, vacuum cleaners, scrap metal and heavy machinery, as well as subsistence food such as rice and beans, the soldiers said. But liquor is the most lucrative, Spence-Sales said.

Six U.S. military surveillance units and 870 Iraqi border police officers - most of them ex-Kurdish independence fighters - patrol the 434 miles of border between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran.

"They call us infidels for our loose moral standards," Spence-Sales said. "But they live just like everyone else. You have to balance the rhetoric with what really happens."

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/01/10/Worldandnation/Iranians_can_t_import.shtml

Jailed Iranian Journalists Start the New Year in Harsh Prison Conditions

January 09, 2004
Reporters Without Borders
RSF

Reporters Without Borders has expressed its indignation at the prison conditions of 11 Iranian journalists, most of them ill and in a very physically and psychologically weakened state. The international press freedom organisation renews its objections to their often-arbitrary detention and calls for their release.

"It is completely unacceptable for journalists like Siamak Pourzand, who is sick and 74-years old, to still be held in solitary confinement," said Robert Ménard, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders."The same goes for Ali-Reza Jabari, 60, who is suffering from heart problems and has even received 253 lashes. The journalists' families are not even allowed to bring warm clothing to the sick prisoners.". Ménard added that Reporters Without Borders remained very concerned by the cases of Taghi Rahmani, Reza Alijani and Hoda Saber, whose legal position was unclear at the least and for whom the legal period of being held in custody had long ago passed.

Information about the 11 jailed journalists :

Siamak Pourzand, freelance journalist for several independent newspapers, sentenced to eight years in prison, has been jailed since November 2000. This 74-year-old has been put under heavy psychological pressure and has been tortured during interrogation. In an open letter his wife said, "He is held in solitary confinement in the basement of Evin Jail. According to a diagnosis given on 30 July 2003 at the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Teheran he is suffering from an arthritic neck and worrying disc problems that will require an operation. He is unable to walk and to attend to his daily needs".

Ali-Reza Jabari, journalist with the monthly Adineh, jailed since 17 March 2003, was sentenced to three years in prison and 253 lashes. At over 60 years old, Ali-Reza Jabari has heart problems. Held in a cell with common-law prisoners, he has been treated even worse since a letter detailing his prison conditions was published on an Internet site. The prison authorities refuse to allow his wife to bring him warm clothing.

Hassan Youssefi Eshkevari, journalist for Iran-e-Farda, sentenced to seven years in prison, has been jailed since 5 August 2000. Diabetic and insulin-dependent and suffering from bleeding from his eyes, he was given a temporary release to seek medical treatment but his doctors say he urgently needs intensive care outside of prison.

Akbar Ganji, journalist with the daily Sobh-e-Emouz, sentenced to six years in prison, has been jailed since 2 April 2000. Suffering from an acute throat disorder, he was allowed a 10-day pass for treatment but doctors believe he needs an urgent operation.

Iraj Jamshidi, editor in chief of the financial daily Asia, held in detention since 6 July 2003, has still not been tried. On the eve of a visit from the UN special rapporteur, Ambeyi Ligabo, he was transferred from his isolation cell to a dormitory. Since then he has been returned to the basement of Evin Jail. He has been allowed only one visit, coinciding with Ligabo's trip.

Ali-Reza Ahmadi, also of Asia, jailed since 29 July 2003, and still remanded in custody.

Hossein Ghazian, journalist with the daily Norouz, sentenced to four and a half years in prison and jailed since 31 October 2002.

Abbas Abdi, of the daily Salam, sentenced to four and a half years in prison and held since 4 November 2002.

Taghi Rahmani, of Omid-e-Zangan, imprisoned since 14 June 2003, for no official reason, has been held in solitary confinement for nearly two months and has not been allowed to receive any visitors since 6 December. He was reportedly sentenced on appeal, in another case, to 13 years in jail.

Reza Alijani, editor in chief of Iran-e-Farda and laureate of the Reporters Without Borders-Fondation de France press freedom prize, imprisoned since 14 June 2003, for no official reason, held in solitary confinement for nearly two months and not allowed any visitors since 6 December. He was reportedly sentenced on appeal in another case to six years in prison.

Hoda Saber, managing editor of Iran-e-Farda, also held since 14 June 2003. He was reportedly sentence on appeal in another case to ten years in prison.

The Association for the Defence of Prisoners' Rights, set up at the end of December by the journalist Emadoldin Baghi (given a one-year suspended jail sentence on 4 December) and human rights activist, on 6 December 2003 released a statement in Teheran condemning the situation of Iran's jailed journalists.

A petition signed by more than 1,000 university students and professors was published and addressed to the 'Iranian people' on 5 January 2004, calling for the release of Taghi Rahmani, Reza Alijani and Hoda Saber whom it said had been "illegally and unfairly arrested".

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9005

Powell sees chances for dialogue with Iran

By Reuters
1.10.2004

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Friday the Bam earthquake had opened up some opportunities for dialogue between the United States and Iran even though there was no reason to expect a quick political rapprochement

In his comments to Arab television network Abu Dhabi TV, Powell went further than other U.S. officials over the last few days in raising the possibility of a dialogue between the long-time adversaries.

"It showed that in a crisis like that we could cooperate, and maybe that will lead to other areas of cooperation. But we should not think that just because of this humanitarian rapprochement it immediately leads to a political rapprochement," Powell said according to a transcript of the interview released by the State Department.

"But I think it has opened up some opportunities for dialogue with Iran," the top U.S. diplomat added.

In the aftermath of the December 26 disaster that killed more than 30,000 people in the city of Bam, the U.S. relief efforts seemed to have prompted something of a thaw in relations between Washington and the Islamic state.

But when Iran rejected a U.S. proposal to also send a high-level humanitarian mission, including Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a former head of the American Red Cross, the chances of further contacts appeared to cool.

Amid mixed messages from Tehran, Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi on Thursday again raised hopes for fresh contacts saying the government was willing to resume dialogue with the United States, provided the talks were based on mutual respect.

While adopting a softer tone since the earthquake both Tehran and Washington have set pre-conditions for improving relations, which have been formally broken for more than two decades.

Washington wants Tehran to hand over detained al Qaeda suspects, abandon its nuclear program and stop backing Palestinian militant groups that attack Israel.

Iran has called on Washington to lift economic sanctions imposed in 1995, which among other things prevent U.S. companies from investing in OPEC's second largest oil producer or trading in Iranian oil.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=381443&contrassID=1&subContrassID=8&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

Iran reformists react to GC's illegal invalidations

Saturday, January 10, 2004 - ©2003 IranMania.com

TEHRAN, Jan 10 (IranMania) – With Iran’s much anticipated February Parliamentary elections approaching, all the candidates affiliated to the Freedom Movement, the majority of the reformist figures and the national-religious party aspirants have been ruled out by Iran’s hardline Guardian Council.

The Spokesman of the central supervisory board, Mohammad Jahromi said that so far almost 30% of the candidates have been ‘invalidated’.

Many political activists believe that such an act by the Guardian Council is in violation of the elections laws and the ratifications of the Expediency Council and the reformists have announced that they will categorically react to “these illegal invalidations”.

Some political activists and MPs have commented on the issue. Mohsen Armin, an MP in Tehran says that once it is proved that the supervisory boards have acted under the influence of extremist anti-reformist elements, Iranians “would firmly stand in their way in order not to give them a chance of creating tension in the country.” He emphasized that the reformists will never abandon their rights.

Armin believes that by banning candidates, the hardliners intend to provoke the reformists so that they can gain certain political advantages over the issue.

According to the Secretary General of the Freedom Movement, Ibrahim Yazdi the best reaction to the illegal invalidations is to avoid taking part in the elections.

“Despite its so-called investigations, the Guardian Council is not capable of deciding on the fate of 8,000 election aspirants and therefore having its own objectives in mind, it only rules out certain prominent figures. I think even those who have been approved of have to boycott the elections.” Yazdi says.

Hadi Ghabel, Member of the Participation Front thinks that if the elections are not to be fair and free, they should not take part in the event, for they do not intend to set the scene for the hardliners to win the seats. He blames the administration and the Ministry of Interior for the chaos.

Tehran’s MP, Elaheh Koulaei says that all reformists have to unanimously counter these illegal decisions. She described the 7th parliament as a big challenge and emphasized that the 6th parliament will defend the rights of citizens tooth and nail.

Emad-al-Din Baghi, Iranian historian and former jailed editor believes that in the past 25 years the Supervision Board (which authorizes the Guardian Council to rule out candidates before giving the citizens a chance to vote for them) has never helped the formation of a unified parliament.

“The only fruit of the 6th parliament was that it showed the Guardian Council’s ability in paralyzing the will of a nation in moving toward reforms.” he said.

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=21499&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs

Note: 95% of the Bills introduced by 6th parliament (majlis) were veto'd by the GC these bills included more press freedom, legalization of satellite dishes, push for equality on womans rights, privization of economy, foreign investment, ties with US, and finally getting rid of the GC.

The only bill that was passed of importance was equality of 'blood money' for Christians, Zoroastrians, and Jews. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Imam Khomeini" airport to open in February

Saturday, January 10, 2004 - ©2003 IranMania.com

TEHRAN, Jan 9 (Iran Daily) - The Minister of Road and Transportation Ahmad Khorram said that Imam Khomeini International Airport will handle all international flights once it becomes operational in February.

He added that Mehrabad International Airport will continue to serve passengers on domestic routes as well as those going on pilgrimage to Syria and Saudi Arabia. The minister further told reporters that Mehrabad Airport will provide better facilities for the pilgrims.

He stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran's Airlines and the Saudi Airlines will transport over 96,000 Iranian Hajj pilgrims from Tehran, Mashhad, Sari, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz, Kerman, Ahvaz, Yazd, Zahedan, Rasht, Kermanshah, Orumiyeh, Bandar Abbas and Bushehr to the holy cities of Jeddah and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Khorram also said that financial ambiguities concerning the results of last year's tender for privatizing Shahid Rajaei Container Port are the main reason for the ministry's failure to make any specific announcements to this effect.

"This is a legal tender but the Ports and Shipping Organization is not quite sure about the figures," he maintained, declining to confirm reports that the tender has been annulled.

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=21487&NewsKind=Business%20%26%20Economy

My friend jokingly told me about turning his grave into a nightclub with regime change.

No Plans to Start Talks with US, says Iran FM

January 11, 2004
Reuters
The Peninsula

TEHRAN -- Iran said yesterday it had no plans to start talks with its long-time adversary the United States, and that US policy towards the Islamic Republic must change.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Friday Iran’s acceptance of US aid after the Bam earthquake had opened up opportunities for dialogue between the foes although there was no reason to expect a quick political rapprochement.

“Now there is no plan for starting negotiations,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi. “US policy towards Iran must change, getting rid of its hostile atmosphere.”

“We have said that it is important for the negotiations between the countries to be based on mutual respect and to take place on an equal footing,” he added.

In the aftermath of the December 26 earthquake in the city of Bam that killed more than 30,000 people, the US relief effort was seen as prompting moves towards improved relations between Washington and Tehran.

Washington broke ties with Iran shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution when radical students stormed the US embassy in Tehran and held 52 hostages for 444 days.

The United States has accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, of supporting anti-Israeli Islamic militants and of fomenting violence in Iraq. US President George W Bush said it was part of an “axis of evil” along with North Korea and Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

Iranians widely term the United States “The Great Satan” and President Mohammad Khatami was quoted in the hardline Jomhuri-ye Eslami daily on Wednesday as saying it was an “enemy” and “unreliable”.

Iran has called on Washington to lift sanctions imposed in 1995, which among other things prevent US companies from investing in OPEC’s second-largest producer or trading in Iranian oil.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Gulf%2C+Middle+East+%26+Africa&month=January2004&file=World_News200401114105.xml

MAJORITY OF CANDIDATES OPPOSED TO THEOCRACY REJECTED

TEHRAN, 9 Jan. (IPS)

A majority of candidates running for the next Majles (parliament) elections have been invalidated because of their rejection of the very fundaments of the present theocratic Constitution, according to a statement released Friday by the leader-controlled Council of the Guardians (CG).

Based on results obtained from the various examining bodies, including the Intelligence Ministry, the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the Law Enforcement Forces and the Interior Ministry, 54.5 per cent out of the 8.146 candidates that have registered so far have been rejected by the Council of the Guardians because they either "do not believe in Islamic principles (13.8%); do not believe in the fundaments of a religious governance (14.5%) or do not agree with the Constitution (16.5%).

Another 32 per cent of the runners have been rejected because of "financial and moral corruption or bad antecedents", the pro-conservative "Baztab" internet newspaper said without explaining, quoting the regime’s powerful but controversial 12-members Council of the Guardians that vets all candidates to all elections in the Islamic Republic.

"The result confirms the growing trend pointing to the majority of Iranians being divorced with the religion, opposed to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic and supporting s parliamentary system based on secularism", one Iranian scholar teaching at Tehran University told Iran Press Service on condition of anonymity.

According to Baztab, an internet website belonging to Mr. Mohsen Reza’i, the Secretary of the Expediency Council, some leading reformist figures like Dr. Mohammad Reza Khatami, the younger brother of the powerless President Mohammad Khatami who is both the leader of the Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF) and vice-Speaker, Mr. Mohsen Armin and Mr. Behzad Nabavi, both influential leaders of the Islamic Revolution’s Mojahedeen Organisation, the most important and best organized member of the Second Khordad Coalition that supports the lamed Khatami, Mrs. Fatemeh Haqiqatjoo, an outspoken reformist deputy from Tehran and Mr. Naser Shirzad, a representative to the Majles form Esfahan are among the hopefuls that have been rejected on charges of activities against the regime.

Next legislative elections are slated for 21 February and odds are that the conservatives would regain the control of the Majles, as a majority of young voters, deceived with both the reformist’s failure to carry out reforms promised by Hojjatoleslam Khatami during his first election campaign in 1997, have decided not to go to the polls, while other voices, including from the ranks of the reformists, call for a total boycott of the elections.

Expressing serous concern about the outcome of the elections, the seventh in the life of the Islamic Republic, Mr. Nabavi contested the Guardian’s self-appointed right of vetting candidates, saying, "Majles representatives are servants of the people, not the Council of the Guardians".

"I rather explode over a mine or I would disclose all information about the existence of a General Staff working against reformist candidates, he warned during a press conference on Friday, confirming an earlier statement by the Government’s official spokesman about the formation of such an "illegal" group.

ENDS MAJLES ELECTIONS 9104

http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2004/Jan_04/majles_elections_9104.htm

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