Iranian Alert - July 22, 2005 - Martial Law Declared in Mahabad Iran, Tension High

Regime Change Iran ^ | 7.22.2005 | DoctorZin

[DoctorZIn]

Top News Story

Martial law declared in Mahabad, tension is striking high

KURDISTAN, July 22 (DozaMe.org) - 13 days after the killing of Shivane Qadri, demonstrations are raging on in the city of Mahabad in eastern Kurdistan (northwestern Iran). Two more Iranian soldiers have been reported killed by demonstrators.

The Iranian government has now declared martial law and curfew in the Kurdish city. Demonstrators who defy the curfew are still protesting on the streets. A clash on July 18 between Kurdish demonstrators and Iranian soldiers has left two soldiers killed.

For the first time after 10 years, the Iranian military is now setting up bases inside the city. Bases have been set up at the Independence Square, who has historically witnessed many popular revolutions, and at Shivane Qadris home district of Pisttep.

Clashes between people and military are increasing and there is no more tranquility in the city, Kurdish news agency MHA's war correspondent Sherko Mehabadi reports. Iranian soldiers have unsuccessfully tried to clamp down on the protesters, leading to tens of protesters and tens of soldiers injured.

Iranian security forces have also cut off the water in the Fergengiyan district and the gas in the Teppey-Qazi district, local sources report. Security forces have until now arrested more than 200 demonstrators and few who have been released report intensive torture of arrested protesters, including themselves.

Iranian soldiers and police are now patrolling the streets in hunt for demonstrators. Groups of more than three are being scattered brutally and during curfew, which starts at 22:00 (10 pm) every evening, groups more than three are being arrested.

Eastern Kurdistan has not felt this tension since the 80ies. This has led to the governor of Mahabad threatening the Kurdish people in radio and TV statements saying, "Stop the demonstrations! You don't want the 80ies back, I assure you".

DoctorZin:

Persian news sites have been reporting for days now that cities throughout in the region are under martial law. This a major problem for the regime since it cannot indefinitely sustain large security forces in major cities like Tehran and at the same time in the entire Kurdish region. If unrest occurs in Tehran or spreads to other areas, such as the Balouch region, the regime will be in a very dangerous predicament. Radio Free Europe has more.

A Daily Briefing of Major News Stories on Iran:

• Amir Taheri, Arab News suggested that Akbar Ganji could be Iran's Boris Yeltsin. A must read.
• Farideh Nicknazar, Iran Scan reported that Mr. Ganji's situation in the hospital is even worse than in prison and that Iranian officials are intentionally releasing false information to the media in order to confuse the public.
• Islamic Republic News Agency reported a demonstration is planned for Sunday, in front of the University of Tehran to support Political Prisoners and demand their immediate release. In related stories they also reported Ganji has told his wife that they can not return my living body to prison.
• FrontPageMagazine published excerpts of a letter by Iranian political prisoner Akbar Ganji, smuggled out of prison.
• NY Daily News reported on Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji saying, the world seems largely unconcerned about the fate of one courageous man.
• Iran Focus reported that Iran will resume uranium enrichment activities August 1st.
• Reuters reported that Rafsanjani said, giving up Iran's nuclear fuel program would be a "shameful stain" on the country.
• The Guardian reported that the already demoralised Iranian reform movement had been dreading: the dawn of a new era of political repression.
• The Red Herring reported on a roundtable at Harvard University on bloggers who are fighting censorship, the threat of jail time, and often physical violence and whether Western technology companies can be pressured to maintain U.S. speech protections.
• Arutz Sheva reported that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called upon the international community to impose sanctions on Iran.
• Shaheen Fatemi, Iran va Jahan produced a Profile in Courage: Akbar Ganji.
• Yahoo News reported that French President Jacques Chirac warned Tehran the UN Security Council will have to become involved if agreement cannot be reached on Iran's nuclear program.
• MEMRI released a short video clip with first-hand evidence that the Terrorist Islamic Republic of Iran have trained and mobilized some 40,000 human bombs to target the U.S. and Israel.
• Detroit Free Press reported House intelligence committee chairman Rep. Peter Hoekstra and Rep. Curt Weldon met secretly in Europe last week with an Iranian exile who CIA dismisses.
• Iranian blogger, Mehrdad Sheibani, Roozonline discussed a military attack on Iran.
• Iranian blogger, Aras Hassan-Nia, Roozonline reported that trading in Tehran’s Stock Market took a deep dive last week and analysts expect more black days ahead.
• Business Week reported that Royal Dutch Shell PLC disclosed in a filing this week that it faces risks of U.S. sanctions in Iran.
• Mehr News reported that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will take part in President-Elect Mahmud Ahmadinejad’s inauguration ceremony, August 4th.
• And finally, Payvand reported four Iranians received Hellman/Hammett awards this year, in recognition of their courage in the face of political persecution.

[DoctorZIn]

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

[Mitchell]

Ping.

[DoctorZIn]

Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!

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

[CWOJackson]

Good luck to the Iranian people.

[NickatNite2003]

Please God, let the revolt spread to more and
more cities. Bring true freedom to the people
of Iran. Deliver them from the evil of Khamenei
and nthose who are of his tyranny.

[golch1979]

I don't think mashabad is Iran's second biggest city. You must be thinking of Isfahan or possibly Mashad.

[DoctorZIn]

Your right!

Thanks.

[Reborn]

Iranian security forces have also cut off the water in the Fergengiyan district and the gas in the Teppey-Qazi district, local sources report. Security forces have until now arrested more than 200 demonstrators and few who have been released report intensive torture of arrested protesters, including themselves.

While other areas of the world are trying to "FIGHT" AIDS, Terrorism, and poverty, we have Iranian security forces torturing their own citizens for the evil crime of........protesting. And this government want the Bomb?

[blam]

"And this government want the Bomb?"

Of course, how else can they follow Allah's orders and either convert you to Islam or kill you?

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

I'm curious: what's your take on the Iranian people? That last election gives me doubts that they really would like us to liberate them. What's your take?

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

BTW... please add me to your ping list. FRegards....

[F14 Pilot]

Good to see you back

[warsaw44]

That entire election was fixed. Hundreds of reform minded candidates were not allowed to run for office. The entire election was a joke with the ' winner ' being selected by the country's top Mullah. This Mullah actually runs the country. The same man was responsible for tossing out the reform candidates.

Right now the people of Iran need weapons if there is ever going to be a change.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

But how many Iranians actually voted for the winner? I mean, if they really want war with us, we should wipe them out completely. On the other hand, if they want us to liberate them, I'd love that. Sure, we should smuggle guns to the rebels. I definitely agree with that. And grenades as well.

[DoctorZIn]

To read today’s thread click here.

Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!

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

[warsaw44]

Hi! Sorry for the late reply. In many cases there was simply widespread ballot stuffing. In some areas of Iran the number of votes outnumbered the number of people!~ A little problem with legitimacy which the regime failed to straighten out before announcing the results.
Many people were forced to vote under threat: loss of government jobs ( even low level type workers ) students were threatened with expulsion from schools etc, etc.
Don't forget - they have a pretty large Religious Police force among other goons running around enforcing things.
Its impossible to say how many Iranians actually voted for the candidate they wanted to. It is possible to say many Iranians were never given the chance to vote for the candidate they wanted.
Imagine being forced to go to an American voting booth and being told ' You can vote for the Socialist or the Ultra Socialist '
Persians are not Arabs. Every Persian I have known gets crazy when people make this mistake. The Persian history and culture is very different than the Arab culture.
Overall you have a population enslaved by Islamic rule. What most people want is a secular government.
I cant think of any Middle Eastern country at this time with a large segment of the population demonstrating / fighting for such a thing with the exception of Iran.
We'd have quite an ally if these people can free themselves but it had better happen soon. The so called president of Iran has called for a crack down on the population. He has stated that certain liberties granted earlier will be taken away. I fear that once Iran has an Atomic weapon it will be too late for the Persians. There is no way Israel will sit around waiting for these Islamic lunatics to use the thing and would likely strike first. Any type of strike would more than likely force average Iranians to rally around the Government.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Thank you for your input.

"Any type of strike would more than likely force average Iranians to rally around the Government."

One more question:

What percentage of Iran's military is foreign mercenaries?

[warsaw44]

"What percentage of Iran's military is foreign mercenaries? "
Arthur, no idea about that at all. Possibly the gent who runs the Iran Ping list might know but I've not heard a thing. Below is the CIA estimates for the Iranian military.





Iran
Military branches:
Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army)
Law Enforcement Forces: (2004)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 18-49: 18,319,545 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 15,665,725 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 862,056 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.3 billion (2003 est.)

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Thank you for that detailed information. FRegards....